Be afraid. Be very afraid.

That seems to the be central message in American politics today.

Years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is, fear itself." They're not using these words exactly, but politicians today seem to be telling us that fear itself is damn near the only thing we don't need to be afraid of.

There was a piece on "The Daily Show" last night. John Oliver went to Obama and McCain rallies, and interviewed some of the supporters at each. What they showed was person after person, from each side's rally, talking about how utterly terrified they are at the prospect of the other candidate becoming president. Granted, the only people they put in the piece were the ones whose answers were in line with the theme they were going for, but they did not appear to have any shortage of people to help them present their theme. Of course, it's not just these folks who got interviewed for a cable fake-news show. Read the Letters to the Editor in any US newspaper, or check out any online discussion of the election. You'll read the same thing.

I can't tell you how many times over the last several weeks I've read, about either candidate, and built up by any number of different topics, that if [either McCain or Obama] is elected, "this country as we know it is over."

I don't know what saddens me more: that the manipulative political operatives plant these ideas and stir the pot to get people so afraid, or that it works - that people are so utterly and apparently hopelessly ignorant of reality that they seem to truly believe that electing one man or the other is actually going to bring about these horrible doomsday scenarios they're being spoon-fed.

Fundamentally, there's no difference between this election and any other we've had since the first one in 1789. Different candidates have different views of what's best for the country. They have a base comprised of those who their policies and beliefs favor, and they try to convince those in the middle to come to their side. One will be successful, and get elected. Yes, some things are going to change. Depending on who gets elected (not only as President, but to Congress), taxes may go up or down, government programs will contract or expand, our military will do stuff, the economy will do stuff, foreign governments will or won't work with us.

Time, changes in our culture, changes in the media (particularly media technology) and such - the things that make our politics different today that it was in 1789, 1889 or 1989 - will slowly change the way the country and our politics operate. It'll look a little different when the incoming President leaves than it does today, just as it looks a little different today than it did 8 years ago when Bush came in.

But seriously, how fundamentally different is your life than it was in 2001? I mean based on things the government controls? (Granted, if you or a loved one was injured - or worse - in war, that's a might change. And one that happened to more US soldiers in 8 years under Clinton than in 8 years under Bush.) Compare that with the changes that you've made. Point is, I'm wagering most people will find that the big changes in their life... during any time span... are not based on what our government does. Because mostly what they do is keep the status quo going.

And mostly, it seems, the electorate fails to see this. Or, at least, they fall for the ridiculous fearmongering, truly believe the horrible predictions should X or Y person be elected, and keep electing the people who keep pulling the same crap.

Or, in the words of George Bernard Shaw, "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."