It’s that time of year where all good writers, and also folks like me, take time to spread some Christmas cheer with a bit of creativity. So, here’s my letter to Santa with my wishes for what I hope Santa will bring all of us in 2010.
Dear Santa,
How have you been? I have been relatively good. My lawyer advises that I don’t go into greater detail than that at this time if I really want to see any of these requests come to fruition. So let’s just leave it at that.
Speaking of requests, here’s what I would love for you bring my fellow Coloradans and me for Christmas. Some of these will need to be shipped after Christmas, but I am sure everyone will understand.
Campaign Ads with a Sense of Humor – Santa, all of us know that 2010 will be filled with campaign ads for candidates, ballot issues and from creepy 527’s. We can accept that reality. But Santa, please give us some ads with a sense of humor. All of the best Super Bowl ads that we will talk about the next day are funny. Why can’t campaigns get the hint and give us something more than the same old, “If you vote for this guy, he’ll eat your children,” lines? Please send the campaigns a comedy writer or two.
Senate Primaries That Actually go to August 10th – Santa, if folks are going to go through the trouble of actually registering for a political party, the very least they deserve is an opportunity to vote for the nominee they want to represent their party. I know some party elites feel primaries can hurt the eventual winner, but they forget that they can also strengthen the winner. I know the major funders in both parties will be fighting you on this one, but do your best. Primary Election Day should be something more than a formality.
Medical Marijuana Regulation That Makes Sense – Santa, thanks to the loose interpretation of the medical marijuana law recently passed by Colorado voters, you’re not the only guy hankering for milk and cookies in the middle of the night in this town. When voters legalized medical marijuana, I can’t imagine that they were worried about 18-25 year old college kids with chronic back pain. I realize that a lot of city officials looking forward to pot tax revenue will be making the opposite wish this year, Santa, but just do your best.
A Third Party Candidate that Gives the Major Parties Something to Worry About – Santa, you know I have always been a big fan of alternate political parties. Many people may not think they matter because without the funding the major parties get, they don’t have a shot at winning. But what they don’t realize is that the best way to keep Democrats and Republicans honest is to give them some decent competition from third parties. I’m not asking for any miracles here, Santa. Maybe just a few polls where a third party candidate or two poll in the low teens. Even just that much will put the fear of the Almighty in both major parties, trust me.
The Ability to Discuss Politics Without Raising our Voice, Freaking Out or Claiming that the Other Opinion will Mean the End of the World – Santa, it seems like we’ve lost the ability to disagree without claiming the other person represents an idea that is not only wrong, but so wrong that if implemented, would single handedly turn back the hands of time to the Middle Ages. Maybe I’m naïve, heck, I am writing to Santa after all, but I still believe people can talk about politics, from completely different ends of the spectrum, and peacefully coexist. If conservative ideas were always right, the Democratic Party would not exist, and if every liberal idea was right, the Republican Party would not have been invented over 100 years ago. Looking at it logically, ideas from both major parties, and some from other parties as well, are probably the best path to success.
Santa, I realize that my short list is full of some pretty big items. I’m not sure if they will all fit in your sleigh. If for some reason OSHA sleigh weight restrictions or an ACLU lawyer make the items on my list impossible to deliver, I’ll be happy to settle for a Blu-Ray Disk Player and the second season of Mad Men. That’d be fine too.
Sincerely yours,
Dominic
P.S. Merry Christmas everyone!