IT IS WHAT IT IS - GO VOTE
By Lydia Goodman
November 4, 2014
NewsWithViews.com
I must be clairvoyant. I predicted back in June before the Republican primary run-off election in Mississippi between Thad Cochran and Chris McDaniel that the McDaniel camp would probably drag out challenges to the election results into January if he lost the election. Said half-jestingly, I never knew how prophetic my words would be. Yet here we are on Election Day and there has been no concession, no words of support, and no urging from the McDaniel camp to support the Republican nominee. In fact, according to McDaniel’s lawyer Mitch Tyner, they are considering filing in federal court after The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled not to revive his election challenge.
“...Tyner says despite the ruling, his client could still challenge the decision in federal court – even after the November 4 election. "State statutes allow the challenge to go forward even after the general election," he explains. "And we simply have to have a special election should the challenge be successful. Tyner says the campaign may ask for the Mississippi Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling with the remaining three justices weighing in, or they might take the case to federal court...”
Not once have I commented publicly or written an article on one of the most acrimonious, vile displays of neighbors turning against neighbors, friends against friends, and members eating its own in the same political party over an election--until now. Enough is enough.
This election season has almost (almost) had me turning from a conservative Republican writer to one who almost (almost) denounced any political involvement at all. I stopped reading news from any source. The newspaper fell into the trash unread. I refused to listen to political pundits who tried to convince me why one candidate deserved to win and the other didn’t.
I actually had an epiphany moment--having one’s head in the sand was not such a bad place to be--if one could actually swallow enough sand to keep it there. In my case, though; it proved impossible.
Why? Not because I was losing any sleep because my candidate did or didn’t win and not because of my disgust at the tactics used to garner votes--by both sides, I might add. The culprit of my anger and frustration was non other than... Twitter.
Soon after joining Twitter, I discovered a hashtag: #MSSEN. I became obsessed with it, as much as I hate to admit. I read every “tweet” posted by Cochran and McDaniel supporters, political analysts, and journalists. I have never been so nauseous as when those supposedly on the “Right” opined their hate through vile name-calling and accusations. (In case you missed it, everyone who voted for Cochran is a ‘RINO’ and everyone who voted for McDaniel is a ‘Tea Bagger’. That’s just a couple of the milder characterizations). One “award-winning” journalist accused everyone and their mother of murder in the suicide of a prominent Mississippi Tea Party member.
I watched respected national organizations and political talking heads on the right give credence to this nasty little troll (as I like to affectionately call him) by allowing him to air his outrageous spurious claims. (Sadly, many people fell for his spiel and sent him their hard-earned dollars to build his website.) It soon became clear that there was a battle going on between ideology and practicality, that was only re-enforced by out-of-state political operatives who swooped down in attention-grabbing headlines to capitalize on the election process--in the name of electing their candidate. These “wannabe” rock stars in the political world, of course, fled as soon as the votes were counted--to another election. I have been around for far too long not to recognize attention-seeking opportunists when I see them. Hell-bent on winning, they attacked, oblivious to the carnage they left behind-- at the cost of possibly losing the Senate.
Watching the character assassinations, conducted by both sides against each other’s camps, left me adrift, quite honestly. I know there were honorable patriotic men and women standing up for what they believed, whether they supported Cochran or McDaniel, and at where it counted the most--the voting booth, but why choose this crucial time after the primaries to attack each other? When did losing the Senate become just collateral damage to make a point?
Before you misunderstand me, let me emphasize one point. I understood, as I understand now, why so many felt cheated and betrayed by the election process. It was ugly, it was vicious, and it was downright dirty. However, and this is a big “however,” it is what it is. It doesn’t matter, it simply doesn't, in the greater scheme of all things Obama.
Today, we have our best chance of re-taking the Senate. Not only are some McDaniel supporters on Twitter right now tweeting their disdain for Cochran, but so are supporters of candidates who lost in other state primaries and who are also refusing to vote for the elected Republican nominee. It is abundantly clear that they will only exercise one of 3 options if they mean what they say:
1.
Not vote at all
2. Write in their candidate’s name
3. Vote for the Democrat candidate.
So, here I am begging and pleading to those of you who are still undecided. Conservatives, I understand. I get it. But, you have to vote. Hold your nose and vote for the Republican candidate. Or, we can have two more years of Harry Reid and two more years of a President unchecked and unfettered in the use of his “pen and phone.”
If this isn’t enough to convince you to vote Republican, I don’t know what will.
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“We’re not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help they need. I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” Obama said. “And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance, to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating...”
© 2014 Lydia Goodman - All Rights Reserve
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As a writer and commentator, Lydia Goodman is passionate about speaking out against progressive policies that threaten to erode our personal rights, freedoms, and traditions. Lydia has also written numerous articles on world human rights issues, in an effort to focus attention on the atrocities perpetuated against people of faith.
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E-Mail: lydia1goodman@gmail.com
