The Case For Insanity

Three weeks ago, I met with a therapist for the first time in my life. I'm a very happy guy -- great family, great job, great girlfriend, tons of Facebook friends -- no problems that a glass of scotch couldn't fix. But ever since the beginning of September, I've gone 100% batshit crazy. Why? Because come next year, John McCain and Sarah Palin might be running this country. I can't concentrate at work. I can't hold a normal conversation about anything besides politics. At night, I'm afraid to go to sleep because I know that Sarah Palin is waiting for me in Dreamland, like Freddy Krueger but dumber and more evil.

I was hoping the therapist would listen to me lay out this situation, nod sagely, and hand me a bucket full of pills with a creepy name like "Uplift" or "Happiness 4000." But what he told me, surprisingly, was "Get more involved."

"Haven't you been listening, you dumb shit?" I thought as I smiled and asked him to elaborate. But what he said made sense: by getting more involved, I'd spend more time talking with like-minded, highly capable people. I'd feel like I was helping Obama directly. And I'd have less time to be furious at Steve Schmidt.

So I got more involved. I made phone calls to voters in my hometown in Pennsylvania. I donated. I signed up to canvass in Nevada. I set up a fundraising page on Obama's website with two friends. We set an ambitious goal of $10,000. After two weeks of bugging and pleading with our friends, family, co-workers, and bosses, we had raised $26,000.

But as satisfying as all those things are, I'm still crazy. And the more I think about it, the more I think that everyone should be crazy. Consider all the meaningless shit that we become obsessed about -- ex-girlfriends, neighbors' dogs, celebrities' vaginas -- and now think about this: a 72-year old liar with anger problems might become the most powerful person in the world. And if he dies, he'd be replaced by a babbling, evolution-doubting, Supreme-Court-case-not-knowing woman whose knowledge about the world comes from a 3-week cram session. This deserves one month of your obsession.

Think about how proud you would be to have Barack Obama as your President. How proud you'd be that you're an American. If John McCain wins after what we've been through these last eight years, we'd be telling the entire world that we're perfectly content with being hated and ridiculed. We'd be Pam Anderson who dumps Tommy Lee, complains about wanting to find a nice guy, and starts dating Kid Rock.

The contrast between Obama and McCain could not be greater. This is like choosing between an orgasm and a punch in the throat. The fact this is a close race is a terrifying outrage, and every single person should be doing everything they can about it. Stop clicking refresh on Mark Halperin's The Page. Go knock on some doors. Make some phone calls. Make a donation. Recruit your friends. You only have to do it for a month. This shit makes a difference, and with the country in such a bad way, the stakes could not be higher. If you aren't going crazy, there's something wrong with you.

Comments

[Leslib]

Daniel, I feel your pain. I've been obsessed since McCain pulled the biggest dumbs*hit move in political history by picking a know-nothing beauty-queen wanna be WHO WANTS THE STATE SHE GOVERNS TO SECEDE FROM THE UNION to be his trophy running mate. Jeezalou is that screwed up or what? I cannot wait for Nov 5 when this national nightmare will be over and we can look forward to the change that President Obama will bring.

[LoveHatePolitics]

Daniel, methinks you've lost your perspective.
For me, Obama/Biden is the nightmare scenario, but I don't worry about it.
I don't lose sleep over it because I know that on November 5th, regardless of who won the election, the sun will rise, and I'll have to get up and get ready for work.
I'll have a stressful but rewarding day as an engineer, and when I get home, I'll see my lovely wife and daughters like always.
I'll kick back in my recliner for a little while to talk to my family, and when I sit down, our four tiny poodles will jump up in my lap and take their accustomed places on me and the chair. Then our cat will jump up there last, right on my chest, and head but me on the chin, demanding love.
We'll eat supper, and I'll prepare for bed and go to sleep again.
The next morning, it all starts over.
THAT IS REALITY.
Whether Obama or McCain is the president-elect, my days will consist of work, frustration, love, fun, and pain.
I suspect yours will be somewhat the same. Sure you might be disappointed or in rapture due to the outcome of the election, but you will go through your days like the previous 365.
Don't let the outcome of a friggin political election rob you of your joy, or how you operate in this world.
That's my $0.02

[Buffkat00]

Have you ever heard the term "sarcasm"? Just curious....

[IThinkThereforeNotGOP]

Interesting approach, LoveHate. Use your life as the sand in which to keep your head.

[alkamm]

Those who want the tax benefits Republicans always promise the upper classes like to insist that politics is really a trivial pursuit that shouldn't interfere with their leisure or work lives.
Maybe they're right. Fighting wars, bankrupting the treasury, declining to protect the environment so cronies can waste rivers, mountains, oceans, plains and lakes. . . no cause for alarm. Oh, and don't forget the threat to civil liberties that Republicans promise to continue.
The reason Republican supporters can rest comfortably in their recliners is they have a fundamental lack of appreciation for the damage possible from lunatic ideologues in power. There's a big difference in governance by well-educated, articulate, and thoughtful leaders and those whose connections guaranteed their success despite poor academic performance, the vacuous, incurious, spoon fed ideologues who would continue running the country into the ground because they are comfortably numb in the skull or wherever their ethical compass is shoved up.

