Call Me Irresponsible
I did my civic duty yesterday, but I am beginning to think that I am the reason that not everyone should vote. First off, I was one of those undecideds that the media could not get over. I voted for Bush then, and as a soft Republican, I figured I would vote for Bush now. However, I have been confused by Bush’s dealings in the Middle East and I don’t quite understand that whole tax refund thing. It seems like all of that money would have done the country more good in whole rather than me spending that measly check on God-knows-what. But I can’t stand Kerry. I don’t like the way he looks and I don’t like his voice. I couldn’t tell you what he stands for. I watched the debates, but I didn’t catch one iota of policy from either of them. It seemed like sound bite after badly written sound bite, and the vice-presidential debates were even worse. Didn’t Kerry just say those exact words? So I voted against “me too” Edwards and reelected George W. Bush.
I didn’t have one of those long-ass waits at the poll that provided the media hours of material to make up for the lack of anything else to talk about until results poured in. I walked into the poll church and showed my ID and was led to The Room. I started with the issues. Um, the issues? Don’t know anything about them. This referendum, that referendum, couldn’t tell you who is pushing it, couldn’t tell you the repercussions for voting for it or against it. But cleaning up waste before adding more sounding like a good idea. Charter schools, hey, why not? I voted that way, but I did concede that some things made absolutely no sense to me, so I left them blank. I mean, why mess up the system?
Deep in thought over whether roads should be paid for with an excise tax or based on annual miles traveled, I was startled by the sudden interruption to my serious voting dilemmas. “Stop. Your. Voting. Now.” I looked up at the source of the commanding voice. “There. Has. Been. A. Ballot. Issuance. Problem.” Okay….. “Someone. Has. The. Wrong. Card.” Great, just great. I am going to be a part of some voting scandal. Then in marches a little, old woman. She points to an unsuspecting man. “You. Sir. Come with me. You have been given the wrong card.”
The first man spoke up again, “This will go in the spoiled votes pile,” as he ceremoniously took the man’s ballot from him. The man sort of whimpered. “Oh, sir, you aren’t spoiled, just your votes. We will get you a new card.”
And with that the room was silent, save for two subsequent announcements that two separate women left behind their vehicle registration cards. That was highly confusing to me, because I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what vehicle registration had to do with voter registration. And also, was all of that pomp and circumstance really necessary concerning the mistaken card? Sheesh. It was so ridiculous. I couldn’t help but giggling as I struggled with the rest of my ballot.
Okay, I turned the sheet over to the people side, and realizing that I really had no idea what the majority of them stood for…(I knew who many of them were, but it was only because of all of those stupid, asinine trash-filled commercials. I think that they should have been ashamed to approve some of those messages)…I decided to do the most idiotic thing, something I never wanted to do because it is so ignorant – I voted straight along party lines. If you know the candidates and what they stand for and they just happen to stand for what you stand for and just happen to all fit into one party, then by all means – go to. But I didn’t, so I just stuck with Bush’s party. Hey I live in a Democrat state, how much did my vote count anyway?
I made quick measure of the partied candidates, but the races that said NP (no party), meaning I suppose that they are nonpartisan races, which when I think about it, may actually be what the NP stood for, gave me great pause. I stood there looking at the names for a while, trying my darnedest to jog any recognition from my brain to aid in my choice; then, when none came, I considered choosing a candidate based purely on the niceness of his/her name, but that was a brief consideration, mind you, and I opted to leave those races blank, because what could be more idiotic than choosing a candidate based on how their name sounds?
Okay, I know that I have revealed myself as a completely ignorant voter, but I have only done so, because if I did it, I am certainly not the only one, and what of the responsible voters who paid more attention and researched all of the issues and can say decisively why one candidate is better for them than another? I feel sorry for those voters. People like me completely screw with their responsibility. Some day I will be one of those voters, but today I am just glad that I got out to vote, oh and that my choice won.
So does that mass emigration to Canada start today, or will they be waiting until the second term actually starts?
I didn’t have one of those long-ass waits at the poll that provided the media hours of material to make up for the lack of anything else to talk about until results poured in. I walked into the poll church and showed my ID and was led to The Room. I started with the issues. Um, the issues? Don’t know anything about them. This referendum, that referendum, couldn’t tell you who is pushing it, couldn’t tell you the repercussions for voting for it or against it. But cleaning up waste before adding more sounding like a good idea. Charter schools, hey, why not? I voted that way, but I did concede that some things made absolutely no sense to me, so I left them blank. I mean, why mess up the system?
Deep in thought over whether roads should be paid for with an excise tax or based on annual miles traveled, I was startled by the sudden interruption to my serious voting dilemmas. “Stop. Your. Voting. Now.” I looked up at the source of the commanding voice. “There. Has. Been. A. Ballot. Issuance. Problem.” Okay….. “Someone. Has. The. Wrong. Card.” Great, just great. I am going to be a part of some voting scandal. Then in marches a little, old woman. She points to an unsuspecting man. “You. Sir. Come with me. You have been given the wrong card.”
The first man spoke up again, “This will go in the spoiled votes pile,” as he ceremoniously took the man’s ballot from him. The man sort of whimpered. “Oh, sir, you aren’t spoiled, just your votes. We will get you a new card.”
And with that the room was silent, save for two subsequent announcements that two separate women left behind their vehicle registration cards. That was highly confusing to me, because I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what vehicle registration had to do with voter registration. And also, was all of that pomp and circumstance really necessary concerning the mistaken card? Sheesh. It was so ridiculous. I couldn’t help but giggling as I struggled with the rest of my ballot.
Okay, I turned the sheet over to the people side, and realizing that I really had no idea what the majority of them stood for…(I knew who many of them were, but it was only because of all of those stupid, asinine trash-filled commercials. I think that they should have been ashamed to approve some of those messages)…I decided to do the most idiotic thing, something I never wanted to do because it is so ignorant – I voted straight along party lines. If you know the candidates and what they stand for and they just happen to stand for what you stand for and just happen to all fit into one party, then by all means – go to. But I didn’t, so I just stuck with Bush’s party. Hey I live in a Democrat state, how much did my vote count anyway?
I made quick measure of the partied candidates, but the races that said NP (no party), meaning I suppose that they are nonpartisan races, which when I think about it, may actually be what the NP stood for, gave me great pause. I stood there looking at the names for a while, trying my darnedest to jog any recognition from my brain to aid in my choice; then, when none came, I considered choosing a candidate based purely on the niceness of his/her name, but that was a brief consideration, mind you, and I opted to leave those races blank, because what could be more idiotic than choosing a candidate based on how their name sounds?
Okay, I know that I have revealed myself as a completely ignorant voter, but I have only done so, because if I did it, I am certainly not the only one, and what of the responsible voters who paid more attention and researched all of the issues and can say decisively why one candidate is better for them than another? I feel sorry for those voters. People like me completely screw with their responsibility. Some day I will be one of those voters, but today I am just glad that I got out to vote, oh and that my choice won.
So does that mass emigration to Canada start today, or will they be waiting until the second term actually starts?
posted by The Narcissist at 9:27 AM
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