I voted yesterday.

[treeskin]

For whatever good it did. Locally, maybe. A non-republican vote for president in Kansas is a throw-away, these days. Nothing else, I voted, and that entitles me to complain about the government for the next four years. I expect I'll be doing a fair amount of that.

I'd like to say I'm hopeful, that there's a chance to pull something positive out of this election, but the radio has been dinning reports of "another four years" since I turned it on this morning. "Another four years" sounds a dark bell. Four years of what?

Four years ago, I was paying between $1.00-$1.20 per gallon of unleaded gas. The gas stations on my trip in posted prices between $1.88-$2.05 per gallon.

Four years ago, By's boss called in extra help to work on large projects. He didn't work for her most of this year; she couldn't afford employees. She's had him back since September, and we hope business will pick up for the holidays. She hasn't had any large special-order projects in a long time.

Four years ago, my mom complained about state education funding, because Kansas simply isn't a wealthy state. Today, there is no money in her school district, and they're struggling to find money to implement No Child Left Behind in a way that still allows them to teach the fundamentals. My mother was told by her boss that she was to teach nothing but what was on the assessment tests. The test results are all important now; poor test results equal punitive lower funding.

Four years ago, my mom was a teacher with 29 years of experience and a 3-year-old master's degree in elementary education. This spring, as No Child Left Behind was implemented in Kansas, my mom was told she was not qualified to teach the subjects she was teaching, because she only had an elementary education degree. After much worry, lost sleep, and paperwork, she's been declared a "highly qualified teacher". Because of No Child Left Behind, she'll have to do this paperwork every year until she retires, or until this program is taken down. Her master's degree does not count towards her qualifications.

Four years ago, I was just starting this job, and was told the annual cost-of-living raises were usually around 4%, for everyone on campus. The raises were announced in April or May, and came into effect July 1 with the new fiscal year. Last year, we go the predicted raise, and told by the board that we might get a raise, or we might not. Federal education funding was cut, and what the state got in tax revenues was much lower, thus what our school got from the state was cut dramaticly. We did get a raise this year, just enough to cover rising insurance costs.

Four years ago, the outgoing president wasn't someone I respected, but I didn't fear him, either. I didn't have high hopes for the incoming president, having reviewed his record in Texas, but I wasn't afraid. Today, I'm afraid for our nation. I'm afraid that decisions our current administration has made will come back to us, biblicly, eye for eye, bomb for bomb.

And after listening to poll results and interviews with voters, I'm afraid of our nation. I'm afraid of fearful people turning like children to father-figure politicians because "they can protect us." I'm afraid of people who won't think criticly, won't ask hard questions, won't look at cause and effect.

Parts of this election cycle sound like news out of some third-world proto-democracy, contested polls and voters not being able to get to polling places. Parts of this sound like some stories I've read. In the stories, the next election the theocracy will take over completely. That's giving me nightmares.

Comments

[florilegia.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't think that you have a rant here at all. I think you have a logical argument for your vote stemming from your experience. I, too, have been disappointed in this election, but it does not affect me economically as much as it does the two of you. I send love to you and hope that the next four years will not be as bleak as we perceive presently. Perhaps people will still see the need for beautiful things (specifically silver artistry)even in wartime.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

it does not affect me economically as much as it does the two of you.
Yet.

I have no expectation of anything but more of the same from this administration, and do not see the prospects as anything but bleak.

[florilegia.livejournal.com]

I see your point, and hope that we do not suffer a recession or depression. I certainly was not trying to support Bush's economic policies, gods know. However, from my standpoint, unemployed and without benefits, supporting myself solely by doing odd jobs and volunteer work, I cannot see my situation worsening much.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I hope I'm being overly pessamistic right now. But Robyn declared to By that, given the outcome of the election, they HAVE to move the studio to a cheaper building. She just doesn't have enough business to stay where she is, and doesn't expect Bush's policies to help the economoy anytime soon.

[florilegia.livejournal.com]

I'm really sory to hear that, hon. I wish I were loaded, 'cause I've wanted some of her stuff for ages now..