Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
I Voted
for 'That One', that won! Congratulations to President-Elect Obama, and to Senator McCain for, by far, the most exciting election in my lifetime.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Rock the Vote? How about just...
voting. A few people who read my blog and know me have asked why I do not put anything political on my blog. A fair inquiry considering that the election is the hot subject of the day, coupled with the market, and the fact that I'm actually a very politically active person (at least when it comes to voting and the elections). I have purposely avoided even hinting at my political leanings in this blog. I'd like to think that I share enough of my interests already, and adding politics into this blog might turn people off, plain and simple.
I'm not going to change that with this post. But, with the elections just a little more than 3 weeks away, I thought I would put out a request to everyone regarding a few things in this election.
1. Be sure you are registered. If you're not and can still do so in your state, get it done.
2. Read about the candidates relative to your ballot. While the presidential election is the most known, really, your local politics - state representative, school board members, judges, propositions) - will have a far more reaching and immediate effect on your everyday life than who's sitting in the Oval Office. Prepare to spend some time going over those things, as they often take a bit of digging to find out the information you may need to make your decision.
3. If you're going to go to the polls, rather than complete an early ballot, be sure you know the rules. Most states prohibit wearing any shirts, buttons etc., that endorse any candidate or particular party. And while being decked out in your most flamboyant blue or red dress might get around that rule, it might be construed as being influential, and then you don't get to vote. If you want to show that kind of support for your candidate, then change, after you vote of course, into that eye-popping ensemble, stand at the required distance from the actual polls, and sing ballads about your candidate, if that suits your fancy.
4. Most important, VOTE! Don't want to hang out in the lines? Then request an early ballot. Here in Arizona, you can request an early ballot as late as Oct. 24th I believe. Check your states election board website for info for your area. Often you can request it right online, so it's really easy. Filling out an early ballot also allows you all the time you need to research all those local items that I mentioned above.
I believe one of the most precious rights afforded to us in this country is the right to vote. While it's tempting to do things that might tip the scale in our candidates favor, to do so to such a degree that you might cause someone else so much discomfort that they don't vote, is unpatriotic in my opinion. Think of how you might feel in a very (red/blue) state, and show up to the polls and everyone is decked out in the majority color, and you're not. How comfortable would you feel in this group of people? Probably not very, and this could make someone turn around and not vote at all. So let's rock the vote!
Onward!
I'm not going to change that with this post. But, with the elections just a little more than 3 weeks away, I thought I would put out a request to everyone regarding a few things in this election.
1. Be sure you are registered. If you're not and can still do so in your state, get it done.
2. Read about the candidates relative to your ballot. While the presidential election is the most known, really, your local politics - state representative, school board members, judges, propositions) - will have a far more reaching and immediate effect on your everyday life than who's sitting in the Oval Office. Prepare to spend some time going over those things, as they often take a bit of digging to find out the information you may need to make your decision.
3. If you're going to go to the polls, rather than complete an early ballot, be sure you know the rules. Most states prohibit wearing any shirts, buttons etc., that endorse any candidate or particular party. And while being decked out in your most flamboyant blue or red dress might get around that rule, it might be construed as being influential, and then you don't get to vote. If you want to show that kind of support for your candidate, then change, after you vote of course, into that eye-popping ensemble, stand at the required distance from the actual polls, and sing ballads about your candidate, if that suits your fancy.
4. Most important, VOTE! Don't want to hang out in the lines? Then request an early ballot. Here in Arizona, you can request an early ballot as late as Oct. 24th I believe. Check your states election board website for info for your area. Often you can request it right online, so it's really easy. Filling out an early ballot also allows you all the time you need to research all those local items that I mentioned above.
I believe one of the most precious rights afforded to us in this country is the right to vote. While it's tempting to do things that might tip the scale in our candidates favor, to do so to such a degree that you might cause someone else so much discomfort that they don't vote, is unpatriotic in my opinion. Think of how you might feel in a very (red/blue) state, and show up to the polls and everyone is decked out in the majority color, and you're not. How comfortable would you feel in this group of people? Probably not very, and this could make someone turn around and not vote at all. So let's rock the vote!
Onward!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Voting on the facts
Ah, it's that wonderful time again when we are bombarded with political ads from our presidential hopefuls about what they plan on doing and why the other guy sucks and you'd be an idiot to vote for him/her.
Actually, I really enjoy elections, having spent a good many years in the Washington DC area and even hobnobbing with some of our government's finest. Nowadays, I get to enjoy watching the catfights from 3000 miles away in my suburban Arizona home. Ah.. .the life.
In this election, there seems to be more nasty smears/rumors/etc about the candidates than in years past. Some of the claims that have been made about this or that candidate have run the gamut from misquotations, to just flat out liar-liar-pants-on-fire falsehoods. I was equally surprised that people actually believed some of them, and/or had no idea how to check out the validity of the claim. So I thought I'd post the URL's to some fact checking sites around the internet for those (as few as you may be) who read my little blog.
www.factcheck.org
www.snopes.com
www.politifact.com
ETA: also check out www.taxpolicycenter.org to see a breakdown of each of their fiscal plans
Now there are a few more, and you can find those links usually on one or more of the sites listed above. But really, they all pretty much say the same thing. I urge you to not only get out and vote, but vote intelligently!!! Check out the candidates website and actually READ what they say on the various issues. Check out claims that they make against each other, especially the negative stuff as it's often been manipulated to make themselves sound better.
Anyway, hopefully by posting these here, someone somewhere can make a more educated, informed vote in this election year.
As far as the rest of my life, this past week was spent buried in my Organic Chemistry books in preparation for an exam on Wednesday (as in tomorrow), so nothing really new to report on any front. Got in a few short workouts, and have not been able to knit very much (which means I'm still working on The Cardigan).
Hope everyone has a good week!
Actually, I really enjoy elections, having spent a good many years in the Washington DC area and even hobnobbing with some of our government's finest. Nowadays, I get to enjoy watching the catfights from 3000 miles away in my suburban Arizona home. Ah.. .the life.
In this election, there seems to be more nasty smears/rumors/etc about the candidates than in years past. Some of the claims that have been made about this or that candidate have run the gamut from misquotations, to just flat out liar-liar-pants-on-fire falsehoods. I was equally surprised that people actually believed some of them, and/or had no idea how to check out the validity of the claim. So I thought I'd post the URL's to some fact checking sites around the internet for those (as few as you may be) who read my little blog.
www.factcheck.org
www.snopes.com
www.politifact.com
ETA: also check out www.taxpolicycenter.org to see a breakdown of each of their fiscal plans
Now there are a few more, and you can find those links usually on one or more of the sites listed above. But really, they all pretty much say the same thing. I urge you to not only get out and vote, but vote intelligently!!! Check out the candidates website and actually READ what they say on the various issues. Check out claims that they make against each other, especially the negative stuff as it's often been manipulated to make themselves sound better.
Anyway, hopefully by posting these here, someone somewhere can make a more educated, informed vote in this election year.
As far as the rest of my life, this past week was spent buried in my Organic Chemistry books in preparation for an exam on Wednesday (as in tomorrow), so nothing really new to report on any front. Got in a few short workouts, and have not been able to knit very much (which means I'm still working on The Cardigan).
Hope everyone has a good week!
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