Fear and Whining in Florida

As my week in New York City draws to close I’m relieved to be headed back home, both to see my family and to get away from the non-stop election coverage that I masochistically subject myself to. Here’s a thought that I am sure is shared by many other Americans: I am sick and tired of “Joe the Plumber” and other complete fictions of imaginary middle America cooked up by campaign managers. Politics from any ideological standpoint can become extremely tedious, but watching the McCain-Palin ticket wage a campaign of fear and whining during this last road trip through Florida, it strikes me that the Republicans are driving the political discourse through the floor, as thought median voting age in this country were 9. This is doubly offensive given the extreme economic problems the country is going through. No wonder so many people are jumping ship. Whatever position or party one supports, the tactics of fear and the incredibly low level of political messaging coming from the incumbent camp drives home the point that the American public seems ready for change.