Tuesday, November 4, 2008

To Steal The Title From Shirley: I Voted Today

So today, I voted. And this time, I was actually ON the ist of area registered voters, unlike the 2006 midterm elections, which somehow found my records nonexistent, despite previously voting in '04, and having changed nothing about any of my statuses (Statii??) I don't know with how much knowledge or a clear conscience I voted.
As far as the clear conscience goes, neither major party presidential candidate really got me too fired up. So I voted for the one who would keep government's infringement on me to a lesser level. For those of you who don't know who that is, it would be one Senator John McCain.

Other than that we had a slew of representatives for state and federal congressional seats. With those people, I at least knew something about them (with a little additional help from robocalls). With a local representative for my district, I voted the republican side, only because the democratic candidate had 2 mailers in my mailbox, EVERY-motherloving-DAY! Every day, 2 separate mailers...are you friggin kidding me??? He was mayor of a neighboring suburb, and boasted a balanced budget, and I found out one reason was by consistently and successfully raising property taxes without fail for his small suburban empire. Apparently, spending money is something he didn't have too many qualms about. The other guy sent out some, and yes, they did almost reach the ridiculous level in the last 2 weeks, but nowhere in the same universe for the entire campaign. The republican's fliers always stated statistics. The democrat's fliers spouted some statistics, usually related to the great things he did (like keep a balanced budget), and the 2nd flier usually spouted how evil the republican candidates ideas were.
There was one state representative running for office, somewhere here in Iowa, as a democrat, which I had seen advertised on our local tv stations. I liked his positions, however, upon looking over my ballot, he must've been representing another district altogether.

Anyways, the rest of the ballot consisted of judges we voted on to retain or not, some hospital trustee positions, county commisioner, and a few other oddball offices. I have to say, I have yet to have even heard of a single one of these people. So pretty much all the judges got retained on my ballot, and the other offices, if I could only pick so many was a big fat case of "eeny-meeny-miny-mo". Yes, I know, scientific analyses of the candidates at the polling place, right? I had contemplated writing myself in on some of these, but I figured my popularity off-line isn't nearly as high as it is on the internet...

SO yeah, it was pretty easy, as there wasn't exactly a line, and I got myself and my youngest in-and-out of that place pretty quickly. So let me know how your experience went, if you care to share.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

McBush? You voted for McBush?

I voted for one of the other parties as I refused to beat my head against the wall yet again by voting for who I thought might (hopefully) be the lesser of two evils.

If people REALLY wanted to vote for someone who would limit governments intrusion into our lives they would be voting for anyone else EXCEPT one of the two that were shoved in our faces.

Ever notice you only hear about the candidates they want you to choose from, instead of all that are running? Don't you wonder why?

Mookie said...

The only reason I voted for Mccain is because I know damn well the alternate party voters won't be enough of a presence to upset Obama....who I do NOT want in office

Anonymous said...

That's what I keep hearing. BUT did ever occur to anyone that IF we all voted the way we really wanted to we might actually make our voices heard and send a powerful message?

The height of insanity is to continually do the same thing (vote for the lesser of two evils) over and over again expecting a different result.

McCain is no better than Obama....he will take us to the same end just using different tools....provided he doesn't follow through with bush's desire to start a nuclear war with Iran.

I never thought I'd live to see the day that I was terrified for my country.

I'm so depressed today it's not funny, tomorrow will probably be worse.

Sorry, not trying to put you down here, I'm just truly THAT frightened for where we are about to go.

Mookie said...

I would vote an opposite party but Iowa is wholly entrenched in the 2 party system, not just by habit, or concession, but by absolute belief...and I could vote another way, but that idea of doing the same thing over and over againg (voting a 3rd or 4th party candidate) and thinking my voice will be truly heard within this state, is even more insane than my expectations of a major party candidate..

Anonymous said...

I hear you Mike.

Bottom line is: WE ARE SCREWED NO MATTER WHAT

Hope someone can tell me later IF I enjoyed it.