For the last hour, I have been filling out my ballot. Yes, the last hour. See, I admit I haven't done my research this year. I have researched the president and vice president and my state governor races but that's it. So, when earlier this week, I received a booklet in the mail outlining all the candidates and races, I kept it for this very reason. As I got to each vote, I read the statements around each initiative, each candidate, each platform. Twice, I flipped a coin. Otherwise, I read and thought carefully before filling in the square. Even the times I flipped a coin, I did so after reading and thinking carefully.
Across the table from me, sat Timber. Just a moment ago, right before I was finished, he looked over and said "You know, this took mom and me like twenty seconds. She was all like 'that person's a girl; let's vote for her' and 'I'm just voting democrat all the way down' or I would say 'that person's got a cool name, vote for them' and she would."
Seriously, I don't even know where to start.
Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.
8 comments:
Oh my! This is how the future of America is being written. Because someone has a cool name.
Somewhere, the Founders are rolling.
Uh, yeah. I once had a guy ask me to fill out a Big-10 basketball prediction thingy, to see how someone that didn't know jack about basketball would do against real fans. I used Timber's mother's system for that.
But NOT for voting!
I've got nothin'.
I get it from a kid. But from an adult?! You need a license to catch a freaking fish, or a badge to lay your ass on a beach. But an moron can cast a vote that will determine the fate of the nation, and in some cases, the word, for the next 4 years. Unbelievable.
shaking head in silence
(blink) Wow. Just wow. (blink)
But you're voting!! Right now!! How cool is that? I don't vote until the 4th and I can't wait! I'm going to be all proud and smug walking into work with my "I Voted" sticker.
Yesterday I heard a speaker who has served for years in our state legislature. He had several comments. One was that voter registration originated as a way to prevent people form voting, rather than allow them to vote. As in wealth and race discrimination. Next, in our state historical registration percentages have been about fifty percent of those eligible to register and vote, of whom about fifty percent historically have voted (we're down to twenty five percent of eligible registrants, here), of whom just over fifty percent will elect a person running for office (we're down to about thirteen percent of eligible registrants here). Chilling. Yet for this election, registration is reaching eighty percent of those eligible, and the pool now includes women, African Americans, Hispanic immigrants, etc. It's going to be a good year. And hopefully more along your lines of consideration. We expect record turnout.
You know, I used to love going to the polls to vote. I'd get my ballot and spend time filling it out so carefully. Then I'd slide it into that secret envelope and go out of the booth to chat with the older folks who were manning the place. I'd drop my envelope into the ballot box and get my "I Voted" sticker and feel cheery all day. Now, I fill the thing out and mail it in weeks before hand. It's just not the same. I don't like it one bit.
And yet the same people would probably scold me and L'Ailee for not putting enough thought in the athletes we support. After all, I first got to like the Pittsburgh Penguins because penguins are cute, and L'Ailee got introduced to Kevin Harvick becuase she liked the colors of his cap.
I still like to actually go to the booth and vote, but I pore over my sample ballot and bring it to copy from. I'm glad you're there to show Timber a far more thoughtful example. I'm glad other people think about it, period!
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