When I hear an attack ad, I immediately go all LSAT-y on it and pick it apart for its logical fallacies, out-of-context quotes, and general ass-ishness. I think to myself "I'm going to vote for the other guy simply because this guy is willing to make and ad like this."
But then I hear an ad for the other guy, and it's just another attack ad on the first guy.
Sigh.
Then who do I vote for? Some fringe candidate who wants to [insert radical proposal here]? No, no... that's not good. There's no alternative, and there is no lesser evil. Just two equal evils and a system designed to keep out reasonable and sensible candidates.
So I stay home.
Some of you will probably know me enough to also assume that I'm probably just lazy, and don't know where to vote or know what I need to vote or have the research done ahead of time to know specific candidate's policies. And you would be right (mostly).
But I say that there is a difference between not voting because you're lazy when you should vote, and not voting because you're lazy when it's not worth voting in the first place.
Sadly in this midterm election it seems like I'm facing the second option. Oh well- more time to finish the Halo Reach campaign on legendary.
CS
Normally, I would be really appalled that a person with so much intelligence, who is perfectly capable of making sound decisions (based on facts rather than hearsay), would choose not to vote. However, this year, I tend to be of the same mindset.
ReplyDeleteThe candidates we've been handed from both major parties are simply disheartening and ignorant. The few candidates even worth considering have so little financial backing that they are basically on the ballot in theory only. They’re the ones who don’t have funding to promote their names and point their fingers at the opposition. Their reality is that of a tree falling in the woods with no one around. Do they make a sound?
Far too many voters don't research candidates or even learn what they themselves want in a political representative. They vote for the name they've heard the most. They vote based on gossip and rhetoric.
I did vote. But, I did so with little to no enthusiasm. I feel trapped by the political system. We are all aware of things that need to change in politics but the voters are cornered. The right wing and left wing have closed in on both sides and the lobbyists are pushing a full frontal attack. The voter is left holding a BB gun against a mob armed with earmarks and missile launchers.
Okay. I’m done venting.
I know, right?
ReplyDeleteHere's my rant:
3 Iowa SC Justices lost their seats yesterday, mostly due to support outside the state from social conservatives who were outraged at a
ruling declaring that a ban of same-sex marriages would be unconstitutional. Here's what one Iowa supporter of removing the judges
had to say:
"I don't think they should have the power to change the constitution and take things into their own hands," Noel said. "It's a hard job to do, but here, in this case, I just really think they overstepped their bounds."
Change the constitution? What did they change? Answer: nothing.
Reason: 1 This guy: 0
Take things into their own hands? What- by ruling on a court case? Isn't that what they do?
Reason: 2 This guy: 0
In this case? You mean your entire interpretation of the effectiveness
of these justices comes down to their ruling about the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans? That's it? Really?
Reason: 3 This guy: 0
Overstepped their bounds? Isn't ruling on the constitutionality of legislation their JOB? Like, as in, EXACTLY in their bounds?
Reason: 4 This guy: 0
Yeah. This is the guy I want to see choosing who stays in the Iowa courthouse.
Fine.
ReplyDeleteLet me get this one for you.
Caleb "I'm not lazy, politicians are just dickwads" Shreves
I voted only because I happened to be visiting my parents yesterday. They told me who to vote for & I did it because it would make their lives easier, thereby making mine easier as well. I absolutely despise political ads & they seemed to be even worse this year. This one lady in NC (who lost, hehehe) had such anger in her voice when speaking that even if my parents didn't tell me to not vote for her, there was no way I would.
ReplyDeleteI'm just dreading the next presidential election. I'm afraid it's gonna be bad.
Andrew votes because his parents tell him. I don't vote cuz I'm lazy. Kim votes and hates it. And my friend Becky said that there was literally a retarded guy ahead of her in line who couldn't write his own name but "knew he was a democrat."
ReplyDeleteThis is democracy? I like it.
Fox- Why don't you write all my sign offs from now on? :)