Left and Lefter

I don't like labels much at all. They promote the oversimplification and generalization of everything. Unless they're on household chemicals, then failure to read is at your own peril. Among the labels I like the least: "Left" and "Right" in politics. Yet it seems that these labels are appropriate at times, and this seems to be one of those occasions. Over the past few months we've gotten hints, but over the past few weeks more of the details have finally emerged. It now seems almost official, but I'll ask you anyway: Is John McCain left-of-center?

Once the media's centrist-Republican darling (years ago, that is), McCain clearly has been drifting further away from the party he claims to represent ever since. Much of his party has definitely taken notice. It's well-known that the Republican Party has a strong internal faction distraught over Bush's pillaging of core Republican values, but a similar faction has bemoaned McCain's own shortcomings for years now; and this faction's ranks have swelled dramatically since the start of the current election cycle.

There's definitely a palpable sense among the general population, regardless of party affiliation (or lack thereof), that neither of the two major party candidates are acceptable choices this time around. This isn't much of a surprise considering the "lesser of two evils" sentiment that seems to have cropped up in at least the past 3 or 4 presidential elections, but this year it's different. Many people are actually (finally!) participating in the process, and won't be bullied into accepting one of two unacceptable choices while "[paying] no attention to the man behind the curtain". Much of the public feels as if McCain and Obama are all but identical, and the candidates' attempts to emphasize their differences are ringing hollow among the wider electorate.

Ron Paul's relatively-successful campaign may be indicative of some of this. People are hungry for a different kind of politics. Barack Obama has definitely been capitalizing on this desire for societal change by referring to it ad nauseum during his speeches, but a growing number of people understand that the change they yearn for will not soon come from the election of either a Democrat or a Republican to the presidency. Unfortunately, the two-party system is irretrievably broken. Even more unfortunate: We'll continue to be stuck with it so long as the average American treats each election like the championship game of a professional sport, and not the important civic responsibility that it is.

So while the lemmings on both sides will be out cheering habitually for their favorite "team" from now until Election Day--replete with their pennants, beer hats, giant foam hands, and taxpayer-funded pep rallies--informed voters that are loyal only to Team America (and the ideals for which they stand) will be ignoring those detestable partisan labels; and voting their conscience instead.