Early Voting
I voted yesterday.
Yeah, I know, something like two weeks before the normal election day, I was able to vote. Turns out, there has been a massive response this year and huge numbers of people are voting. Personally, I think that’s great. I mean, a friend of mine said he’d heard they were expecting something like a 60% turn out rate, which is monster. As I recall, normally, the percentage of people who vote is less than 20%, so to get so many people out voting is wonderful.
I always have felt that if you want to complain about the way our current leaders are running things, then you better have voted. Me, I like to complain, so I vote. From what I understand, this year, you can even vote early on Sunday! Thanks to Google, you can find your local early voting polling place with just a few clicks of a mouse, so why not do it? If you haven’t voted lately, why not start this year?
Also, I’m not normally a very political animal. No, really, stop laughing, I’m not. Oh, sure, I’ve ranted and raved about certain tiny aspects of politics, but, mostly, I want everyone to participate in the process. This year, though, I’m going to make a suggestion. I think everyone tends to get in the mindset that you have to choose between the Democrats and the Republicans, but, you know, we’re not a two party system. There are a wide range of parties in the United States, but the popular news media almost never talks about them. Did you know that Ralph Nader was running again? Have you heard of Bob Barr?
Just think about this for a couple minutes. Over the past fifteen years, both the Republicans and the Democrats have been in power. Did you like the way either of them ran this country? If you’re not happy with either the Republicans or the Democrats, why not give a third party a try? The Libertarians are well represented this year, at least in Harris County, Texas.
Maybe it’s time we gave another party a chance to make a difference.
Advice from your Uncle Jim:
"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes."
--Oscar Wilde
I don’t know what the libertarians are like in your state, but here they are one scary lot. We’d all be fLDS if it were up to them. Or skinheads.
Comment by Cheri — 10/26/2008 @ 11:23 am
Well, of course, it varies by state, Cheri, but every party has a certain number of unsavory characters in it, even the Republicans and Democrats. For instance, I’m sure there are Klan members who have strong party affiliations that aren’t Libertarian!
Comment by the Network Geek — 10/26/2008 @ 12:33 pm
FLDS?
We have a “shooting party” and a “fishing and hunting party” in our election system. Not exactly majorities in australia though, there’s also a “legalise marijuana party”
LOL
Comment by Dataceptionist — 10/29/2008 @ 6:30 pm
oh and I’m sure I’m not the first person to wish we could vote in your election. I find it f***ng weird that voting isn’t compulsory there.
Comment by Dataceptionist — 10/29/2008 @ 6:31 pm
Compulsory voting wouldn’t be democratic. People here in the States would find that kind of thing rather fascist.
And, I think you’d find quite a few Americans who’d like to tell you all what to do, too! Seriously, I understand your frustration. A lot of the world economy flows from, or through, things we do in the States, so when our fortunes are down, so is everyone else’s!
Comment by the Network Geek — 10/29/2008 @ 7:04 pm