The "Lost Cause" of the United States

NOTE: I started writing this on Sunday, Nov 1. I've watched this election divide us. I've personally muted friends or, better yet, just ignored them. I'm done. Also -- what is written below is without any interest in EITHER candidate.

There is literally not a single thing I need to say about this election.

You've made up your mind.

The phone calls are a waste of time.

The internet posts are only serving to further divide people.

There is nothing positive if I were to speak for or against either candidate. As is often my way, I do see good and bad.

I love the history of the presidency, though I'm a novice at best.

The divide of this country truly intensified with the 45th president. But, be honest with yourself. We were scandal-ridden with Clinton. We rolled through incompetence with GW Bush. And Obama was seen by some scholars as one of the worst presidents ever before a late surge, combined with Trump, suddenly turned him into a latter-day "Camelot."

But these last four years? Wow.

And so, I'm reaching to the past for this Election Day post. No, not Washington or Jefferson (or Adams!) or Lincoln.

I'm talking about U.S. Senator Jefferson Smith, the naive, honest protagonist of Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington from 1939. Smith is taken advantage of and easily manipulated before recognizing he's been had.

With the Washington machine crashing around him, Smith is convinced to go the floor of the Senate to filibuster. He continues for over 24 hours to little avail, before bins of letters speaking out against the junior senator are brought to the floor. This seems to galvanize him one last time.

Jimmy Stewart -- as Smith -- was rarely better. He lost in the Oscar race for that year but many believe he won his Oscar for The Philadelphia Story (a BRILLIANT movie) as a "make good" for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Stewart was reported to have dried out his throat with bicarbonate of soda and swabs of mercuric chloride to dry out of his voice for the filibuster scene.

Anyway, I leave you with these words today. Look down on me for being idyllic if you so choose, quoting a unrealistic movie movie. Have at it. But, on this day, I find this is what I need. 

Smith is addressing his mentor in the Senate, Joseph Paine, and also addressing corrupt political boss James Taylor.

I guess this is just another lost cause Mr. Paine. All you people don't know about lost causes. Mr. Paine does. He said once they were the only causes worth fighting for and he fought for them once. For the only reason any man ever fights for them. Because of just one plain simple rule. Love thy neighbor. And in this world today of great hatred a man who knows that rule has a great trust. You know that rule Mr. Paine and I loved you for it just as my father did. And you know that you fight harder for the lost causes than for any others. Yes you'd even die for them. Like a man we both knew Mr. Paine. You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room gets filled with lies like these. And the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place. Somebody will listen to me. (He collapses)

I'm covering the election tonight on WGCH. Then, regardless of outcome, I'm waking up and moving on with my life tomorrow. I hope you do the same.