If it's Tuesday, it must be Purim

It's Tuesday and I went to the polls to vote for the my representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate as well as some Fairfax County officials and ballot measures.

When I ran for office myself I used to hear people say "what's the use of going to vote, it doesn't matter who I vote for. They all do the same thing once they get elected.

I used to protest that it did matter. Republicans, I would say, are dedicated to protecting the interests of the taxpayers and they are for smaller, more responsive and responsible government. Given the chance, I would continue, Republicans will change things for the better.

Since taking power in Virginia and nationally, the Republicans seem to have lost their foundational beliefs. Once elected, they are no better than their Democratic predecessors when it comes to pork barrel projects and funding the ever increasing size of the state and national governments that they had previously promised to hold in check. In this case it didn't take absolute power to have absolutely corrupted Republican elected officials nationally.

Purim is the Jewish holiday commemorating the redemption of the Jews from a Persian King's despotic Prime Minister named Haman who sought their annihilation. The hero and heroine of this story are Mordecai and his niece Esther who are able to turn the tables on Haman and save the Jewish people.

This festival has many deep spiritual and esoteric undercurrents and meanings but on its surface seems to be the Jewish equivalent of Mardi Gras. Costume parties are the norm and there is a much quoted halacha (commandment) that one should "drink until one cannot tell the difference between Mordecai and Haman."

Standing in the voting booth, trying to decide whether to vote for Democrats who promise to spend more tax money and a Republicans who promise they won't but do anyway, I feel like politically there doesn't seem to be any difference between Haman and Mordecai.

I think I need a drink!