No imagination, no third way!

 Late last night. Tomorrow we vote, those of us that haven’t. (Forty-nine percent of eligible North Carolina voters has, an astounding percentage.) And I remain undecided. Selfishly!

     I was going to vote for Mrs. Clinton. I said as much here. But then it seemed my vote my matter; now it doesn’t: as far as I can tell, she has an insurmountable lead in Virginia. And I am thinking I will want to say before too long that, “Well I didn’t vote for her.” So, for whom? Not – definitely not Mr. Trump; but who? We shall see.

Two roads diverged in a yellow mire . . . .

Election Day, early. I wake up wondering, "What if the vote is closer than I think?" I can always say, I suppose, “I knew that was a mistake [voting for Mrs. Clinton] but . . . .” But what?

     I am always and forever criticizing politicians for choosing the lesser of two evils instead of imagining another way forward. Now, I can’t.

Let’s face it, however: We don’t encourage imagination in our politicians. We don’t say to young men and women, “You have a wonderful imagination – you should go into politics.” We look instead for young “leaders” – kids (elementary school kids, adolescents, college-aged) that like to push other kids around, convince them: “This is the right way to do this; it’s the only way really.” Instead of imagination we value ideology – lack of imagination! – and love of influence. And we expect from these “public servants”? It’s completely illogical, to expect the self-serving to be truly interest in serving others.

     In the meantime, today’s choice – if you can’t imagine a third way, dear Tom: between incompetence and division.