Molly Ivins: The sideline states

[Dudley_DUright]

Strange peaches. All of us out here in the boonies should be aware this is a truly weird political year. For one thing, nobody has ever seen this much money involved. What can $200 million do in a political race, answered, we presume, by at least $100 million by the Democrats? No one knows.

And now brace yourselves for the really bad news. All this money, intensity and advertising is not going to be spread out across 50 states. There are only 14 to 19 states considered "in play" in this election, not either solidly red or blue, Republican or Democrat. What that means is that all this money is going to hit relatively few citizens like a tidal wave.

Most of us, in most of the states, will barely be aware there is a presidential election going on -- we're out of this loop, team. Nobody will be talking to us. Because we're not "in play," this election is not about us. For reasons established by supposedly skilful polling, none of us even get to be part of this election. We're taken for granted.

Meanwhile, our fellow citizens in these 19 states are about to be subject to brainwashing unlike anything any of us have ever known. Poor honeys, they are going to be subject to a barrage of mind-bending garbage. By the time it's over, nobody will feel much like voting for either candidate. If I were living in any of those states (Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin) I'd feel like hibernating for the next seven months. Failing that, y'all will just have to turn into some of the best citizens ever -- now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country. It's your responsibility to get your information from several sources, to see past the spin, to doubt everything that comes in ad form -- holy cow.

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http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=16696