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Tomorrow is it.... — Parallax Forums

Tomorrow is it....

frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
edited 2012-11-07 14:57 in General Discussion
Tomorrow is the last chance for you to have your say. Whatever side of the isle you fall on or straddle is of no interest to me or anyone else after the fact. Every citizen has the right and responsibility to vote in this country, so if you have not, just do it.

Uh oh, I hear claws coming out, but tomorrow, I am going out to hire and fire a bunch of politicians.

Gotta scram,
«1

Comments

  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2012-11-05 12:28
    I certainly haven't forgotten, but it's (remotely) possible others have. Thank you for the reminder.

    If anyone doesn't know where to go to vote, find out here. Type in your address, and it'll tell you where the polling place for your voting district is.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2012-11-05 13:13
    *Sigh*

    You know, on some forums, even mentioning voting, much less anything specific for or against any of the candidates, is grounds for banning?
    Of course, that is mostly on forums with a large percentage of international members...
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-11-05 13:19
    Given the enourmous effect the USA has on the rest of the world, if only due to their miltary power, is it OK if I vote as well?
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-11-05 13:20
    ...well, encouraging people to vote is much differenct that the potential candidate flame-wars the can ensue. Just so the posts deal with encouraging the members to vote (for those of age), no harm no foul as I see it.
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-11-05 13:22
    Heater. wrote: »
    Given the enourmous effect the USA has on the rest of the world, if only due to their miltary power, is it OK if I vote as well?

    Absolutely! For your local elections.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2012-11-05 13:22
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    ...You know, on some forums, even mentioning voting, much less anything specific for or against any of the candidates, is grounds for banning?...

    One of the write-in candidates for President on my state's ballot is Santa Claus. I think it's part of a Norwegian conspiracy, though, so I'm not voting for him.

    notsanta1.jpg
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-11-05 13:25
    davejames,
    Absolutely! For your local elections.

    Been doing that for thirty years. It seems to make not much difference how I vote or who gets elected. What should I do now?
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-11-05 13:28
    Heater. wrote: »
    davejames,
    Been doing that for thirty years. It seems to make not much difference how I vote or who gets elected. What should I do now?

    I feel your pain being of the minority here in sunny CA. Just keep it up and resist the tempation to fall into complete apathy.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-11-05 13:34
    I'm in the "swing state" of "swing states". I'm up to my eyeballs in negative campaign ads, you would think there is nothing else on TV or radio, and even pandora pops up ads every song or two.

    I'll be glad when it's over.

    C.W.
  • JordanCClarkJordanCClark Posts: 198
    edited 2012-11-05 13:55
    I hear ya, C.W.! Last Monday, I cleared out our caller ID history. Over the past week, we've had 67 calls, only 4 of which actually pertained to our families. Ready for Wednesday-- mostly because I'm sure we'll get another dozen or so on Tuesday.

    Our poor little mailbox has also been bursting at the seams with political...stuff. (see? self-censorship, right there!). Makes me wonder how many tables, chairs, baseball bats, and other Really Useful Items could have been made instead.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2012-11-05 14:06
    Haven't had any phone calls and the postal mail hasn't been too bad. Last year, we received about 8-1/2 pounds of political propaganda in the mail. :-/

    @
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2012-11-05 15:03
    Voting is simply a way of giving the citizens the illusion that they are in control of their government.

    Voting is a complete waste of time and only serves to give credibility to the "winners". It's like having the prisoners "vote" for the warden, then telling them they got what they voted for.

    If you could really change things by voting...They would have outlawed it a long time ago.

    Funny how we get a day off work for stupid "columbus day", but our "most important duty as a citizen" does not warrent the same.

    Bean
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2012-11-05 15:20
    Bean wrote: »
    ...If you could really change things by voting...They would have outlawed it a long time ago....

    Man, don't pop my bubble like that. I like having the illusion that I have control over the local issues that affect my school system, local bridge repair, and whether or not the local fire department continues to operate or gets axed again by "They." I know "They" are in control over everything that happens and I am completely powerless, but you don't have to go and spoil it for me, do you?

    philipkdickhead-300x209.jpg
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-11-05 15:30
    Bean wrote:
    Voting is a complete waste of time ... our most important duty as a citizen ...
    I'm getting mixed messages here. :)

    I'm going with the latter interpretation; and I hope that more young people, especially, realize that it is important and that they can make a difference.

    -Phil
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-11-05 15:48
    Status Quo doesn't change change quick, but it does change. Vote your mind, eventually things go the right way.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2012-11-05 15:53
    Phil,
    "most important duty" should have been in quotes. As voting is so unimportant that it does not even warrent a holiday from work.

    Okay, you MAY actually have a little control over local issues.

