Some election day reflections:
1) I got up this morning at 6:04 but really I was awake since 5:45 – I wanted to make sure I got up on time to vote. I'm highly motivated to have my voice heard.
2) The polls didn’t open until 6:30 (as I discovered when I got there at 6:09) and there were about 20 people waiting. By the time I left at 6:42 there were probably close to 75 people in line. This makes me SOOOOOOOO happy!
3) Apparently I registered democratic when I was 18 because my mom has gotten 3 calls from the Obama campaign in the last month (of course I no longer live there) which she has fielded. She even got a hand-written 2-page letter back from one woman – props to the Obama campaign for a highly personal touch.
4) A guy behind me said that he looked up the sample ballot last night and was surprised to see six people on the ballot for President (versus the two he was expecting). "I never heard of these people!" he exclaimed. "You've probably only heard about one," was another guy's response. SO TRUE.
5) I thanked the lady who was checking my ID for giving up her time to work the polls. She told me she was being paid but would do it anyway and encouraged me to volunteer. So I did. I think that voting is something really important so I wrote my name down to call me for the next time they need workers. I would have no problem taking a day of work for that.
6) There was this cute older guy about 70 or so I think that was tearing off ballots for people. Unfortunately he wasn’t very agile and kept ripping off part of the bar code at the bottom which meant that the completed ballots wouldn’t scan in the machine. People were getting frustrated which was unfortunate but understandable. I gave one guy a very sharp look though when he started bitching about it. My position is – you can do it yourself (aka volunteer your time) OR you can complain but you can’t complain about others who are trying to help you and make unintentional mistakes.
7) More than anything, this election has frustrated me for WHY people are voting. I’ve researched the issues, watched the debates and read several articles on both candidates (from several sources). I feel informed in my decision. Over and over again you hear cases of people voting not for any issue but because of the elements that people hiring for jobs (which is essentially what we’re doing) aren’t allowed to consider – race, religion, and gender (primarily). Lisa knows someone who is voting for McCain because Sarah Palin is from Alaska. It fires me up to hear how many black people are voting for Obama simply because he’s black. Many shows/newspapers have brought to light that these people don’t know hardly ANY issues like their stance on abortion, immigration, taxation, etc. but pledge blind allegiance to their own gender, race, whatever. That irritates me beyond belief.
8) I feel like I'm a vital voter because I live in a swing state. It would, as Martha stated, be annoying to live in a state where your vote is hardly a whisper (ie Oregon).
9) At the end of the day I voted for McCain. I’ve come a long way though from a few months ago when it actually made me nervous about having Obama in office. The research I've done has helped but so has the influence of my friends. The people I know and respect are educated and informed. I know if they’re voting for Obama it’s because they truly believe in what he and his team stand for and not just because of the factors listed in point 7 above. I'm especially reassured by the people who put their time, effort, public endorsement and money behind their position. While I’ll conceded that a McCain victory is doubtful, I don’t feel dread about his opponent in control.
10) Before I go on, let me admit that I know this is immature. On Saturday we had dinner with friends who are voting democratic. They joked that my vote cancelled hers. Since I conceded that my candidate most likely will not win, I'm okay with my vote just being a cancellation vote. BUT, I don’t want it countering Kristi’s vote. No, I'm reserving my cancellation vote for a guy I know who’s so close-minded Obama it’s hard to have a conversation with him. I respect my friends who, while they don’t side with me, will concede to the “other guy” having a valid point on X,Y, or Z (like I do with Obama). This guy has such thick blinders on and spews inaccuracies that “prove” his point, that I’ve lost respect for him and would be fine not maintaining our acquaintance relationship. So, ____, this morning was for you.
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20 comments:
#7 irritates me beyond belief as well, especially when it's on the flipside. I'm fearful my grandparents won't vote for Obama because he's black.
#9 - I'm glad you don't dread Obama as president. I sort of dread McCain as president, and Palin in the event that he dies. Do you know that you have more education than she does?
What time do the polls close in Ohio? It's 7pm, right? We'll be watching you guys!
Karen--You make me laugh!!
I stood in line for a good hour and a half this morning to vote.
I voted, did my duty, and honestly researched all of the people (except about 4 of the unopposed candidates in my area)and issues.