[dagdavid]

LoveHatePolitics, Your 2 cents is worth exactly that. If you believe this election does not make a difference then you are fooling yourself.

[priysmom]

So glad I am not the only one.....I firmly believe one simple fact :Obama becoming the next president is ment to happen. It is fate , destiny, already written...what ever you want to call it.(sorry :D) It is the perfect storm for a change and the only candidate representing REAL change is Obama. I have faith in the people to not fall for the stupidity of the smears and distractions. Seriously , they didnt work in the primary ...what makes them think it will work now???? They cant scare the majority of the American people into turning our back on a new direction for this county.....Most people (who arent racially bigoted) will take a chance on something new and have faith in themselves and Obama rather then continue down the path of the same with John and Sara. They are an insult to the good honest hardworking intelligent people of this country.
Have faith.....given his name, color, "associations", age, ect ,ect, he should have never even made it this far....the fact that he has tells us it is bigger then we know. It is TIME.

[goosie29]

I know I'm the only one obsessed to this extent in Jamaica! Can't wait for November 5th!

[nowalnuts]

I'm right there with you. This last month all of my dreams have turned into endless nightmare streams of McCain talking on the news. I haven't really been sleeping much because he's right there when I shut my eyes and it is horrible. But yes, doing something to help Obama win is the only thing that helps me feel better and the only thing we should all be doing now. One night when it was really bad I wrote 50 postcards between 2am and 5am, all expressing to undecided voters why I want Obama as our next president. When I mailed them to the Women for Obama postcard campaign the next day I felt great and went home and wrote out a bunch more. We have so little time! I'm just going to work as hard as I can talking to people now until election day. It's never going to certain until we make it so!!!! Obama 08!

[TheKennedy]

I too Suffer from McCain Palin Sleep Disorder.

In what kind of universe could you believe the lies about Obama? His taking the second largest cut from Fannie Mae, second only to the oversight chairman the wonderful Chris Dodd? Lies and Balderdash I say. Part of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. Same with criticisms of ACORN. Those fraud charges in a dozen states are clearly a ruse to disenfranchise the black vote.

I fear what kind of police state this will become. It is already bad enough. At the very moment the Bush Administration is reading our posts, calling Arianna to take down the comments critical of Bush or the Republicans. Obama's Truth Squads in Missouri will fix all this. He will use the DOJ to make sure lies are never printed about Democrats again. It will be a glorious day when finally, FINALLY we wrest the control of all speech from the clutches of the Bush Admistration.

Be careful Daniel Chun. The Bush Administration is watching you, and tomorrow, this posting may not even be here... Funny how the archives always seem to be missing one article or another after you check them, SURE the article was there the day before.

We must elect the community organing, Planned Parenthood supporting, half term Senator from Illinois at all costs! OUR DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON IT!

[rainbowstate808]

I tried the following mental exercise to counter all the anxiety caused by the election and found it to be helpful and improved my mood. I am also working hard to get Obama elected.

This is what my friend wrote:

Several times a day, say out loud and think to yourself 'President Obama' and when you do - imagine it being true, right now, and feeling all the great feelings that go with such a powerful, positive thought.

It dawned on me that I was getting caught in the fear of Republicans because most of their policies are based in fear. Fearing the Republicans is just more fear and feeds the cause of fear. I don't expect us to not be fearful, but when we notice that we are, that is a good time to imagine, say and think 'President Obama' and experience the pleasure that this reality brings.
When I first thought of this I realized that some, me included, would react, 'well just thinking about it - won't do it. What we need is action - so, say it!'
Saying what we wish to empower aligns us with what we want.

Saying and imagining 'President Obama' is more likely to inspire actions that will create this wonderful outcome. When we're feeling good, instead of afraid, resigned or helpless, we will get a lot more done.
The decision to send this email came to me last night after deciding to practice thismyself, all day yesterday: 'President Obama' -aaahhh!

[ReneeZ]

I wish I could donate, I wish I could contribute... but I cannot. I'm not American, nor do I live in the US. However, I am obsessed with these elections, since never before there has been so much at stake. Not only for the US, but for the entire world. The world cannot afford McCain, nor his running mate whose ruthless ambitions exceed her capabilities by far.

[MELYKIN]

I'm completely obsessed with the American election too. We have an election in Canada next week and I'm paying very little attention to it (I already know who I'm voting for). Likely Harper (an evil conservative) will get in again in Canada since the anti-Harper vote is split 3 ways. :( That's another reason I'm ignoring the Canadian election--the results seem depressing and predictable. But at least Harper doesn't have any big armies to start wars with, though--so the stakes aren't as high.
It is much more exciting to follow the American election, where a really excellent candidate is leading.

