There probably isn’t any socially conscious Israeli who doesn’t know the drill by rote. After two years – with masks or bare-faced, in the heat or the cold, passionate or apathetic – we’ve showed up at the polling stations like the old pros we’ve been forced to become.
If there was an Olympic event for getting in and out of the voting booth, Israelis would hold the world speed record – we’ve practically memorized where every party is situated in that cute compartmentalized structure. It’s like visiting an old friend that you have no desire to still hang out with, but can’t quite figure out how to cut them loose.
If most of us were asked back on April 9, 2019 – or later that year on September 17 – if we’d be doing this again on Tuesday, we might have given a nervous chuckle. When we voted again on March 2, a little over a year ago, our answer would have been grim silence. On Tuesday, it’s likely that most of us are thinking that we’ll be right back in the same position for a fifth election in a few months.
Albert Einstein’s iconic adage – “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” – is making more sense each time we repeat our national obligation.
All of the arguments and justifications that we made over the last two years to convince ourselves to continue turning out on Election Day are wearing thin. That whole “this demonstrates the vibrancy of Israeli democracy” shtick and “this displays Israeli resilience and strength” chatter has become more torn and frayed at the edges with each successive election.
Yet, here we are again, heading to the polls – because we have no choice. In our campaign to prove old Albert wrong, we’ve gotten so used to exercising our right to vote that our muscles are bulging like Popeye’s.
It’s much better than the alternative, where elections are never held, or the outcome is known from the beginning and the voting muscles have atrophied.
One day – maybe today – we’ll get it right, and the election results will enable a bloc of parties to form a coalition that can provide a stable government to lead us through the upcoming uncharted waters that promise to be turbulent.
Nineteenth century diplomat and philosopher Alexis De Tocqueville wrote that, “in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.” It’s unclear what we did to deserve four elections, but against all odds, maybe this will be the decisive one.
If not, we’ll be back in line the next time, pulling the proverbial lever and making our voice heard. That’s just what we do. Call it insanity. Or just call it a vacation day every six months or so. Either way, as another great philosopher – Van Morrison – once sang, “it’s too late to stop now.”