I am very curious as to the outcome of the presidential race. I was very in the middle for a lot of the issues. I do not dread either McCain or Obama, however, I would not like to see Palin as president should something happen to McCain. I would be okay with Biden.
One thing I am happy about is I know both candidates will have very intelligent advisors helping them when in office and I wish we could hear who they would choose prior to the election, because I believe that would have really affected my decision this year. I was about 50% with McCain and 50% with Obama based on issues.
If you ask, I will tell you how I voted, but I am not publically announcing it. :)
Sounds like you're an Obama girl, Jen (based on your Palin commnet). Am I right? :-)
That is so true - I didn't appreciate living in a swing state before! Neither candidate spent much time in Oregon. Seriously. I'm sure they passed through, but I can't remember any coming through after the primaries. But why bother, right?
Although, I was amazed this past weekend that as soon as you got into rural Oregon, it becomes "McCain Palin country". That's nice that they could display their opinion there. In the city people were destroying the McCain Palin signs. Apparently people are all for free speach, only as long as it's the same as their opinion.
You mean someone didn't recognize Ralph Nader?!?? Doesn't he run in every presidential election??
I laughed when I saw Nader on my ballot!!! He always tries!!!
Well, I might as well throw my hat in the ring. Senator Obama seems like a really upstanding fine family man. I do not care that he is black. I believe the country is well overdue for a qualified black President. It doesn't matter to me in the least. I am like Karen in that I have been very close to all of the information I could get my hands on. I just fail to see what all of the hype is about this man. He has absolutlely no experiance at all, for the position he now seeks. He was only an active senator for 143 days, before he started his bid for president. He was an active lawyer, pressing law suites on banks like Citi Corp for not giving out several Home Mortagages that Citi Corp knew were "bad" loans, but gave them anyway through Fanny Maye and Freddie Mack, due to pressure of being sued. (You know where that got us) I am sorry....I know personally how being involved in Church has a trememdous effect on all of our lives when we choose to participate. Does anyone really think Jeremiah Wright really had no influence Mr. Obama's personality and thought process...? His head financial advisor, Frank Raines, was the former CEO of Fannie Mae, and there is pleanty of evidance that suggests several folks under him "doctored up" his financial statements which made it appear that Fannie Mae was doing just fine, and he walked away with something like 90 million dollars in his pocket for exceeding financial's that appeared now, to have never happened at all. (Jim, I would pay a million dollars to you if I had it, to clean up that mess and prove what really happened. I "know" you could find it.) I still have not figured out why they have not gone after this guy and put him in jail yet. He should at least be told to give the 90 million back and spend several years in jail. I believe that "Spreading the Wealth" would qualify here. There are pleanty of fine folks in need that could use that 90 million dollars. If Senator Obama is elected, does anyone think he will put his head financial advisor in Jail? And how about that 30 minute commercial produced by Oprah Winfrey (Are we not suprised here?), and all of her gift giving funds to "buy up" all three networks" Gee, it looked to me like he was already speaking from the Oval office. I am deeply concerned about his ties to "ACORN". I am sure by now Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have casted their votes, and I am afraid that they are going to count this time. Come on folks..., He must have "been late" 15 or more times to his seat on the Senate floor. A man that never even produced or authored any major legislation of any kind. A man who voted that he was "present" almost 130 times while he was in the Senate for the 143 days on the floor. Mayby he got confused between being "late" and actually making a "decision" to vote for something. And no matter how you spell it. Governor Palin "does" have more experiance then Senator Obama in Federal Government. My question.... Anybody...Name for me just one thing this man has done. Anything......! I just don't get it. I do believe most of Obama's supporters have not read anything on him at all. They all have turned the other way, "EVEN THE BIASED LIBERAL NEWS MEDIA"... I am so glad I do NOT work for GE any longer. Jeff Immelt, and his MSNBC bunch of unfair and biased liberal idiots, Keith Olberman, Rachel Maddow, and (Oh my leg is tingling) Chris Matthews, would not know the difference between honest news and selfish ambition if it was on their noses. And poor Sarah Palin.. She did not deserve all of the absolute crap she got. Even Larry Flint got in the act and has already distributed X rated films with Sarah Palin "look alikes". And how about her likeness being hung from a rope in L.A. Can you even imagine the outrage if Michelle Obama was put in the same position? I know if they had a "look alike" of Michelle Obama or the Senator himself in the same situation, it is a Federal Offense, and considered a "Hate Crime" (which of course it should be), but where does the double standard end. It all just makes me sick. I am still praying for a McCain / Palin victory, but if it doesn't happen, I pray someone like John McCain or Sarah Palin will still be around to clean up this mess we are going to have after 4 years. My feelings only. God Help Us...!
