Soon, real soon

First off, I have finally created the often mentioned comment rules page.  I have also added a reminder above the comment box for people to review the rules.  Hopefully it will not take me as long to modify the rules as it seems people continue to send in comments with apparent intent to if not to break, than bend them.

Throwing in a line or two in an attempt to cover the "four corners" rule isn't going to cut it.  When the bulk of your comment is not related to the post, it isn't going to get published.  When you throw in an issue not even remotely discussed, no matter what the rest of the comment is about, it won't get published.

References to what appears elsewhere will be reviewed. If the content would not be posted here, links or references will not get posted.  If the links don't work, the comment will not be published.

I understand people are getting a bit antsy about the upcoming election.  It will be over soon folks, very soon, and not soon enough.  

What it means, what it should mean for everyone is at that point, when this one is in the books, the majority will have spoken.  No matter who the winner, that will be the fact we live with.  If the minority feel it unreasonable, well by all means take the next step.  But please, do it and stop simply threatening to do it.  

Come Monday, people will have the choice to decide: to remain blissfully ignorant of things going around them and somehow manage to miss the opportunity to go out and vote; or, to simply not care one way or the other and let others decide for them; or, to vote as they have determined.  

Candidates and opposing groups will have had five months to attempt to convince and energize people to support them.  The only true fear I have about the outcome of this election is that it is another close one. Even if that result plays out, at least the tortured exercised will be over.

Why is a close one a fear?  Simply because it leaves the perception of a closely divided town.  

I have previously noted that anything under a 30% turnout leaves questions about a "mandate" for the winner. Quite frankly, whatever the turnout, I am chalking the no shows up in the "doesn't matter to me, one way or another" column and forgetting about them.  Where else do you put them if they don't manage to get out and vote in this one?

Once the election is officially in the books, it is over.  The fact you don't agree with it isn't going to change the official results.  the fact you think the majority were wrong, does not change the results.  If you haven't been able to get your message to sink in to the voters, than I suggest you think about the message, or at least the tactics.

People can try and wrap this election up in any manner they want, it has clearly come down to the perception of keep the turbines running vs. shutting them down.  It is being presented in the terms of "us vs. them", "good vs. evil".  Depending on which side of the fence you stand you are either in the us vs them, good vs. evil category.

The pigeon holing by both sides of the argument is that clear. It is absolutely foolish in my opinion, but it is an absolute reality.

My head and gut tell me that one side or the other is going to get a real dose of political reality from this election. The size of the turnout will measure that dose, but it will still be a bitter medicine to swallow.  I don't have realistic guess at this point who will be dishing out the medicine and who is going to be swallowing it, but it seems clear it will be a bitter dose for some.

As bitter as it will be, it has to be accepted as the end of one chapter. While it is unfortunate it won't be the end of the book on this issue, we need to accept the fact that the next chapter begins.

When I started this blog I was roundly criticized for describing politics as a blood sport.  I still stand by that description.  Neither side has shown to me that it is otherwise.  Both claim the moral high ground.  Both have taken actions that in my mind show neither has as firm a footing up there as either would like to believe.

But that is part of the sport after all.  I am right and you are wrong.  I am good and you are evil.  You are either with me or against me.  It is often put in rather less than flattering terms, no matter how polite the language.

I want to say though that this doesn't apply to everyone in either camp.  It is unfortunate that a great many people end up being covered in the paint that flows from a wide brush. Unfortunately guilt by association will always exist.

Just as unfortunate, this particular election is simply going to be decided on how people associate each candidate with the continued existence or removal of the turbines.

That is the bitter pill everyone has to swallow.

Enough for today.

Be Safe.