Politics
I've been watching season 6 of The West Wing. I finished it this evening. It was good -- way better than seasons 4 or 5, I think, though it's been over a year since I watched them. But the writing was better, and the stories were better, and it's a freakin' awesome show.
It brought back so many memories. I know that I'm meant to be here, in Israel, in Jerusalem, living the life I live. I love it more than I can possibly explain. But watching season 6 reminded me of how into US politics I was... how much I loved campaigning... and while I can't say honestly that I miss that, I do wonder if I would have pursued it.
We're going to elections here a week from today, and for once I'm nearly completely undecided in who I'm voting for.
It's a heavy decision, when we're talking about 20% of our population living below the poverty line, which is already low. It's a heavy decision when we're talking about whether or not people should have equal rights in a country that is inherently inequal. But mostly, it's a heavy decision because I walk in front of bulldozers every single day wondering if this time I'll continue to be "lucky" and make it past alive. And it's a heavy decision because I want to go to Arad to see my adopted family, and to get there, I need to go through Be'er Sheva, which was hit by a whole bunch of rockets a couple of weeks ago... and because whomever we elect into power just might make Arad a border community of a palestinian state.
The US is such a big country, that it's hard to really feel like your own personal life is at stake based on who you vote for.
Israel has no such luxury.
Voter turnout may, in fact, be very low this year. A big reason for that is that so many of us don't know for whom to cast our votes. We get one vote -- just one. We vote for the party. The party has decided who the top spots go to, and the top people decide how to divvy up the different governmental positions.
I'm sure it's clear from what I've written that I'll be voting right-wing. My problem is in deciding how right wing, and right wing from which direction?
My choices are basically 3.5:
1. Likud -- sorta right wing, sorta not. I don't trust Bibi Netanyahu as far as I can pick him up and throw him. I think he's slick, and a politician at heart. But Likud has a strong chance of being the strongest party in the election, so every vote makes them more powerful -- perhaps powerful enough to NOT have to create a coalition with the lefties or the corrupties.
2. Yisrael Baiteinu -- strongly right wing, but not so much credibility due to lack of actually having *done* anything. May or may not negotiate a palestinian state, but at least has strongly come out against the so-called "right of return."
3/3.5 -- the national religious parties. These are the very small parties that actually believe that G-d gave us this land, and we displease G-d by not following the rules He gave us in terms of governing it. But the parties are split, with a coalition sort of deal... which wouldn't be bad, except that they've broken apart their coalitions in the past, so most of us don't trust them 100%.
I'm pretty sure I'll make a decision before I actually walk into the voting booth. I'm leaning in one direction now, and trying to get more information to decide whether or not it's the direction I want to go.
But man, it's tough.
When it comes down to it, I have Faith above all else... what's meant to happen is what will happen... but I also believe that G-d helps those who help ourselves, so we need to put in some efforts of our own.
So I'll keep thinking and researching, and do my best... but when it comes down to it, beyond the vote I place, the rest is out of my control.
Not so much fun for a control freak like me.
It brought back so many memories. I know that I'm meant to be here, in Israel, in Jerusalem, living the life I live. I love it more than I can possibly explain. But watching season 6 reminded me of how into US politics I was... how much I loved campaigning... and while I can't say honestly that I miss that, I do wonder if I would have pursued it.
We're going to elections here a week from today, and for once I'm nearly completely undecided in who I'm voting for.
It's a heavy decision, when we're talking about 20% of our population living below the poverty line, which is already low. It's a heavy decision when we're talking about whether or not people should have equal rights in a country that is inherently inequal. But mostly, it's a heavy decision because I walk in front of bulldozers every single day wondering if this time I'll continue to be "lucky" and make it past alive. And it's a heavy decision because I want to go to Arad to see my adopted family, and to get there, I need to go through Be'er Sheva, which was hit by a whole bunch of rockets a couple of weeks ago... and because whomever we elect into power just might make Arad a border community of a palestinian state.
The US is such a big country, that it's hard to really feel like your own personal life is at stake based on who you vote for.
Israel has no such luxury.
Voter turnout may, in fact, be very low this year. A big reason for that is that so many of us don't know for whom to cast our votes. We get one vote -- just one. We vote for the party. The party has decided who the top spots go to, and the top people decide how to divvy up the different governmental positions.
I'm sure it's clear from what I've written that I'll be voting right-wing. My problem is in deciding how right wing, and right wing from which direction?
My choices are basically 3.5:
1. Likud -- sorta right wing, sorta not. I don't trust Bibi Netanyahu as far as I can pick him up and throw him. I think he's slick, and a politician at heart. But Likud has a strong chance of being the strongest party in the election, so every vote makes them more powerful -- perhaps powerful enough to NOT have to create a coalition with the lefties or the corrupties.
2. Yisrael Baiteinu -- strongly right wing, but not so much credibility due to lack of actually having *done* anything. May or may not negotiate a palestinian state, but at least has strongly come out against the so-called "right of return."
3/3.5 -- the national religious parties. These are the very small parties that actually believe that G-d gave us this land, and we displease G-d by not following the rules He gave us in terms of governing it. But the parties are split, with a coalition sort of deal... which wouldn't be bad, except that they've broken apart their coalitions in the past, so most of us don't trust them 100%.
I'm pretty sure I'll make a decision before I actually walk into the voting booth. I'm leaning in one direction now, and trying to get more information to decide whether or not it's the direction I want to go.
But man, it's tough.
When it comes down to it, I have Faith above all else... what's meant to happen is what will happen... but I also believe that G-d helps those who help ourselves, so we need to put in some efforts of our own.
So I'll keep thinking and researching, and do my best... but when it comes down to it, beyond the vote I place, the rest is out of my control.
Not so much fun for a control freak like me.
posted by M at 22:59
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