My mom

is 82, and counting now, and something slightly disturbing happened last night.

Mom is nearly blind, is unable to care for herself, doesn't watch TV. Essentially, she is isolated in a small, growing smaller, world.

She used to be on top of debates and news, and used to read newspapers and was well aware of the world at large, at once capable of arguing local news stories and larger stories with most anyone. She has always been a bit of a woman's libber, and an inspiration to me as I was growing up. It's always been a part of me to be a strong Boston liberal because of her.

Last night, I found out that she didn't know who the president was.

How do you explain to someone all the events of the last 2+ years in a few minutes over the phone? You can't.

I told her about Obama as much as I could. I mentioned Joe Biden as VP, and I tried to explain about John McCain, and him she knew about. I mentioned Sarah Palin in as brief a fashion as I could. But two, three years? I will just have to wing it.

Does anyone else have to deal with someone so isolated? It's a difficult world out there, and we need to find ways to cope with the daily dealings, trying to keep from falling into the abyss. And knowing that some people are ignorant, not because they want to be, but because that's just how it is for them, is just a fact that we can't change.

It doesn't mean a whole lot in the real world. These people are not among the likely population that vote, debate or participate in the democratic sphere. They have limitations that makes life in general more difficult. They are among the voters who are often touted as the "non-voters" on election day--the ones who are assumed to not give a crap and just won't "show up" for voting. No one takes into account that they can't show up--they aren't capable of showing up.

We would all like to see everyone vote and take part in the process. But if we realize that some people just can't, we won't rely on their vote--if they do, it's a bonus.

Just think of all the people who are in situations where they can no longer perform their civic duty. We can't force them to vote. And even if we "help" them vote, what good is a vote when there is no thinking involved in it? We've seen people vote for something on a strictly visceral level--we are reminded of all the voters who went for Bush in 2000 because he was "just like" them--the one that they felt they could "share a drink" with them and be a "regular" guy. Telling people how they should vote is not a good way to earn a democratic win--it's a cheat. And yeah, it happens. And we've seen how it works in action, and it's unfair--completely unfair. But I'd rather see a loss honestly than a win undeserved.

My mom should now know who Barack Obama is. While she forgets things easily, I mentioned his name often enough to perhaps stick with her. When I vote, I keep her in mind when I decide who I want to represent the both of us. Even if she isn't voting, I am, and while my vote isn't two votes, I do try to make it count for more than myself.