This election cycle, things seem to be getting worse. I'm feeling drowned in requests for money. Everyone is begging me to give them the few dollars I have left over after I buy groceries and pay for Krishna and Itchi's monthly heartworm/flea medications. Every day when I open my email, I find not just the candidates, but a few dozen other affiliated organizations emailing me for donations. The National Democratic Party, the State Democratic Party, Knoxille Democrats, MoveOn.org, Everyone it seems has goals. PLEASE HELP US RAISE $2 MILLION DOLLARS BY MONDAY! WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT! The palpable sense of urgency, directed right at ME in those letters does evoke some latent desire I have to be important, to come to the rescue of the army of do-gooders, reformers, and elected officals I support. But where to give my money? The twenty-five dollar contribution I intend to make simply can't stretch across the whole gamut of agencies and persons clamoring for my assistance, so usually I try to discern who needs it most and who will spend it most wisely. But, that's when doubts start bubbling up. Will my $25 really make a difference? Do any of these politicans or political organizations really need it? I begin picturing executive types in penthouses in Manhattan drinking martinis while they try to write their next contribution request letter, and I start wondering...do I really need to support THAT? Are political parties really necessary? Besides, what's the Democratic or Republican Party ever done for me? Thrown big conventions in which Super-delegates get to ignore the will of the people? Put up the annoying TV ads? Pay for the irritating ROBO-calling machines? Do I really need MoveOn to alert me about when I need to write my Congressperson? And just how much are they paying the gal who writes those standard MoveOn form letters? Sometimes (usually) I just delete these money requests, but then I feel guilty. Like everyone else in the country is supporting the organizations I care about, but I'm refusing to share the burden. What's up with that? Does it mean I am a selfish despicable person, maybe even a user? Like do I really expect organizations to work on things I feel are important without expecting me to contribute? By the time I've opened and read all the emails requesting money my head hurts. I feel tired. Like I just want to swoon onto the couch and pretend the world has no problems, that we don't need any political parties or grassroots organizations. So that's what I do. I put on a nice soothing CD like Hu Dost and try to concentrate on my breathing. Usually within a few minutes I'm fast asleep and snoring. The money going instead to a nice lunch at the Tomato Head.