Column: Addicted to political theater

I have to apologize to the readers of The Fort Mill Times.

It has been several weeks since my last column. Sure, I have been busy with the kids being back to school, a hectic work schedule, and maybe a touch of writer’s block. However, my most serious obstacle has been my battle with addiction.

I have been waking up in the middle of the night sweating. I have been looking for my fix constantly; at home, at work and even in the car while driving to and from work every day.

So, no more denial. I am ready to come clean about my problem.

I am addicted to watching the race for the presidential nomination.

There, I said it. What a weight off my chest.

Seriously, though has there ever been anything that has taken over our news media with such obsession? A three-hour debate has regularly turned into a two-week micro analysis of each candidate, his or her body language, word choice, wardrobe and follow up comments.

In a hopefully dwindling Republican race, there are 15 candidates with two who have already dropped out of the race.

Whether Republican or Democrat, how do we choose? It’s nearly impossible! But like anything in life, it is also good to have choices.

As I get older, I am finding that I am becoming more and more in tuned to politics. I have found that in the past three presidential elections, I have developed an ever sharper interest in the subject. Another addiction I battle is that of being a news junkie. I am constantly reading or, if I am in the car, listening to news feeds. I have no fewer than five news apps on my phone that are constantly alerting me to breaking news.

I guess these two go hand-in-hand. The more I see of the world, and the more I understand, the more I recognize it is critical who is in control of our country.

We have a similar situation in Fort Mill. We will be electing a new mayor and voting on town council seats this fall.

By the way, many of my fellow transplants may be as surprised as I was to learn that the mayor of Fort Mill is a part time position, but needless to say at this particular juncture in our town’s history, it carries full time responsibility, so clearly some thought needs to be put into placing a ballot for each and every voter.

I have come to realize that it is virtually impossible to find a candidate, at any level, with whom you will agree 100 percent. I have decided that picking the issues that matter most to you and owning your own opinion then finding a candidate who matches in opinion the closest is the best way to choose.

Let’s hope that by November, we can all have made that choice.

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 8:56 AM with the headline "Column: Addicted to political theater."