Why There's No Messiah (It's a Good Thing)

True to my word, I've started a new poll out there on the left side of this blog. Who *will* be elected our next president?

When I read the list of possible presidents, I'm tempted to go back and add None of the Above because, looking at the list, it's hard to imagine that any of the will be elected if you assume, as I do, that pockets of women-hating, black-hating and haircut-hating on the one side vie with good old fashion Bush-hating and FundamentalistFanatic-hating on the other side.

Also, that Mormon problem of Romney's is a problem. Someday I'll Google "weird Utah underwear" and get the real story.

Yet I'll bet ten of mine to one of yours that one of these relatively unelectable people on my list will be the next president. That none of them seems to have sufficient magic to win the office by acclamation may be a good thing, at least in this sense. I want no Messiah. I want no one with amazing charisma and unfocused charm that reflects back to various constituencies what each wants to hear -- and damn the contradictions.

I like a bit of resignation and compromise among the electorate. I'd like just a bit of "thinking through" and "settling for" when it comes to choosing a candidate.

All this hope is premised, of course, on the election of a Democrat next time. When I look at the Democrats I see no Messiah, but when I look at the Republicans I tend to see various shades of AntiChrist. Ah well, if I'm right, even if a Republican wins at least maybe we'll end up with the best of the worst, the slow spiral into hell rather than the fast track.

That's not very comforting. In spite of myself, I dream of John-John.