The Dems Come To My Door

I'm on the Dems' list here, of course. I've done tons of volunteer work for them, and they often come by the house during GOTV efforts. The last couple of times, I've told them that I'm concerned about the direction of the party, and not sure I'm even a Democrat anymore. Not that I think it'll do any good...but better to light one candle than to curse the damn darkness. This time around, it was two Hispanic ladies. The one doing the talking started saying (of the local candidates they were pushing) They would be good for me. Good for people like me. [wink, wink] And she said it several times. I almost couldn't believe it. I mean...I really almost couldn't believe it. (Also, the hoards of ravening mosquitoes that assault anyone who dares come near my house were rising from their lairs, and I was trying to swat them away from the nice ladies. So that was distracting.) She seemed to be intimating: good for Hispanic people...but it was pretty weird, and I was a bit taken aback. I just don't know for sure, but she very clearly seemed to be trying to convey something in that vicinity--and not subtly. If I had it to do over again, I'd have asked her what exactly she meant.

   It didn't exactly make me mad...more like exasperated. But a little mad. I mean...I'm a dinosaur who still doesn't think that racial appeals are to be thrown around lightly. But...also...I'm so sick of the left that, for the first time in my life, I'm starting to have thoughts like: Yeah...well what's good for me? Ever think about that? That's a big line to cross for me. I doubt that I'm alone... I just tried to be nice, and to swat the damn skeeters, and get my simple message across: I don't think I am going to follow the Democrats where they seem to be going. I told her that, look, there was no way I'd ever vote for anybody like Trump. But that the Dems were moving too far into, by my lights, very bad regions of the left. She tried the "me...people like me" appeals a couple more times...until I began to wonder whether it was a pre-determined talking-point. Then she suggested that, maybe if the candidates themselves came by to talk to me it might make a difference. I told her that was possible; I hadn't hardened my heart against them or anything. But I was skeptical.

   This shouldn't bother me. I was raised as an independent, and to be skeptical of parties. I resisted thinking of myself as a Democrat until long after I was a de facto Democrat. Really, this is just a return to my natural state. What bothers me is not being party-less...about which I don't give a rat's ass...it's thinking that (a) there are no good options now among the major parties, and (b) actually there may be, but I'm too benighted to tell which is which. Trump makes it fairly easy in certain ways... But only 870 days of him left...at most...unless the Dems keep on keepin' on down this road...in which case...maybe more, I guess...