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At Long Last, Election Day
In 1996, a website called the Fray asked their readers to post election day experiences. Did they vote? Didn't they? How did they feel about it all at the end of another eternal campaign? The response was one of the better early interactive Web exercises, producing some real political thoughts, not the kind you get on TV pundit panels. Thousands of you have posted here recently about whether you should vote this time, or why you do or don't think politics is important. So here's our chance to happily close out our election coverage, and your chance -- all day long -- to by-pass the talking heads.
I waited in line for half an hour to get my ballot. In front of me was an elderly lady, quite excited that she had to wait in line (to her, it meant that more people were getting out to vote; I didn't have the heart to tell her that it meant that more people had moved out to what was formerly the "outskirts"). Behind me were two mothers, talking about school, life, the special mock voting activities each parent's school was having for their students.
The voting went pretty smoothly. I voted for Prez/Veep, Senator, and US Rep, then proceeded to randomly fill in the bubbles for the rest of the candidates, sometimes chuckling to myself about what would happen if everyone voted like me. Then I stopped chuckling because I realized everyone really was voting like me.
On the way out, I picked up my 'I VOTED' sticker, proudly displaying the American flag. I'll probably use it to pick up chicks.
Election day's still an event, that's to be sure, but it definitely doesn't mean as much to someone of my age as to those of the generation or two ahead of me who fought for things like freedom and democracy. I hear people talk about how sick and tired they are of politics and how they don't have any choices. Think of what this country would be like if that were really true.
By the way, hot Slashdot females, I voted.
If there's supposed to be seperation of Church and State, why did I have to go to a local church to cast my vote this morning? :-)
Although I have followed all the campaign carefully all along and I have to say that I was really disappointed that NO ONE during the whole process asked a question: "How will other countries view US and how will change their dealing with US in case Bush (Gore) will get elected?"
This is an interesting point that you're right, most people didn't ever ask.
I spend a lot of time overseas and have to say that I haven't met a single person outside the USA who believes GW Bush is even remotely qualified to be president.
The world is basically laughing at us because it's so obvious to them that this guy is a lightweight, but hey in the USA I guess as long as your dad was cool you can still play with the big boys, even if you can't remember their names.
But the US has never put a big premium on experience, which is why I think we don't see it as such a big deal here. We like the idea of an "outsider" stepping in and cleaning up (y'know, because Bush has NO ties to politics-as-usual, other than all his money, friends, and his own father).
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...and tired.
But not of politics (or Katz) -- I really am literally sick and tired (I think it's the flu). So I didn't go to work today, but I'm getting in the shower in a minute to go vote.
I'll be sure to update you guys when I get back in case Jon wants us to post about lunch or something...
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During the conversation, I announced that I looked up our senators voting record, and quoted a few "interesting" votes... the partisan voter's response was "I know where they all stand." Sure -- if you know their party, then you know their opinions, right? How naive...how frustrating...
Although I have followed all the campaign carefully all along and I have to say that I was really disappointed that NO ONE during the whole process asked a question: "How will other countries view US and how will change their dealing with US in case Bush (Gore) will get elected?"
Oh, there's a very simple reason why no one asked that question. We don't care :)
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DO NOT DISTURB THE SE
How is it possible not to vote when you are among the (relatively) few people who can elect the most powerful leader in the world ?
I'm French, so of course I can't vote. I'm just watching as you Americans choose the man who will make peace or war in the Middle East, in Korea, in China, in the Balkans, and in several regions of Africa and Central Asia. The man who will negotiate all those issues with Vladimir Putin, Jiang Zemin et al. The man who will decide, incidentally, whether we Europeans can set up our own military force outside of NATO. Maybe you don't fully realize what "the President of the sole superpower" means, but believe me, we do.
The fact that millions among you (you = young, educated middle-class Americans) won't vote today - and that they're proud of it - upsets me.
Don't tell me that your vote wouldn't make a difference. At 50/50 every single vote counts, including yours. And you know that.
Don't tell us that the US election system is flawed. We know that already [?]. That's no excuse. Not voting will only make things worse.
Don't, please don't tell us that there's absolutely no difference between the two candidates. There is. You may not care much about the IQ or the qualification of your president, but we definitely do, for the very reasons I mentioned above.
Thinking that just because you didn't take ten minutes of your precious time to drop a paper in a little box, the next President of the United States will probably be George Bush jr instead of Al Gore, that drives me crazy. In any democracy, not voting is a Bad Thing, the expression of a "spoilt child" attitude. But in the US, the responsibility is even bigger, because the man you're electing will influence the lives of millions of people around the world, much more than yours. And those people cannot decide who that man will be. And you can. And you won't.
Thomas Miconi
Although I have followed all the campaign carefully all along and I have to say that I was really disappointed that NO ONE during the whole process asked a question: "How will other countries view US and how will change their dealing with US in case Bush (Gore) will get elected?" I think that US is one of the most self-centric countries in the world and you should definitely start to look out of your borders. The world does not end there.
I personally think that experience of other countries with former president George Bush were not really the best ones and that a lot of countries is concerned about electing his son who will be surely under huge impact of his father. Its even told much more out of US borders, that its George Bush senior running for yet another presidential term. I would definitely expect international relations to cool down somewhat in case he will get elected.
On the other hand most of Europe is now ruled by Social democrats, and in case Gore will get elected, US will experience continuation of very good political relations with Europe region.
Also consider that Gore is not babbling with idiotic smile frozen on his face. Try to imagine yourself in a skin of foreign president who would need to talk some serious business with Bush... I would comfort such person in advance.
I personally don't like social democrats in europe and democrats in US are the same sort, but I have to say that considering what are US republicans, then my choice would be clear.
If programs would be read like poetry, most programmers would be Vogons.
One thing that galls me when I talk to people about getting out and voting is when they say "I'm just one person. To me, there's no real difference between Bush and Gore anyway, so why bother?"
I'll tell you why: Because there is MORE on the ballot than just those two people. There are local referendums, laws and such to vote on, not to mention your state and congressional representatives, so you need to get out there and vote if for no other reason than to try and make your own state a better place to be.