Clearing the Air
Forgive me if my posts tonight don't make much sense. I'm in a post-election, sleepless, acid-refluxed delirium. To make matters worse, I just saw The Manchurian Candidate for the second time, and it probably wasn't the best movie to go see in my current condition.
My thoughts on the election? I'll try to keep this as non-partisan as possible. Here's my big question: When did the American election system go to hell in a handbasket? No, this isn't another rant about the electoral college... It's a rant about the messed up and inconsistent voting systems across the nation.
Here in Georgia, we use an electronic voting system, something I'm not horribly fond of because there's no "hard copy" of any ballots. I think we've all had a credit card, library card, or Sam's Club membership card that has inexplicably lost all of its information. Who's to say that my little yellow election card won't do the same thing? Apparently, there are several fail-safes in the computerized voting that internally audit the process, but I'm still not so fond of it. But after reading articles like this one, chronicling computer error in electronic voting, I'd at least like a printed receipt like I get at the ATM!
Second, the hanging chads and pregnant chads have made their return. Does anyone think it's a coincidence that Ohio, a state that still uses punch-card ballots, was the most controversial state in the 2004 election? In fact, the ACLU even tried litigation to keep Ohio from using the dreaded punch card ballots this year.
Third, what's up with provisional ballots? The impression I get is that the majority of provisional ballots are cast by people who: a) don't know where they vote, or b) Changed their name/address and never bothered to fix their information. My feeling on this? If you're one of these people who didn't put forth the effort to determine where you're supposed to vote, then you don't deserve to vote.
How is it that the last two U.S. elections have made third-world elections look "fair and balanced?" Seriously. Nations without running water are hearing about our screwed-up elections and allegations of voter fraud and laughing. Sure, I remember hearing about corrupt elections (Chicago and Kennedy come to mind), but it seems as though 2000 was some kind of launching point. I don't think it's our overly litigious society... though that's probably part of it. But elections now are closer than ever... remember when Mondale only won D.C. and Minnesota? When Carter won less than 50 electoral votes?
In this new era of national security, is our nation that divided? Or is it that, when all is said and done, our system of "checks and balances" ensures that our presidential candidates really aren't that different? I certainly like to think that George W. Bush and John Kerry are very different people.
Where is this rant going? I have no idea. I just had a few thoughts that I wanted to get out. there's a lot more still bottled up inside, but trust me, you don't want to hear them. And if you do want to hear them, I'll refer you to my pal Mike's blog. Admittedly, he's a bit more reactionary than I am, but the sentiments uttered are the same.
Forgive me if my posts tonight don't make much sense. I'm in a post-election, sleepless, acid-refluxed delirium. To make matters worse, I just saw The Manchurian Candidate for the second time, and it probably wasn't the best movie to go see in my current condition.
My thoughts on the election? I'll try to keep this as non-partisan as possible. Here's my big question: When did the American election system go to hell in a handbasket? No, this isn't another rant about the electoral college... It's a rant about the messed up and inconsistent voting systems across the nation.
Here in Georgia, we use an electronic voting system, something I'm not horribly fond of because there's no "hard copy" of any ballots. I think we've all had a credit card, library card, or Sam's Club membership card that has inexplicably lost all of its information. Who's to say that my little yellow election card won't do the same thing? Apparently, there are several fail-safes in the computerized voting that internally audit the process, but I'm still not so fond of it. But after reading articles like this one, chronicling computer error in electronic voting, I'd at least like a printed receipt like I get at the ATM!
Second, the hanging chads and pregnant chads have made their return. Does anyone think it's a coincidence that Ohio, a state that still uses punch-card ballots, was the most controversial state in the 2004 election? In fact, the ACLU even tried litigation to keep Ohio from using the dreaded punch card ballots this year.
Third, what's up with provisional ballots? The impression I get is that the majority of provisional ballots are cast by people who: a) don't know where they vote, or b) Changed their name/address and never bothered to fix their information. My feeling on this? If you're one of these people who didn't put forth the effort to determine where you're supposed to vote, then you don't deserve to vote.
How is it that the last two U.S. elections have made third-world elections look "fair and balanced?" Seriously. Nations without running water are hearing about our screwed-up elections and allegations of voter fraud and laughing. Sure, I remember hearing about corrupt elections (Chicago and Kennedy come to mind), but it seems as though 2000 was some kind of launching point. I don't think it's our overly litigious society... though that's probably part of it. But elections now are closer than ever... remember when Mondale only won D.C. and Minnesota? When Carter won less than 50 electoral votes?
In this new era of national security, is our nation that divided? Or is it that, when all is said and done, our system of "checks and balances" ensures that our presidential candidates really aren't that different? I certainly like to think that George W. Bush and John Kerry are very different people.
Where is this rant going? I have no idea. I just had a few thoughts that I wanted to get out. there's a lot more still bottled up inside, but trust me, you don't want to hear them. And if you do want to hear them, I'll refer you to my pal Mike's blog. Admittedly, he's a bit more reactionary than I am, but the sentiments uttered are the same.
Labels: the daily grind
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