"The most important presidential election in history"

Again and again and again I keep hearing this year’s election as “the most important presidential election in history.” Yes, it is. We all agree. Now can we shut up about it?

What really annoys me is that EVERY presidential election is “the most important in history” as it is occurring. Every single election is the American people deciding on it’s general path over the next four years, and as such is “the most important.” Further, once an election is over, its significance diminishes as time passes.

I’m trying to think of a single Presidential election that might have been considered as “not as important” as a prior one, and none come to mind. Maybe 1889, when Cleveland lost, then came back four years later and resumed his policies of his first term. Other than that, though, I think every other election was of great significance.

So yes, we ALL agree that this election will be “the most important in history,” but it will lose that distinction some point after November 2. From that point on, it will diminish in signficance until the 2008 election eclipses it. Then will come 2012, then 2016…

History marches on, and it won’t wait for us to catch up.

So, can we PLEASE stop referring to this as “the most important presidential election in history?” I”m starting to get a headache…

J.

UPDATE: Apparently some people are reading the above to mean I don’t think this election isn’t “the most important presidential election in history.” For the record: I believe it is. However, every single election AT THE TIME is “the most important presidential election in history,” and I’m just getting sick of this being repeated like some grand insight ad nauseum.

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  1. Frostbitten October 3, 2004
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