A Hypothetical Experiment

Of the 27 blogs I page through every day, 3 of them today were about politics in some way, shape, or form. So I'm going to do something I've (quite deliberately) never done before. I'm going to propose an experiment.

I wonder what would come of it if the following happened:

1) Fifty intelligent, educated, qualified individuals (one in each state) legally changed their name to "Tired of Partisan Obstructionism" or something of that nature.

2) Each of these people got on the Senatorial ballot in their state for 2006.

3) None of these people did any advertising or campaigning beyond what was necessary to get on the ballot.

I wonder how many votes they would get? It would be interesting on several levels. First, it'd demonstrate how many voters actually READ the ballot instead of just checking down a column. Second, it would offer a barometer of how fed up people are with our political system. Third, it would speak volumes about advertising dollars and the bombardment of the airwaves every other blessed fall.

OK, yeah, the state government is shut down. My dad's cousin is a state representative, and I suppose she could wind up taking this entry personally. I suspect, however, that she wouldn't know a blog if one bit her in the fanny, and I never really liked her much anyhow. Still, I'm amazed at how most people find it so much easier to care about issues and agendas than they do about people. It's like when politics comes up, compassion shuts down or metastasizes into this massive Abstract Ideal that is pretty much totally disconnected from need and suffering and justice. I'm wondering if authentic transformation can ever be imposed, or if it must be inspired.

OK -- that's enough on politics.