Overload

Campaign overload. Too many TV commercials predicting the end of civilization if so-and-so is elected or if this or that ballot proposition passes. Here in the Golden State, the Mormon Church and other culturally atavistic groups have poured millions into Prop 8, an initiative that would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. This is essentially a civil rights issue that has morphed into a Category 1 Fear Issue, with overblown ads asserting that school children will be indoctrinated to accept same-sex marriage.

It’s hogwash, but that’s modern politics. Big money and bigger lies endlessly repeated, and the more citizens watch and hear the less they know. With all the problems facing California – dysfunctional budget process, inadequate funding for public education, rotting infrastructure, a prison-system about to burst its seams, millions of citizens unable to access decent medical care – what do we get worked up about? Same-sex marriage.

On the national level, I’m still digesting Alan Greenspan’s recent admission that his infallible Market God ideology is, after all, very, very fallible. Lo and behold, Wall Street firms cannot regulate themselves and even more shocking to Mr. Greenspan – who achieved Saint-like status during his tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve – market forces do not automatically solve all ills. Wow! This is kind of like the Apostle Paul saying he harbors doubts about Jesus.

What’s the world coming to? Sarah Palin promises to rid America of autism; Karl Rove blames the downward spiral of global markets on Barack Obama; John McCain warns that America will topple into the toilet if the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of those profligate Democrats achieve a congressional majority. (Question for the erratic senator from Arizona: could a Democratic majority foul the nation up any more than the Republicans managed during their six-year reign of terror?)

There’s more, of course, much more, from e-mail barrages to the four-color campaign flyers that clog the mailbox and go immediately into the recycle can. While it’s a relief to finally see the finish line on the reign of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, it would be naive to think that we can quickly – or painlessly -- climb out of the ditch Bush and Cheney (and their Republican lapdogs – and some Democrats, too) have driven us into. Barack Obama should win this election, and in itself that will be refreshing, but let’s keep our expectations reasonable – we’re in deep shit on multiple fronts – and before things get better they will almost certainly get worse.