Here in Alaska we have the choice to vote for:
A) The small town Democrat mayor who has pretty much said in his ads he wants to spend as much money as possible but then the good news is he probably won't be able to because he'd get lost on his way to work if actually elected. Yes, unelectable and expensive are the words there, folks.
B) The maniac right-wing Tea Partier who has grown shiftier and crazier as the campaign has progressed. If he claimed that his opponent were in conspiracy with Martians I wouldn't be surprised anymore.
C) The nepotistic child who was given her senate seat by her daddy in a dirty move that doesn't sit well with me to this day. Too liberal to be legitimately called a Republican yet too smart to openly come out in Alaska as a Democrat, the media loves her and is desperately trying to get us to vote for her which continues to grate on me. Maybe she's the best option but I can't bring myself to agree.
So what is a decent, law-abiding, slightly conservative citizen to do? My religion tells me to get out and vote yet they refuse to tell me who to vote for. I told Andrew if it were that important to vote then you'd think they'd give me more instructions. I don't want any of the candidates in there and that's the truth.
So my probable strategy? Vote for the guy least likely to be able to accomplish anything. Less accomplished means less spent. Don't bad-mouth gridlock because at least if the guys in Washington are tied up, bickering, then they can't find the time to spend our money. Is it possible to create a new party based solely on the principle of gridlock? Their slogan could be, "We'll be fighting all the time, we won't spend a dime!"
***
And here are what a few of the bloggers in my feeds had to say from their ends of the country/world. Sounds like I'm not too alone.
Thank God It's Election Day
Call Me Evil
I Zip Across Party Lines Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
I Kissed (Partisan) Politics Goodbye
23 comments:
Currently many of our newspapers are suggesting that we "hold our noses when voting for governor." Even that is not as bad as when I lived in Louisiana where bumper stickers abounded to "vote for the crook - its important". Yes, we had a choice of an indicted/convicted former governor or a KKK leader - some choice!
How depressing! I think that the biggest problem in politics is that the whole process tends to encourage the sane, the well-balanced and the intelligent to stay well out of the system because it chews you up. What normal person would want to spend so much money and go through such scrutiny for such a low-paying, high-pressure job that will give you more criticism than you need?
Oh, and my phone has been ringing off the hook for a week with recorded messages. If there was ever a time when I needed caller ID it was now.
Don't vote for the lesser of two (or three) evils if you think they're still evil. People have said that to me before, and I usually think it's hogwash, but I'm saying it now. I'm actually not voting at all today. I haven't done my research this time around, on any candidates or issues, and I'm not going to go out and just vote along party lines. I'm choosing to abstain this year, because I'd rather do that than vote ignorantly.
I did that one year for governor. The Republican candidate was a felon (or soon to be I can't exactly remember) and the Democrat was a decent guy but I just couldn't support his policies. I voted for neither and felt just fine.
Sorry, but not voting for the reason of being uninformed, or because the candidates are not to your liking is what got us into this mess in the first place.
I am NOT fond of our local Congressman at all, but the alternative is a Tea Party loon and I want to make damn sure he doesn't get into office. So vote I did.
You know, people not voting, whatever their excuse, is why we've come to the sorry mess we're in now.
Women fought for the vote longer than our Founding Fathers fought the American Revolution.
Honor that fight by exercising your right to cast that vote today.
Well I agree to some extent--I think that uninformed voting is worse than not voting (as did the Founding Fathers which is why only land owners were allowed to vote) and when there is a low voter turn out it is usually an indication of fewer problems and therefore less voter interest. I've heard that the largest voter turnout in history was to elect Adolf HItler. If that's true then it tends to turn the "vote or else" thing on its ear. I will be voting, because there are a few other measures on the ballot I want to vote on and I want to vote for governor but I'm having a hard time with the senate race. When it's bad all around the whole process seems null and void.
Sometimes it's the stupid guys who end up spending the most--they just say, "Sure, why not?" to anything and then when things go wrong, they start flinging money at the problems. But good luck.
If I feel that I can't in good conscience vote for any of the candidates for a specific position, I skip them making sure to vote for the other positions. I will not abstain from voting completely because then my voice isn't heard at all. It is important to be informed and vote.
And I would very seriously consider voting for your new party on their slogan alone ;)
I 100% agree with your summary of our choices this year. I think Lisa is closest to my political views (liberal conservative..whatever that is) but the whole nepotism thing still gets me.
The only thing she has going for her is that I don't really want Begich to be our most senior Senator. (Although it may not be as important as people want me to believe.)
And what about Parnell, he would totally have my vote except for his support of AGIA.
My solution?
I think I will vote for myself!
I wish I knew the answer. Politics is filthy. You should try Arizona or...Mafia Retirement Home otherwise known. One thing that worked for me this year??? I had surgery a couple of days ago and can't get out of the house to actually vote. Hey! I did ask for an absentee ballot but they never sent it to me. Honest! :)
The only thing caller ID reveals this political season is that you're receiving a call from an out-of-state number with an "unknown name."
I have never sommented on your blog, but really enjoyed yoru descriptions of the political mess in Alaska today. It was my first time at the polls when I felt very conflicted. i ddin't like anyone that I voted for and I didn't like that feeling.
A really hard year, right? No matter what state, it's the same....the craziest politics ever! Glad you voted...it's our right, that many don't have! There's always someone or something to vote for that will make a difference!
Try living in Illinois where the entire state votes for Brady and chicago county and one other votes for Alex CHICAGO! Where is the fair in that.
It's not just in Alaska, my dear! Our choices here in New York State were equally distasteful. I voted across the board for what I perceived to be the lesser of two evils and that's not saying much because evil abounds here in all parties.
You are so right when you say, "Less accomplished means less spent."
Heavy sigh. We got Jerry Brown for governor, Barbara Boxer for senator, Lynn Woolsey for representative, and Gavin Newsom for lieutenant governor.
And I'm a registered Democrat for Pete's sake! But, oh, the disappointment.
OH the hard task it is at hand to vote. I felt very torn as I truly don't like any of the options. I considered writing in my own name like another commentor said. It's just ridiculous. I voted but I didn't feel good about any of it. Maybe you should run next time. :)
This year I didn't like any of the options for Senator either. While I agree with a lot of the Tea Party movement, I found some of the things Miller was doing disturbing. I want Murkowski out and couldn't vote for the Democrat due to differences of opinion in policy. I did vote but I didn't get any satisfaction out of it. It reminded me of a few years ago when I lived in VA. The Republican- I agreed with his policies but felt like he was a cheat. The Democrat- I completely disagreed with his policies but felt like he was an honest man. Who do you vote for?
I hate to admit it, but there have been times when I did NOT vote because I could not bring myself to vote for anyone who clearly should not be in office. Unfortunately, there seem to be getting to be more of that kind than the kind I would like to vote for.
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I hear there's a new science paper that says that corporations would be more efficient if they promoted people at random. I'm thinking about using that strategy with voting. Candidates are rarely realistic with what they'll actually accomplish when in office, so you're not actually getting a good idea of their abilities in the first place just based on their campaign speeches. So why not choose at random? You might be surprised at the results.
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