So let me see if I've got this straight...

[brooklynboy49]

381. Actually, it was

I didn't take staying home lightly and didn't do it cavalierly. I take voting very seriously and, except for 2000, when I voted for Nader, I have always voted the straight Democratic ticket.

I had my misgivings about Obama early on. WilliamPitt has cursed the president and called him a used car salesman. Knowing what I know of his situation (only what I've read on thus forum), I can understand why he has lashed out as he has.

During the 08 primaries, I came to call Obama a snake oil salesman. A great speaker selling an elixir that would solve all of our problems. His qualifications for the office were his oratory skills, if you can call that experience qualifying you to hold the office of President of the United States. Frankly, I didn't think he had the necessary experience and was capitalizing on his celebrity status. He was the biggest thing to hit since The Beatles. And as much as I loved John Lennon, I don't think he would have made a very good president, either.

Despite my misgivings, I held my nose and voted for Obama. As I had done for Clinton, Dukakis and Carter before him. I have only pulled the lever for a presidential candidate enthusiastically twice -- the first time I voted, in 1972, for McGovern; and in 1984, for Mondale. Well, three times if you include 2000, when I voted for Nader.

My problem with Obama was simply this -- Here's a guy, I thought, who wants to implement real, fundamental reform. Reform that would transform government into an institution which would do the peoples' work, not the PTB's. But I just felt that as wonderful as it would be to live in a society envisioned by Obama, he wasn't being straight with us. He's an exceptionally smart guy, he knew full well there was no way in hell he could accomplish anything remotely approaching the "change" he was running on because of the obstacles which would have to be overcome to implement those changes, and he knew he about a snowball's chance in hell of overcoming those obstacles.

I voted for him anyway. And I was wrong. He wasn't tilting at windmills, he was just another politician, no different than the rest. Health care "reform" was a debacle. He was clearly in over his head. And that scenario played out again and again.

Worst of all, he gives the opposition gifts they haven't even asked for. Like not even putting single payer on the table so you can negotiate down to a public option.

Then unnecessarily putting Social Security on the table.

I am convinced that Obama suffers from having a huge ego. And believing in his heart that if he does the "right" thing (as he sees it), the Republicans will say, yeah, let's get that grand bargain done! In this respect he is stupid. He doesn't get it that they hate his fucking guts with a passion, and we all know why. They would rather let the country implode than do anything to help him govern in the best interests of the people they ostensibly represent.

So, yeah, I stayed home for the first time in my life. Which was unthinkable for me. I think, eat and breathe politics. And I just got sick of voting for a guy I had to hold my nose to vote for.

And I will do it again, if necessary. If Hillary is our nominee, I will not support her candidacy. I am hoping that before I die, I will get one more chance to vote for a candidate I truly support, a candidate I truly believe will shake things up and make Washington work for us. A Bernie Sanders. Or an Elizabeth Warren. Or a Dick Grayson. Or even a Sherrod Brown.

Don't dismiss me because I stayed home. I voted in 2012. I voted for none of the above.