Quoting Finland's Finest:
One thing I am happy about is I know both candidates will have very intelligent advisors helping them when in office and I wish we could hear who they would choose prior to the election.
I can't even tell you how much I agree with this statement! In fact, I think it's almost misleading to *not* fully disclose that kind of stuff. I don't expect the President of the USA to be fully versed in all topics foreign, domestic, military, and otherwise. Just as I don't expect a CEO to be fully versed in all of the company's areas.
I've had this conversation with people. I can understand some valid reasons for hesitating to announce their key advisers:
* Multiple candidates may be trying to get the same person to fill a particular position. If that person is the best fit for the spot, it's stupid for her to commit to only working for one particular candidate.
*If the candidate hasn't really decided yet. The candidate may not want to put out a list. Here's what I envision happening: Both candidates put out a list of the people they're considering for (let's say) Secretary of Treasury. The media would blast one candidate for being indecisive. Then, they'd turn around and praise the other for having so many good people willing to work with them. Even if the caliber of people was the same. Maybe I'm just cynical...
*Certain key positions may turnover a few times in the course of the elected official's term. So, it may not make sense in this case either.
Even conceding all of the above points, I still feel that the candidate should disclose who they are thinking of for key positions.
Great post!
Wow to Dave Polley. I know you needed to vent, but that was a little harsh. For all of the negative things about Obama, there are negative things about the other side...and I'll just leave it at that.
Dear mrsj
My dear I am not being harsh. I was only being factual. And "I do" agree with you that there were problems within the Republican Party. However, these were known facts about the Senator that to me, folks just turned their heads and closed their eyes. If the mainstram media had "done their Job" and come down even half as hard on President Elect Obama as they did on Governor Palin or even "Joe The Plumber" and allowed enough more time for folks to really become informed about his experiance and his credentials, I believe informed individuals would have been able to weigh in and make a more intelligent decision with their vote. All I saw, was a man get elected on Words and Speeches and absolutely nothing to back it up. Now we will get see how it turns out. He now has to "pay back" all of the folks that got him elected. Could it be that Oprah will become the new "Secretary of State"? Maybe he can get all of his friends from "The View" and they can start a new "Department of Protocol" within the Federal Government.
Please mrsj, I truely respect your opinions, and hope you are not "angry" with me. I just thank God we still live in the greatest country in the world. We have witnessed Democracy at work again, and we will survive anything thrown at us. God Bless You dear...
So, does "_____" read this blog?
I hope so but i don't think he does.
"I believe informed individuals would have been able to weigh in and make a more intelligent decision with their vote" - David Polley
Ok, that was a little below the belt. I consider myself an informed voter, and I chose to vote for Obama. Do I agree with absolutely everything the man has ever done or said? Nope. Do I HAVE to in order to think he can take the country in the right direction? Nope. While I will concede that he doesn't have extensive experience, I don't see that sticking people in the White House who have decades in Washington under their belts has done the country much good lately... You could look at things from another angle and say it's a good thing! He hasn't been there long enough to become corrupt and jaded... And as for "payback to the people who got him elected", I don't really understand how it's different for Obama than it would have been for McCain - just different supporters. It's politics, after all...
I respect McCain and, like Karen, wouldn't have moped about with my head hung low had he been elected.
I don't agree with you, but you're entitled to your opinion and I respect it. But for you to say that the only reason I would vote for Obama is because I was ignorant and didn't do my homework is unfair... An "informed voter" is not defined as one who agrees with YOU - it is one who has done the research, heard both sides, and come to their own conclusion.
Just my two cents.
WOW! Karen's blog got some people fired up!
I d0, however have to address Dave's ACORN jab. Dave, did you DO any active research on Obama's connection to ACORN? I did. As an informed voter, I wanted to make sure the candidate that I was voting for wasn't up to this shady type of politics.
