my friends are getting cocky again.

It's the same cocky we all showed in '04 right around this time, when we were all so sure we were actually doing something, and that Americans had a brain and that people would pay attention and be smarter than the marketing machine that they all inevitably fell victim to anyway.

I have to be honest, that day shattered my faith in America for awhile, and I don't have so much faith they'll make the right choice this time. But people I hang out with are talking like we already won, and republicans were gone. I had to knock on wood today because it was like my roommate was jinxing up a storm talking about the election results before we've even gone to the polls. I had to remind him not to count his chickens.

Michigan is likely to loose a great governor, and to have, of all people, a fucking DeVos as governor. My dad is going to vote for him. And he HATES Betsy DeVos. He's just voting for him because, like most Americans, my dad likes to be safe and not look into anything very deeply and have his decisions made for him. He buys into those catch phrases and buzz words and hot button issues because its easier than doing the work and thought himself. And you know what? He's not alone. At least 3/4ths of everyone I've ever met--on the left and the right--are the same way. They pick what the party picks, and thats all they care about. Thats all they need to know. Unfortunately, both the two main parties tend to make a LOT of compromises and settle for stances on issues that they think will win them the most votes, and not what is actually more right and good. These people that tow the line buy into this, and all the sudden, you have millions of people feeling very strongly of a decision that was made pretty much by the flip of a coin.
Take the Republican Party for instance.
Until 1980, the Republican Party had no stance on Abortion (they up to that point preferred to leave it up to the states), and actively supported the ORIGINAL Equal Rights Amendment (why not, they were the party of Lincoln). However, at the 1980 National Convention that all changed. The party switched stances on both issues, and low and behold the masses followed suit. People have been in an embittered battle on these issues ever since. And it was a coin toss really that did it.
Now here we are still battling over race, faith, gender and sexuality issues. All because of a stupid coin toss in 1980. The same battle rages. And the parties still continue to turn intelligent debate into a disgusting vile base mudslinging crap race.
I have little faith in the system right now. Maybe this race will restore my faith, though I truly doubt it. I'm not going to count my chickens before they roost either.