It was fun being called out by Fox News contributor and Democratic pollster Pat Caddell during WTMA’s election-night coverage for recklessly throwing away my vote on Election Day. The reason? I voted for Alvin Greene, quite possibly the most unqualified candidate to ever run for the U.S. Senate.

And Caddell wasn’t the only one noting my disservice to democracy. WTMA host Richard Todd was more than willing to have a few laughs at my expense. And I was laughing right along with him. After all, during Todd’s special election-night show, I not only admitted I voted for Greene, but celebrated it. Why? Quite simply, I wanted to believe in magic, at least for one night. See, I no longer believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, good ole St. Nick, and anti-establishment Republicans that remain anti-establishment Republicans after they’ve been sworn in. That’s the way growing up goes. You quit believing in make-believe creatures.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe in any elected official — either on the Left or the Right. Doing so will only break your heart, and at some point I got tired of having mine broken.

Which is exactly what is going to happen to each and every Tea Partier out there — at least those that truly care about fiscal conservatism and a return to limited government. Two, three, four years from now, they will come to the sad realization that John Boehner only cared about getting re-elected, that Eric Cantor only wanted your vote, and that all the anti-establishment candidates wanted nothing more than to be a part of the GOP establishment. And that’s the terrible truth about American politics: It’s an endless cycle of delusional hope and devastating disappointment.

Ask yourself this: What is the Obama presidency but a series of mis-steps and failures? Guantanamo Bay is still open. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is still around. Millions of unemployed Americans are still unemployed. Hell, even Obama’s biggest triumph — a half-assed attempt at healthcare reform — was such a fustercluck that even the members of his own party knew better than to bring it up on the campaign trail.

The Bush presidency was no different. It was equally marred by one bad decision after another — the invasion of Iraq, that whole “mission accomplished” BS, No Child Left Behind, the Medicare expansion, the inability to capture Osama bin Laden, Plame-gate, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, getting his ass kicked by a pretzel. Judging by these two presidencies — not to mention those that came before them — there’s simply no reason to believe it will ever be any different.

But this time, I wanted to believe. I wanted to feel like something unprecedented and world-changing could happen. I wanted to believe that Alvin Greene would win. It would have been the best thing to happen since, well, he won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. But it was not to be.

Now, some of you might think I’m a silly man for voting for Greene, but I disagree. It was one of the most rational things I’ve ever done. At the very least, it was a far more sensible vote than one cast by the nearly 700,000 folks who voted for Nikki Haley.

Yes. I know she won. And to all the fine folks who voted for her, I congratulate you. You are on the winning team. You just picked the next American Idol. Your text message just helped 104.5 FM WPOP determine the most requested song of the day — and guess what? It was Justin Bieber. You and 10 of your Facebook friends like this picture of a kitty wearing a Viking helmet.

And that’s too bad. Because Nikki Haley will bring us only pain and embarrassment.

You were warned. You knew about her failure to disclose the $42,500 salary she received from Wilbur Smith Associates for her connections, the $110,000 salary she earned as a fundraiser for the Lexington Medical Center Foundation, and her failure to pay her taxes on time again and again and again. All of these are examples of her incompetency. All are signs that Haley is simply unfit to lead the state.

And then there is the matter of the two alleged relationships she had with two Republican insiders, FITSNews blogger Will Folks and consultant Larry Marchant. And in my opinion, this is where the voters failed the most. Aside from a discarded pair of panties and an incriminating photograph, the evidence appears to be there. The late-night phone calls. The way that Haley’s campaign worked with Folks and others to keep word of the alleged affair from reaching the masses. The two affidavits. The text messages. Her refusal to turn over her legislative e-mails. For the love of God people, how dense can you be?

But then again, who am I to judge? I threw away my vote, too. And I will again in 2014 when I write in Alvin Greene for governor.

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