    Bean
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2012-11-05 16:14
    Bean, I humbly disagree. I have seen voting actually work and there was one case a couple years ago that was decided by ONE vote. If you do not believe in the system, try moving to Venezuela where no matter who they vote for, Hugo Chavez wins. Same goes for Russia and Pukin.
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-11-05 16:24
    Whether voting counts or not is a political issue. Let's please avoid discussing political issues so that we are not violating the rules.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2012-11-05 16:44
    Why 40% of Americans Won't Vote for President
    About 60 percent of eligible voters will likely cast ballots Tuesday (Nov. 6), a lower percentage than in most other Western democracies, said Michael McDonald, a political scientist at George Mason University. [The Strangest Elections in US History]


    Experts say the low turnout results from how often Americans conduct elections, the inconvenience of voting and the reality that each individual vote doesn't count for much.

    http://news.yahoo.com/why-40-americans-wont-vote-president-231957289.html
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-11-05 16:47
    Being an ex-Chicagoan, I get out and vote, early and often!! I figure if you didn't vote, you can't complain. At least by voting you preserve your right to complain.

    If you haven't voted at least once this election season, go out there and vote!
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-11-05 16:56

    The yahoo news social media is a great place for lunatics.
    Some of it is marginally entertaining. Most of it is just sick.
    I love the way they atack each other for spelling errors ;)

    Thank goodness we only have a few crazies around here.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-11-05 17:01
    Hey, nothing to worry about. What could go wrong? Everyone gets to vote. No matter how clueless they are. Including this driver and this pilot:

    http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/suv-and-plane-collide-at-texas-airport.html
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2012-11-05 17:34
    http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p20-562.pdf

    Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008

    In the 2008 presidential election, 64 percent of voting-age citizens voted, an estimate not statistically different from the percent that turned out in 2004, but higher than the presidential elections of 2000 and 1996




    Overall, 131 million people voted in 2008, a turnout increase of about 5 million people since 2004. During this same 4-year period, the voting-age citizen population in the United States increased by roughly 9 million people.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2012-11-05 17:38
    jazzed wrote: »
    Whether voting counts or not is a political issue. ...

    I'm not sure that's true. Maybe we should vote on that. Surely They would let us raise our hands.

    300px-Nurse_Ratched.jpg
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-11-05 18:01
    I'm not sure that's true. Maybe we should vote on that. Surely They would let us raise our hands.

    So ironic :)
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2012-11-06 06:59
    Well, maybe it will get settled quickly today. I never did like the long, drawn out, high conflict, high drama elections.

    Re: Vote or not.

    I personally hope you do. We have to live with the product of the civics, whether or not we participate in them as voters. Seems a freebie to me. I also hope you all invest some small amount of time in your civics. Local, State, National. The really good stuff happens on a movement basis, and a quick look through history sees solid people with good ideas bubble up from the local politics. And it's all like a decision tree. Everybody gets excited about the national election. It's the first branch in a big decision tree. lean this way, or that way. From there, all the local work bubbles up into Congress where the sub-decisions get made.

    I was actually most excited about our local city council and State Rep races. Coupla good people in there, who I think will do some things that improve daily life. And the city council has a surprising impact! My little town runs great. It does so because of those people, along with the Mayor. Those votes show up in life sometimes a lot more than the votes on the big decisions do.

    Anyway, that's my take on it. I'm in UT today, on a loooong business day ending home to settle in, surf that "series of tubes" and gawk at the talking heads on the tele, ideally with a late dinner, some light chatter with Mrs, and bed.

    I was "using the Forth" last night in the hotel room with my Prop, and that kind of makes the trip easier to bear. The talkers were too much, turned 'em off so I could play, then sleep.
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2012-11-06 09:22
    What would happen if all the swing states had tie votes? How likely is that?
    xkcd wrote:
    The probability that every battleground state is exactly tied is roughly equal to the probability that, when one of the Florida electors reaches into the hat to draw a name, he or she is struck by a falling cocaine bale, the hat is hurled away within the next few seconds by a tornado, and the elector is obliterated minutes later by a meteorite impact.

    So, yes. Please vote, if you can.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-11-06 10:12
    Being in a swing state, I hope the vote is clear cut one way or another.

    I read this morning about Ohio's arcane and fault plagued state-wide recount process. I think the trigger number is if voting is within 1/4 of 1% - about 180,000 votes. There is a 10 day period to process and verify provisional ballots and then there was another 10 days for something else.. They said it could be 23 to 25 days before a recount is made official.

    I think some of the other swing states have similar processes - it could make people wish for hanging chads all over again!!
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2012-11-06 13:50
    From the looks of it there may have to be several recounts on the East Coast. Sandy caused quite a mess and people are not able to get to their polling places.
  • PJAllenPJAllen Banned Posts: 5,065
    edited 2012-11-07 10:37
    Are we having fun yet?
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