Voting...

[Ringo Montgomery]

Not only will I make an attempt to get this thread back on track, but also to provide some comments from an outsider (Canadian).

Tons of people north of the border are intrigued if not infatuated with the upcoming US election. I'd go so far as to say it raised just as much -- if not more -- publicity and interest as our own federal election a few months ago. A lot of this attention however, is really pissing me off.

I can't tell you how many 14 year old kids I see walking around the mall wear a Bush shirt that says 'Not my President' because some music or acting idol is outspoken against a certain candidate. I'm actually not a huge fan of either candidate, but I know if I were to ask these kids which part of Bush's policy they don't like, I'd probably be called a warmonger and the anti-Christ. It bothers me to no end that its trendy in the entertainment industry to be politically outspoken. Not only is it bothersome, its becoming a little scary when I see said children walking around in aforementioned shirts. I don't want celebrities telling me how to brush my teeth, tie my shoes, or how to wipe my ass, let alone how to vote.

Secondly, I am becoming disgusted with the two-party system that exists in the States. Although we have 4 or 5 distinct parties at any time in Canada, mergers and alliances have essentially made Canada a bicameral nation as well. What this does in the States (and now Canada) is force the voters to decide which party/politician/representative they hate the most. What ever happened to the theory behind voting for who you liked the most instead of who you hate the least? What's worse, even in a multicameral nation (Sweden for example) two parties always emerge as the only two 'real' contenders.

Reason being, if Party A is dominating in polls, and Party B is a distant second, not only will voters unhappy with Party A be most likely to vote in B to get Party A out of power, but Party B itself will try to merge with Party C, Party D, etc. (basically any party on their side of the political spectrum) with the reasoning that its the only way to get into power.

Anyways, thats enough of a rant, sorry if you had to read that.

[X'an Shin]

Anyways, thats enough of a rant, sorry if you had to read that.

Not at all. I think you're spot-on. I don't care what side of the political fence you stand on, if you're an entertainer your job is to entertain. Of course they're entitled to an opinion, but just like assholes, everyone's got one, and just because they're a celeb doesn't mean theirs means any more than mine or anyone else's for that matter.

Celeb shills for political means is quite possibly my greatest pet-peeve. I hate it. Hate it hate it hate it. Mostly because the majority of them sound and come off like know-nothing asshats. John Stewart, however, can spout off about politics all he wants. I actually respect his opinion even though I don't typically share his politics.

And I'm also on board with you in hating the T-shirt politics. I can't tell you how embarrassed I am for people who have jumped on board this trend in the states of buying T-shirts for their little children that say "Mommy wants a new President," or "I wouldn't vote for Bush if I were you."

Because honestly, you've got serious mental issues if you buy that shirt for your kid. I'll take political advice from a 3 year old, oh, NEVER. Especially since the kid couldn't vote for ANYONE if it WANTED TO. It's not clever; it's mostly sad that a parent would dare to make their child the center of a political debate at the grocery store.

Okay, I've got to get off this soapbox before I explode.

[X'an Shin]

There were people running for President I hadn't even heard of. Not to mention, there were tons of people running for judges and some amendments to the state constitution that I had no clue about.

Yeah, I had the same problem with most of the other offices that you could vote on. I really only had a strong opinion about the Presidential and Illinois Senate elections. The rest I pretty much just filled in as needed, mostly guesswork, and honestly, the Dems seriously needed to show up for this election, because about 3 or maybe 4 positions ran with uncontested Republicans. Not much of a vote there.

I didn't vote for any of the judges on the back of our form, because I really don't have any clue as to who they are.

But I was jazzed that I got to vote. Turns out my registration WAS active. I'm 33 and this is the first time I've voted, ever.

[KirtViza]

AHHHH IT's TOO CLOSE RECOUNT!! RECOUNT!!!!!

[Jabe Adaks]

Bush: the president America barely wanted - two elections strong...

Jabe

[Krusshyk]

How is this for Bull crap?

Dwilah got a cookie for going to vote...what did I get?

A lousy sticker that says "I voted" and I got laughed at by the panel of peeps who got you set up to vote. When I turned my ballot into the box, it sucked it up with hurrican-force velocity...and it surprised me, so i kinda jumped. The d bags behind the table all laughed at me....jerks.

[Dwilah]

How is this for Bull crap?

Dwilah got a cookie for going to vote...what did I get?

A lousy sticker that says "I voted" and I got laughed at by the panel of peeps who got you set up to vote. When I turned my ballot into the box, it sucked it up with hurrican-force velocity...and it surprised me, so i kinda jumped. The d bags behind the table all laughed at me....jerks.

/hug

[Jabe Adaks]

All I got was a lousy SD Zannon T-Shirt.

Jabe

[KirtViza]

my sticker wasnt in english how rude is that. we live in a country where in order to be a citizen you must pass a test that requires you to understand english yet my test and my sticker both had options for spanish i think some things need to be changed.

[Jabe Adaks]

Ya know I gotta say I don't care who wins but I do have to bitch about one thing... When is every state gonna get their shit together with voting???

The last two elections were just assanine, Florida being the first and now Ohio with its absentee ballot mess. Seems like elections should be regulated in an identical fashion for every state. Ohio is going to take two weeks to get their votes counted, lame.

Anyway its apparent that Bush is the winner. I just miss the days then the election was decisive that very night.

Jabe

[KirtViza]

BUSH WON WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE AT MY PAD AND DRINK FREE BEER!!!!!!


I have some weed too

[Jotun]

I totally agree with Jabe. This thing about having like 5 different types of balloting is bullshit. The government needs to step in and force states to unify they way they do things. Every state shouild be using the same system.

/end rant

[X'an Shin]

I totally agree with Jabe. This thing about having like 5 different types of balloting is bullshit. The government needs to step in and force states to unify they way they do things. Every state shouild be using the same system.

/end rant

I agree, but then you overstep a states' rights issue, which is, what if they're just having a gubanatorial (governor) election? The thing is, is that the Pres/VP election is the ONLY National election, and it only happens once every four years, and it always appears on a general state ballot. Every single other office is a state-level election, and therefore a states issue.

For the national government to say "here, this equipment is what everyone's going to be using this election" is downright big brotherish. I agree that it makes the most sense, and therefore thrusts this into a catch-22, but when you consider that now the Fed Gov is telling me what equipment I'm going to be using to elect my local comptroller or judge or park ranger (just so they can have a cohesive ballot for one elected office), they're overstepping their authority.

[Ringo Montgomery]

Well, you both have very different view on how you view yourselves. X'an seems to be more patriotic about his state, and Jabe his country. This is all fine and good, but I'm more likely to agree with Jabe here since in the grand scheme of things, country is the largest category which encompasses all of those who this voting system would apply to.

[Jotun]

Agreed, I see what X'an is saying, but there needs to be some sort of better standard that states must meet. I think some states have proven that a higher authority needs to give more assistance.