Yesterday, while huffing and puffing my way up a hill that could by all rights be called a mountain, I happened upon a frightening revelation. Where previously I’d been thrilled to see so many Obama signs stuck into lawns in my small, conservative town, I suddenly realized that the lawns they were stuck into were largely the ones with tall, dead grass.

Are “my people” really as broke as I am?

My own home, too, has its own fair share of tall, dead grass. (And no Obama sign, either: $8 is too rich for my blood). In theory, I’m no fan of wasting water on something as superficial as a half-acre of grass, either. Yet in practice, I feel like the people who put in the effort to water their lawns are somehow superior. They have time and energy and resources that are very much out of reach, on my budget. I mean: sprinklers! An electric lawnmower! A hedge trimmer!

It breaks my heart to see my favorite properties in town–the cutest log cabins with handmade picnic tables by the creek–with McCain posters stuck into their perfectly landscaped lawns.

I could draw conclusions about those neighbors’ ages (they’re probably retired), their income (they probably retired with a lot of it), and environmental concerns (so selfish, to keep their grass so green!) Or I could just enjoy the look of their land and hope like hell that there are enough weed-friendly folks in the voting booths come November.

It’s a good lesson in not judging by appearances–one that we’ll need to learn as a country in the next few months. Maybe my politically like-minded folks are also my economic peers (as much as I’d rather be among the landscaped elite.)  Water costs money. Tools cost money. A vote only costs you a few minutes of waiting on line to pull a lever.

It’s time, America, to raise our freak flags high! (Of course, we’ll have to–so they can be seen over the tall grass).

And if McCain wins, I guess I could always spend my next incentive check on a hedge trimmer.