Hmm. I feel a little sheepish. Doesn't look like I've ever cast a vote. What's up with that?
I was able to vote in 2004, when everybody hated Bush and elected him anyway.
I was able to vote in 2000, when Bush lost to Al Gore and became President anyway.
I was able to vote in 1996, when the big, slimy used car salesman that we knew was threatened by two half-insane old men that I couldn't imagine listening to for the next 4-8 years.
I was able to vote in 1992, when (just like now) most of my left-wing friends and acquaintances were constantly and loudly proclaiming how the white knight (a big Arkansas used-car-salesman-type with a shit-eating grin and a very opportune saxophone) was going to ride in and make us all live happily ever after.
Am I just lazy? Well, yes...I suppose if I could vote on the web, or at a drive-thru, I'd be much more likely to do it. It would be like grabbing a burger or checking my bank balance. Relatively meaningless, huh? The easier something is, the less you think about it. Of course, if it was that easy, everyone would do it...would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
Here's a common concept in the survey profession: "You can't settle for just volunteers," we say. "Then we just get a sample of people who like taking surveys. That's not statistically representitive."
I guess one might also say that the officials are elected not By The People, but only by The People Who Like Voting.
Am I just lazy? Well, yes...I suppose if I could vote on the web, or at a drive-thru, I'd be much more likely to do it. It would be like grabbing a burger or checking my bank balance. Relatively meaningless, huh? The easier something is, the less you think about it. Of course, if it was that easy, everyone would do it...would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
Here's a common concept in the survey profession: "You can't settle for just volunteers," we say. "Then we just get a sample of people who like taking surveys. That's not statistically representitive."
I guess one might also say that the officials are elected not By The People, but only by The People Who Like Voting.
You don't hear a lot of campaigning for the coveted non-voter demographic. Sure, there's a push for the undecided, the discouraged, and the reluctant...but that's really a different thing, isn't it? That doesn't include those who can't be bothered, who don't care, or who are convinced that it just doesn't matter.
No big deal, though...if you don't ask for what you want, you probably won't ever get it. Luckily, that doesn't mean that you can't complain about it later. And if what you want is just to live your life and not be troubled by such things, you're pretty much out of luck anyway...but you're free to try.
In an ideal world, representitives would...well...represent everyone. Just between you and me and the wall (or me and the wall, since you don't exist...and to be honest, I'm not even completely certain about the wall), that's just not the case.
I really should vote, because I've been following the campaign for a few months now. I even DVR'd the VP debate (and the third Presidential debate, though it was much less interesting). I have opinions and concerns. I should express them, right? What better way? Certainly beats writing a dull blog that nobody will ever read.
Funny thing about expressing your opinion: Most people don't really believe half of the things they say, and most people don't even really believe half of the things they think they believe. Your outlook on the world, the way you size up a situation and come to a conclusion, all of this is so changeable...eveything that you think is so reasonable, or natural, or divinely ordained, is simply a bunch of ephemeral neural activity.
I have Democratic thoughts and Republican thoughts. I have Green thoughts and Libertarian thoughts. I have the ability to see the eventual benefit of things that are immediately unappealing. I have the ability to reject the common good in favor of personal concerns. Nobody will ever be perfect to represent me; the best that I can ever hope for is the lesser of two evils.
Obama seems to be that choice this time around, and I definitely have a revulsion towards all things Palin. On the other hand, I am allergic to bandwagons of any kind...and I'm almost certain that Barack doesn't really need my help this time around, just like Bubba didn't need my help in '92 or '96. He's going to win...and if he doesn't, that must mean we didn't want it enough. I guess I just don't care how it turns out...either way, people are going to get the power to occassionally complicate and restict my life in impersonal and vaguely frustrating ways.
Fermata in Mistic Air
No big deal, though...if you don't ask for what you want, you probably won't ever get it. Luckily, that doesn't mean that you can't complain about it later. And if what you want is just to live your life and not be troubled by such things, you're pretty much out of luck anyway...but you're free to try.
In an ideal world, representitives would...well...represent everyone. Just between you and me and the wall (or me and the wall, since you don't exist...and to be honest, I'm not even completely certain about the wall), that's just not the case.
I really should vote, because I've been following the campaign for a few months now. I even DVR'd the VP debate (and the third Presidential debate, though it was much less interesting). I have opinions and concerns. I should express them, right? What better way? Certainly beats writing a dull blog that nobody will ever read.
Funny thing about expressing your opinion: Most people don't really believe half of the things they say, and most people don't even really believe half of the things they think they believe. Your outlook on the world, the way you size up a situation and come to a conclusion, all of this is so changeable...eveything that you think is so reasonable, or natural, or divinely ordained, is simply a bunch of ephemeral neural activity.
I have Democratic thoughts and Republican thoughts. I have Green thoughts and Libertarian thoughts. I have the ability to see the eventual benefit of things that are immediately unappealing. I have the ability to reject the common good in favor of personal concerns. Nobody will ever be perfect to represent me; the best that I can ever hope for is the lesser of two evils.
Obama seems to be that choice this time around, and I definitely have a revulsion towards all things Palin. On the other hand, I am allergic to bandwagons of any kind...and I'm almost certain that Barack doesn't really need my help this time around, just like Bubba didn't need my help in '92 or '96. He's going to win...and if he doesn't, that must mean we didn't want it enough. I guess I just don't care how it turns out...either way, people are going to get the power to occassionally complicate and restict my life in impersonal and vaguely frustrating ways.
Fermata in Mistic Air
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