Don't Blame Me, I Voted Against

Selecting paper ballots, scarred and stricken
Push-button democracy digitizing the straight party ticket
But then you can't see the silly, smiling faces
of all those who want to vote against

Oh, how we all can forget
four years prior to whatever year we are in
when the last forty-eight percent were in charge
of whatever we call a government

And then, with tables turned,
the other forty-eight percent
shout proudly from the marble floors,
"I am the naysayer, and I vote against!"

And so, stalemate after stalemate,
with all shouting of an argument that is in the right (or left),
not knowing that those whom they represent
sit firmly with the four percent along the fence

Fickle and proud lie the electorate
as more polarized become the liars elected
forcing not a choice or mandate of policy
but merely a rejection of the prior obscenity

Replacing the political machine nationally
with an populace untied to issues but writhing
in disgust with the North-South-East-West absolutes, shouting,
"I am the naysayer, and I vote against!"

The fervor reaches a critical fever
and the masses approach a zenith
upon which to topple over
screaming for change and frustrated

When the change they thought they wanted
turned out to be a change in extremity
and their action was merely ducking the
plotting pendulum as it sliced viciously overhead

And yet, feverish futile furiousness
lends itself to blame, for we, the public, make no mistake.
It is only the others who have failed.  And only I shout at you all,
"I am the naysayer, and I vote against!"