A Pox On Both Your Candidates

The San Francisco Chronicle's editorial board takes a "brave stance" on the California Senate election and says "screw them both."

Californians are left with a deeply unsatisfying choice for the U.S. Senate this year. The incumbent, Democrat Barbara Boxer, has failed to distinguish herself during her 18 years in office. There is no reason to believe that another six-year term would bring anything but more of the same uninspired representation. The challenger, Republican Carly Fiorina, has campaigned with a vigor and directness that suggests she could be effective in Washington - but for an agenda that would undermine this nation's need to move forward on addressing serious issues such as climate change, health care and immigration.


It is extremely rare that this editorial page would offer no recommendation on any race, particularly one of this importance. This is one necessary exception. 

The editorial goes on to trash Boxer as feckless and Fiorina as a nutjob and ends with this:

It is a dismal choice between an ineffective advocate for causes we generally support and a potentially strong advocate for positions we oppose. Neither merits our endorsement for the U.S. Senate.

Vote for no one, says the SF Chronicle.  Unfortunately as principled as the board's stance is, from a pragmatic standpoint in this race that lofty, feel-good position is effectively endorsing Fiorina, and the editorial staff knows it.

Candidate "Nobody" is not a valid choice.  You get one or the other, and if the paper is effectively telling people to stay home, then only the die hard nutjob Teabaggers will be left.  Abdicating responsibility for selecting a Senator and effectively telling people to not vote is irresponsible as it is pointless.

A major city newspaper should know better.  Unfortunately, they've taken the cowardly firebagger way out.  If the people behind a newpaper editorial board don't have the balls to pick a candidate and can't be half-assed to find a reason why, then we lose yet another layer of democracy as the choice for Senator for some 40 million Americans comes down to the most partisan and out of touch with the populace.

That's just sad.