While I usually don't get into political issues, I figured it's Election Day and its on my mind...so deal with it...if you don't like my opinions on things of this nature, stop reading now...I have no intention of getting into a debate about any of what I'm about to write.
Our system is broken and we (as a collective) don't seem to give a flying fuck.
When half of the eligible voters don't bother to vote, that's a problem.
When the half that does vote is split almost down the middle by the completely ridiculous concept of parties, that's a problem.
When we turn over our voting to corporations that are attempting to eliminate paper trails and use equipment that is faulty at best (and completely tampered with at worst), that's a problem.
When politicians are career politicians who are not interested in anything but their own power, that's a problem.
When every issue is boiled down to black or white, right or wrong, red or blue, Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative, that's a problem.
We are living in a time where our voting options are not only limited by the quality of the candidate, but by the way they are marketed to us. It's akin to Ford rolling out a new car called the Pinto and using the tag-line "Exploding on the scene!" and no one getting the real message.
I disengaged myself from any political party affiliation after the 2000 election. I consider myself fiscally conservative, but socially liberal. But don't mistake that as an attempt to actually label myself. I refuse to be labelled.
This year, as always, I do my research to find the candidates that I feel comfortable voting FOR. I hate the idea of voting for someone because they're not someone else...but apparently that's the way our system is now inclined and I find myself being forced to do that.
It was pretty easy for me to find candidates here in CT to vote for, with one exception...Senator.
The candidate I wanted to vote for never made it on the ballot because of lies, manipulation and miscommunications on the part of our current Secretary of State (guess who's not getting my vote this year now)...so that leaves me with what?? While I'd prefer that the Senate get turned back over to the Democrats right now, I don't like either Lieberman or Lamont for various reasons. That leaves me with candidates from the Republicans (they're not even backing their candidate, which should say something), the Concerned Citizens Party (as a Jew it's like voting for Nazis), and the Green Party (where I'm currently leaning even though I don't believe in the "we need to bring our troops home now" attitude...regardless of why we're there, we are there, we've made a mess, it's our job to clean it up or set it straight...completely pulling out would make things worse).
I hate that CT election laws prohibit write-in candidates except from an approved list (this year its two Libertarians...which I don't understand as being write-ins if the Libertarian Party is on the ballot in other races...and while I don't have problems voting Libertarian, I only do so if I can find our specific info about the candidate and not just see the same old party line regurgitated). If I want to vote for Lex Luthor for State Senator this year, I should be able to...if only to send a message...but I can't.
I have no idea what I'm gonna do in this category when I step into the booth later today. Maybe I'll decide that it's more important for the Democrats to win than for me to stick to my principals. That would be unfortunate.
Meanwhile, anyone (Republican or Democrat) who hasn't caught the HBO documentary Hacking Democracy should do so. It is rather scary that this seems to be the direction we're heading in. The more technologically advanced we get, the easier we're gonna make it to have elections stolen and never find out about them (there's still no answer from Diebold as to how Al Gore got a negative vote count in one Florida county). Maybe the answer is less technology (paper and pencil can't go wrong...I for one may be going the absentee route once we switch over to the Diebold machines like the one used for the hacking demonstration in the movie).
Well...regardless...it's Election Day. Make sure you vote, whether you think it counts or not...because someday it will count again.
Be seeing you.
2 comments:
Amen, brother! You have definately put the ramblings and cursewords that have been rolling around in my brain about all of this into a lovely well-versed sonnet, of sorts. I'm tired of people caring more about Madonna's African baby and Stupid Britney and K-Fed's brainfart marriage than how we are flushing our country down the poop chute with our own apathy.
Here's how you "get out the vote"... Telephone call-in numbers, one per candidate or issue, as well as the ability to "text" your vote. Hey, it worked for So You Think You Can Be an Idolized American Dancing Star! At least Justin Guarini and Jerry Rice didn't win, so you know its got *some* quality. Have it run from like 8pm until 11pm local time, then don't give out any results until the next day in a special prime time special. The broadcast contract would have to be bid on, ala NFL or MLB broadcasts, and each year's funds received could go to pay down the debt. But then again, Dibeold would probably get the contract to run it. Just a thought.
---"Mr. Spickydoo"
Post a Comment