Today is an election day, technically. It is an election day for some people, just not for us. It is an off-year election day. These off-year elections are a scattershot affair. The marquis races are typically dominated by vacancy filling elections. The rest put truth to the old saying, all politics is local. Today’s Election Day also marks the one year anniversary before next year’s 2012 presidential election. As your attorney, I advise you all to drive as fast as possible, towards the nearest state line. Correction, drive as fast as possible to the nearest international border. I advise Canada.

The American election process is the longest, most expensive way devised by man to elect a leader. No snap elections here, if you don’t mind. A year from now, millions of words will have been written about this election, so why can’t I add my say to this pile now? Thousands of TV commercials will blanket the airwaves between now and then. The daily news cycle will become dominated by the various election horse races, as candidates jockey for position, so place your bets folks, place your bets.

I tell you of these events as if they lie only in your future, as if none of these activities have yet to occur. This is certainly not the case. Even though not a single primary vote has been cast, the Republican primary process is in full swing and has been for some time. Even though not a vote has been cast, more Republican candidates have dropped out of the race then are still left in it. I heard today of another first, President Obama’s election committee never disbanded after the 2008 election. This same committee, now dedicated to his reelection, is now the longest standing presidential election committee. Even Nixon’s Committee to Re-Elect the President, dubbed CREEP, never lived so long as Obama’s campaign will.

Gladiators once cried, “We who are about to die, salute you.” A year from today, the American electorate will cry, “We who are about to vote, must elect you, but please for the love of God, please stop the negative advertising.” One cry came from people about to die. The other from people who will wish they were dead. Pity those most that live in a swing state. Their suffering will be ever so much harder. Pity the independent voter. We partisans can at least take pleasure from half of the political ads. A true independent must wade through all of the political dialogue and a year from now hold his nose and vote.

Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all of the rest.” If only he was still alive to affirm or deny his statement. Even so, there are no crazy men overrunning my streets with guns. Once this post is published, I will not fear jackbooted thugs kicking in my front door. Except, maybe, for the Department of Education’s Grammar SWAT team. I think that our founding fathers did pretty well by us. I believe our elected officials are on the whole, honorable men and women. It is just the waiting, I can’t stand. I know who I want to vote for now, why do I have to wait a whole year?