Time For A Brew, A Reluctant Voter Shares Thoughts About ‘Sad Day’

OIB reader Tricia McMann, like a number of voters loathing the election season, will hold her nose, cast a ballot and then do the only sensible thing under the circumstances, drink “a cold beer.” Stay thirsty, OIB friends.

In 22 days, millions of Americans will vote for the nation’s next president. However, all I can think is “Boy, what a sad day this will be.” At least that’s how I feel. I will vote but I will vote only because I feel as an American it is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, as I vote, I will do my best to keep depressing thoughts such as “I am choosing the lesser of two evils” as far away as possible from the left side of my brain.

Gone are the days of wanting to vote. The excitement and exhilaration that came with choosing a leader that you were proud of. A leader that represented this great country with pride and integrity. A leader that was classy, well spoken, fair minded, open-minded and educated. A leader like Ronald Reagan, a man who changed the political horizon by piloting a time that inscribed smaller government, tax cuts, and strong defense. A man who was unafraid to compromise or take advice from others. A man whose optimism and humor helped him portray a brighter future for Americans. A leader that loved and respected his wife and idolized other great leaders such as Franklin D. Roosevelt. Now doesn’t that speak volumes.

In a nutshell, you wanted to vote for this person. You were excited to vote for this person. You went to the polling booth with an eager skip in your step. You anticipated the great changes that were about to take place. Everyone had high hopes and big dreams. It didn’t matter what political party you represented because you were voting for a leader who represented the people, the American people.

Fast forward to 2016 with 22 days ticking like a bad alarm clock you cannot turn off or even put on snooze. We all know, unfortunately, too much about each candidate. I cannot even go out to dinner without hearing about which political party is corrupt, vile, narcissistic, dishonest, crooked or perverted. Words that would have never been used to represent a candidate back in the good ol’ days. I find myself getting sucked in and defending a party that I am no longer even proud of. I leave feeling empty, frustrated, annoyed and anxious about what the future holds for me and my children.

Here’s how I look at it. On November 9th, one unqualified or undeserving candidate is going to be very pleased, the next four years is futile and we will see no major changes to life as we currently know it. People will still live paycheck to paycheck, Congress will resume bickering over irrelevant issues and I will continue to scratch my head over how the tone of the election ever got to be so demeaning and divisive.

I will reluctantly vote. But after I do, I will go have a cold beer somewhere, an actual American tradition that I can count on to not sour anytime soon. I will close my eyes, take a deep breath and desperately try not to think “Boy, what a sad day this is.”