Obama's connection ACORN is loose at best. (And I'm not taking this information from his website. It's from multiple reliable sources outside of his campaign. This coming from an English teacher who understands the value of a "reliable source".) He was minimally involved with the organization and it was only in conjunction with another suit being filed that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (including big name Republicans) was working in collaboration with him on. Furthermore, before a jab can be made that his campaign donated money to ACORN, only 88,000 ended up in ACORN's accounts, and that was sent by another organization that the Obama campaign actually paid. It's unreasonable to think that his campaign would have control over that money after they've given it to another organization. It's as ridiculous as saying that you donated to the American Cancer Society and it's your fault if they donate part of your money to another organization that kills kittens.
So please don't make the assumption that anyone voting for Obama was not an informed voter.
Caitlin, Lisamarie, Martha...
Now we have a dialog, and that is what makes this country great. I do not want anyone to agree with me. I just wanted to put into play the information I had. I based my vote on the information I had. I never said anyone was ignorant. What I did say is that Mr Obama's record and associations were not taken into account with many of those that supported him and voted with him. It just didn't matter because a lot of people wanted something different, and they were tired of the status quo. I so much applaud all of you who did do the research and voted after looking at both sides carefully and then placed your vote. I am proud of you for that.
Still, I believe many folks did not do as you did. I suppose that is what concerned me more than anything. That we might be electing a President on hype more that substance. I guess I am starting to show my age again. Things have really changed since I was college age in the mid 70's Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to express my opinon. I most certainly respect yours. You are intelligent and gifted young adults, who indeed are well informed. Amen to that!
Have any of you considered working for the government? We need more folks with your spirit in D.C.
O.K. Let's give the man the chance to fix it. I am in....
However, I and the rest of the country will be watching more than ever.
Martha, I got carried away with "_____". sorry...
Respectfully, Always,
David
By the way, has David Polley met Sean Murphy? If not, they should. Talk about a dialogue...
I love all of this discussion, and no Dave, I'm not angry with you. :-)
Just out of curiosity and because I really don't know, how much 'experience' did JFK have before he was elected president?
Dear Mrsj,
John F. Kennedy was a graduate from Harvard. He was a lieutenant in WW II and a hero for saving the lives of his 11 crewman after his PT-109 torpedo boat was rammed by a Japanese Destroyer. It ended up splitting his boat in half. His father was the ambassador to Britain during WW II. John Kennedy was elected to congress in in 1947 and stayed a congressman until 1953 when he was elected to the senate. He almost became a Vice Presidential candidate at the 1956 Democratic Convention. He was a senator from 1953 until he was elected President in 1960. He held elected office for 13 years before becoming president. He was the first and only Catholic President, and the youngest President to ever be elected to office at the age of 43. He and my father had the same birthday. May 29th. He also is the only President to win the Pulitzer Prize for writing the book "Profiles in Courage" in 1957
When he was elected president it was the closest election in history from a popular vote when he defeated Richard Nixon with a margin of 49.7% to 49.5% He was also the first President involved in television debates against Nixon in 1960. Most folks say, because he looked Presidential on TV he got the votes he needed to win the election. The folks that listened to the debates on Radio, all thought Nixon won...(black and white TV in those days and only 3 or 4 channels to choose from.) I actually remembered our B&W TV. I watched John Glenn lift off on live Television in his Mecurery Spacecraft 1962, when he was the first American to orbit the earth. I was 6 years old.
Very heavy credentials for Mr. Kennedy I would say.
David
I'm totally happy that I just got called a "young adult". With 30 looming in the near distance, I was starting to feel old. Especially when parents at school assume I must be pregnant with my 2nd or 4rd child too. So thanks Dave! :)
Wanted to comment on your "irritation" of people voting based on gender or race affinity... I used to feel that way too, but there's a really legit reason to go that way. It's not that a black person votes for Obama because he's black. It's because Obama has been through similar experiences as a black person would, and as president he'd be able to make policies, lead the country, etc. with those experiences in hand. It's not perfect, but for someone who doesn't read up on policies and stuff, this is as close as it gets to voting for someone they believe will help them the most.
I'll write some more on my blog...
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