[Hawaii4Obama]

Enjoyed your article, although I, too, am 'consumed' by this election like no other that I can remember. It has morphed into a sick reality show, a la "Survivor" with the game on now being "who can run the gauntlet of the mudslinging and make it to the finish line first?" In Obama's defense, he could NOT stand back and let the lunatic fringe of a Repug candidacy that is now sucking wind stay front and center with its all-out "spray enough bullets and you're bound to hit something" mentality.

I don't know what makes me sicker....seeing my retirement fund get sucked into a black hole after so many LONG years of busting butt or see the sickening tactics of Madman McCain and his villainous sidekick Palin who prefer to focus on trivial trash than come up with bonafide viable solutions to our country's problems.

How disingenous for Karl "I'll take the high" Rove to negatively comment on McCain's tactics when he was the mastermind behind the Bushleague tactics of 2000. For those of us who remember the CREEPS in the Watergate scandal of the 70's that brought down Tricky Dick, google Donald Segretti...Karl Rove was his protege in '72--the student has learned well at the plump knee of his teacher. McCain left his honor and integrity at the door to the Palin waterfront home.

November 4th can't get here fast enough. All of us need our sanity back!

[fromsa]

I agree I am not even from your country and I am also going crazy.

There are different reasons for this:

I recognize the "racism" in your country that was visible in mine
I see the possibility that Obama could become as great as Nelson Mandela, and hold my breath that your nation are going to give the world this gift

Please USA make the right choice, the world is connected and your choice will have an affect on me in Pretoria, South Africa

[Jason404]

Everybody I know is going crazy too, and we live in the UK! We're helpless to fate - Please help us!

www.iftheworldcouldvote.com

[Antifascist-08]

I have had many of the same symptoms. We have had two elections stolen by the most heinous people on the planet. Our country isn't ours any more.

Obama is here for us. There is a plan that has sprung from the mistakes of the past. Our candidates are wise and strong and full of humanity. We are opposed, of course, by the worst dregs of our culture. This is the only way this could happen.

The rest is up to us. This is a matter of survival for what the founding fathers- perhaps the greatest group of individuals ever to grace this planet in one place at one time, gave to us and the rest of the world. How can we not feel the importance of this? We are holding the future of the world in our hands. Do we move on to a higher level or sink further?

This is it folks. We are being tested. We have been granted a huge gift, but we must pay as much of a price as Obama and the rest of the ones who have stood up to tyranny, ignorance and hate.

A turning point can never be easy to navigate. It just can't. We will pay the price. Why? Because we all know that this is the time. We are all together, feeling the same thing, doing what it takes, standing up to be counted with our brothers and sisters.

[Chukosh]

You sound like me! I am driving my husband and daughter nuts. All I want to do is watch the map on Pollster.com turn blue, and read everything I can about this election. I am terrified of McCain /Palin. I used to like John McCain. But no more.

ACK.... can't we hold the election today??? PLEASE??????

[jpink2006]

Thank God... I thought I was the only one going crazy and having nightmares about Sarah Palin.

[zanzig]

Dear Daniel, I am an Australian and I am in the same parlous state as you. I am up until past midnight every night on HuffPo and reading every online newspaper from the US (your daylight hours) and then checking back on HuffPo first thing in the morning. This US election is truly the most vitally important one for the world. Clearly the rest of us have no right to dictate the course of your democratic processes, but we are so heavily invested in the outcome, in a social, economic, political and environmental sense that we MUST know what is happening almost on an hourly basis. It is pathetic, but in my defence I will admit that I am and have always been equally engaged by our own political processes/­elections, and I see this as an extension of my efforts here. Good luck to you all.

[Leedox]

G'Day zanzig! I am so glad to know that I am not alone. Last night I was up until 2am I couldn't stop! My husband keeps saying he can't wait for the election to end so that he can get his wife back and regain some kind of control (not that he really had any in the first place) over the remote! As a Canadian/Aussie I have always been interested in the US elections because i know it will affect Canada and my family but this election is completely different. I have no doubt that if McCain wins things will get much worse not just because McCain/Palin will screw the country but because the rest of the world will throw up their hands in despair and say, "What the hell is wrong with those people???"­Personally I think Obama will win BUT there are still 29 more days to go and I have no idea what kind of crap McCain/Palin/Rove are planning. It will be very interesting and I really wish that it didn't matter so much. I have other things to worry about - like what the heck am I going to do with the kids for the next 5 days until school starts agin!

[zanzig]

G'day! Would you believe I dreamt about McCain a couple of nights ago after a particularly intensive bout of news searching one evening? I don't recall the detail but he was facing a phalanx of cameras and mics and announcing something earthshattering. of course as soon as I woke up I ran to check if he had announced suspending his candidacy permanently. My friends now refuse to discuss the American elections with me.