I voted yesterday. When I was asked my party affiliation, I was surprised by the pride I took in answering, “Independent.” I felt a stirring in my chest, and something of an inclination to stand on a box and proclaim very loudly exactly what I thought about the state of elections in this nation and politics in general. I was, as usual, in a mood to rake some muck. The pollworkers had some trouble adjusting the techno-widget to allow me to vote for issues only, since I am ineligible to vote in the primaries due to my lack of any party affiliation, and I was fully prepared to unleash some indignant rage if they proved unable to let me vote. I am, and have always been, 100% against computerized voting, and considering the catastrophic errors and widespread instances of election fraud in the last presidential election, I feel justified in protesting any attempt to suppress votes, intentionally or unintentionally, IN AS LOUD A VOLUME AS NECESSARY. I could feel my blood pressure rising and my patience waning as I watched the pollworkers puzzling over what ought to have been a simple enough procedure. The citizens of this nation are not obligated to tolerate any infringement of their voting rights, and each and every instance of voter disenfranchisement must be loudly opposed. Any denial of any citizen’s legitimate voting rights is another crack in the foundation of the democratic process that is this nation, and we are coming perilously close (if it is not too late already) to a decline from a democratic republic to a self-perpetuating plutocratic oligarchy. Yes, I was prepared to declaim quite publicly, but they were finally able to figure out the gizmo so I could vote on the single item on the ballot that was not part of either primary: a school levy. I voted in favor of it. I accepted the “I Voted” sticker they handed me, but I didn’t wear it, for the first time since I first voted at the age of eighteen. I am not proud to vote in a country with elections as ridden with inaccuracy and fraud as a Third World banana republic. It is humiliating. I feel as if I and others of my generation (and the generations that follow) shall inherit ashes and rubble from the generation in power that has been systematically destroying the legacy left to us by the Founders and the Greatest Generation. When the dust has settled and the plutocrats have safely stashed their plunder in offshore accounts and fled responsibility, will there be enough left of our economy (and country) to rebuild, or will our country be reduced to an impoverished, ignorant, third-rate nation ruled by paranoia, intolerance, and religious fundamentalism? How much longer will we stagger under the delusion that this nation is governed “by the People”? I believe strongly in participation in free and fair elections. I wish we had them.
If I could, I’d vote for R2D2. He is the hero of all 6 SW films, and he could fix Paul’s truck.
Wait! This isn’t the Robot poll!
The ignorance of American voters, in a nutshell.
Those smart enough to understand the issues don’t care, and those who care aren’t smart enough to understand. Anything, really. It’s a cryin’ shame, is what it is. Down with the Electoral College! Dammit, people, your votes DO MATTER! You think they count when you vote on American Idol; why don’t you when it comes to the Government?
I just saw American Dreamz in the theaters. HILARIOUS! It all started because the director heard that more people vote each week in American Idol than in the Presidential elections.