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One more week to go.....
Oct. 30th, 2002 12:21 amGive it up for new LJ'er ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
allisona! Stop by her Livejournal and make her feel at home!
Only one more week until one of the rituals of living in the United States: Election Day. The fun begins around Labor Day, when the political ads start rolling out. Not surprising, most of the ads I see on TV are from Republican candidates, paid for by a well-funded war chest. That and Alan Jackson belting out "I'm a Ford Truck Man", as he swings his guitar and drives his F-150 pickup all over the place. Big fat hairy deal.
I really hate the ads that blatantly go for an emotional response. That's not how I vote. If people want to convice me, do so with logic, numbers, and facts, not some murky scare tactics like the ones I've seen on the ads urging me to "vote no on Issue 1" (rehab instead of jail time for drug offenders). And the ads for judges are misleading. The ads may say they're for the people, but I doubt their personal opinions factor in when they make their decisions, whih are soelly based on the law. Thanks but no thanks. Nor do I blindly vote for candidates because some local newspaper has chosen to endorse them. Dammit, I'm not a sheep! Give me enough information to make up my own mind, thank you very much.
I'm also ticked that the two-party system has conspired to keep all the third-party candidates out. Oops, you don't have 5% of the vote? Sorry, you can't be listed as a party. And you can't be in our debates. Nyah nyah nyah. It's like two fat boys who won't let anyone else ride the see-saw. If politics was a for profit-business (and believe me, it is), they'd be cited for anti-trust violations. Republicrats. Democans. Feh. Where are the Libertarians? Where are the Natural Law people? And why is the media conveniently ignoring them?
One of the best informative voting sites I've come across is Project VoteSmart, at http://www.vote-smart.org/. They have voting records of all incumbents seeking re-election, and responses to the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT). Note that the NPAT is a series of yes/no questions, and may not necessarily reflect the views of the candidate, but it's one of the best guides I've seen. And they probably have your candidates and state issues! In the words of Joe Bob Briggs, "Four sars. Joe Bob sez check it out."
One of the tape players in the back of my head is playing a line from the theme song for the Frantics, a Canadian comedy troupe: "People voting Republican / Give them a boot to the head!". I can really use some Mark Russell or Capitol Steps right now.
There are times I want a sledgehammer to Kill My Television. Ok, maybe a foam brick instead....or better yet, the off switch. I can't watch Buffy, Letterman, Iron Chef, Space Ghost, the Weather Channel, or my tape of The Tick episodes if my TV is busticated.
ETR 407 update: I got another statement in the mail today. Apparently the humans have finally intervened and reversed the interest charges which they levied on my account. They now owe me a whopping $0.16.
allisona! Stop by her Livejournal and make her feel at home!Only one more week until one of the rituals of living in the United States: Election Day. The fun begins around Labor Day, when the political ads start rolling out. Not surprising, most of the ads I see on TV are from Republican candidates, paid for by a well-funded war chest. That and Alan Jackson belting out "I'm a Ford Truck Man", as he swings his guitar and drives his F-150 pickup all over the place. Big fat hairy deal.
I really hate the ads that blatantly go for an emotional response. That's not how I vote. If people want to convice me, do so with logic, numbers, and facts, not some murky scare tactics like the ones I've seen on the ads urging me to "vote no on Issue 1" (rehab instead of jail time for drug offenders). And the ads for judges are misleading. The ads may say they're for the people, but I doubt their personal opinions factor in when they make their decisions, whih are soelly based on the law. Thanks but no thanks. Nor do I blindly vote for candidates because some local newspaper has chosen to endorse them. Dammit, I'm not a sheep! Give me enough information to make up my own mind, thank you very much.
I'm also ticked that the two-party system has conspired to keep all the third-party candidates out. Oops, you don't have 5% of the vote? Sorry, you can't be listed as a party. And you can't be in our debates. Nyah nyah nyah. It's like two fat boys who won't let anyone else ride the see-saw. If politics was a for profit-business (and believe me, it is), they'd be cited for anti-trust violations. Republicrats. Democans. Feh. Where are the Libertarians? Where are the Natural Law people? And why is the media conveniently ignoring them?
One of the best informative voting sites I've come across is Project VoteSmart, at http://www.vote-smart.org/. They have voting records of all incumbents seeking re-election, and responses to the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT). Note that the NPAT is a series of yes/no questions, and may not necessarily reflect the views of the candidate, but it's one of the best guides I've seen. And they probably have your candidates and state issues! In the words of Joe Bob Briggs, "Four sars. Joe Bob sez check it out."
One of the tape players in the back of my head is playing a line from the theme song for the Frantics, a Canadian comedy troupe: "People voting Republican / Give them a boot to the head!". I can really use some Mark Russell or Capitol Steps right now.
There are times I want a sledgehammer to Kill My Television. Ok, maybe a foam brick instead....or better yet, the off switch. I can't watch Buffy, Letterman, Iron Chef, Space Ghost, the Weather Channel, or my tape of The Tick episodes if my TV is busticated.
ETR 407 update: I got another statement in the mail today. Apparently the humans have finally intervened and reversed the interest charges which they levied on my account. They now owe me a whopping $0.16.
