Politics

This Saturday, January 23 is the Iowa Caucuses. Even though they are being held on a Saturday for the first time, attendance will likely be small as it isn't a presidential election year.
I attended my first ever caucus two years ago at the age of 64. I thought that would be considered old for a first time caucus attendee until a 93 year old man said it was his first caucus, too. It was an interesting experience. Even though I have always voted in presidential elections I had never before participated in the choosing of a candidate. I caucused for Hillary Clinton. I almost caucused for John Edwards. I'm glad I didn't.
Memory can definitely play tricks on one. I swear the first time I voted for a president was for John F. Kennedy in 1960. But that isn't possible. The November 8, 1960 election was ten days before my 17th birthday. I guess I wanted to vote for him so much that I have convinced myself I did.
I grew up in a Republican household. Dad voted Republican. He tried to influence the rest of us to do the same. I may not have voted for Kennedy but I'm sure I tried to convince my parents to. I remember Mom and Dad coming home from voting and Dad saying something about there being two more Republican votes. When he went in to the other room Mom said, "He doesn't know who I vote for behind that curtain." She did not say she voted Democratic but that was the way I took her comment.
Much has been made the last couple of days about Republican Scott Brown winning the Massachusetts senate seat held by Democrat Ted Kennedy for so many years. Is it the first crack in the Democrats armour? Will the Republicans take back control in 2012?
Through the years there have been times when I have gotten very riled and emotional over politics. I'm beginning to believe it really doesn't matter who gets elected. The country seems to be so evenly divided that nothing ever really changes - it's partisan politics either way.
I might be disenchanted with politics, but I will continue voting as long as I'm able. The women who came before me, who fought for the right to vote, endured much to give me that right, too.