It's hard to stay positive.

Seriously. I live in a very red area. Most of the time, the republicans run unopposed for every local office. I vote in every election, but have never and will never vote for a republican.

I write to my "representatives" ... if that is the correct word for them. I can't tell you how many messages I sent to them regarding Kavanaugh. Then I got canned emails back about the orange one's Russian summit. WTF???? Just last week, I got 3 identical emails telling me how qualified the K-perv is and why they were so proud to vote for him. I could just as easily have written to them something along the lines of "white gravy isn't food" and would no doubt get the same canned response. These people do NOT represent me and don't even pretend to anymore.

To top it off, my adult kids don't vote. I have talked with them until I'm blue in the face, but they refuse. I've heard everything from "both sides are the same" to "it's all fixed anyway." One of them is a graduate student and has NO idea how close she came to having to pay income tax on the value of the tuition that she gets for free because she's a TA. I tried to explain it to her. She's over 40 and has never even registered to vote. Now it's too late in this state for this election, as registration ended on October 9. She gets irritated when I bring it up and says I'm just trying to upset her.

I've talked to other adults who "just don't care about politics." But they're happy to blame their woes on "the government." Yes, I take that opportunity to explain that "the government" is who we elect by voting. If they're unhappy now, it's because the republicans are in charge and they have the opportunity to try to change it, if only they would vote! How can I persuade strangers to vote when I have no influence over my own kids and friends?

I am majorly pissed off at Bredesen for his statement that he would have voted for Kavanaugh. Still, this state is RED and I understand him wanting to appeal to the rural voters. But I fear he may have shot himself in the foot because he pissed off his base. Yes, I still voted for him, but not everyone will. Non-republicans simply will not vote, and Democrats may or may not. You can bet your ass that the deplorables will come out in huge numbers to vote for mini-Trump Blackburn.

Still, I'm really trying to stay positive. This nightmare has gone on too long already. I'm afraid to trust the polls at this point.