Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Making my voice heard
I mourn for our nation and our state. Yep, I'm going political on you.
As many of you have heard me say, "so goes Missouri, so goes the nation." It is my feeling that Missouri voters most closely resemble the nation as a whole and it also happens that we are a swing state and the fate of many elections has rested in our hands. I'm not all too upset that Democrats (whom in general aren't bad people) have taken the house and seem to be in a good place to take the senate; I actually think that it is good for the democratic process to have a change in power every so often. What saddens me the most is that we (MO) passed the stem-cell research amendment. As I was driving to work today, I was thinking about how history might judge this period of time in our nation. I was trying to project myself into the future and I thought that if I looked back and observed a nation that legalized abortion in the 70's (and still hasn't done anything about it) and now legalized the cloning and destruction of millions of living embryos, I might compare that to how we currently look back on blood-letting, leaches, labotomies, and human experimentation. I can just hear 7th graders of the future asking their history teachers "What were they thinking? They were pretty stupid back then."
I find some solace in the fact that I had to stand in line for 30 min to vote yesterday. I have never had to wait in line to vote, and I liked it. It has been reported that 56% of registered voters cast a ballot in Greene County yesterday. There were places in Missouri where they were running out of ballots and had to wait hours in line to vote. I pray that even more people turn out for the next election. The worst thing that could happen to American democracy is people not voting. So despite the fact that nearly every statewide issue I voted on went against the way I voted, you can bet your mom's last copy of 'Ghost' that I'll be standing in line next election to vote...Hopefully for an hour.
Praise God.
As many of you have heard me say, "so goes Missouri, so goes the nation." It is my feeling that Missouri voters most closely resemble the nation as a whole and it also happens that we are a swing state and the fate of many elections has rested in our hands. I'm not all too upset that Democrats (whom in general aren't bad people) have taken the house and seem to be in a good place to take the senate; I actually think that it is good for the democratic process to have a change in power every so often. What saddens me the most is that we (MO) passed the stem-cell research amendment. As I was driving to work today, I was thinking about how history might judge this period of time in our nation. I was trying to project myself into the future and I thought that if I looked back and observed a nation that legalized abortion in the 70's (and still hasn't done anything about it) and now legalized the cloning and destruction of millions of living embryos, I might compare that to how we currently look back on blood-letting, leaches, labotomies, and human experimentation. I can just hear 7th graders of the future asking their history teachers "What were they thinking? They were pretty stupid back then."
I find some solace in the fact that I had to stand in line for 30 min to vote yesterday. I have never had to wait in line to vote, and I liked it. It has been reported that 56% of registered voters cast a ballot in Greene County yesterday. There were places in Missouri where they were running out of ballots and had to wait hours in line to vote. I pray that even more people turn out for the next election. The worst thing that could happen to American democracy is people not voting. So despite the fact that nearly every statewide issue I voted on went against the way I voted, you can bet your mom's last copy of 'Ghost' that I'll be standing in line next election to vote...Hopefully for an hour.
Praise God.
# posted by Adam Harshman @ 11/08/2006 05:57:00 AM 
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In Joplin, I waited an hour. My Dad voted at 8am they were lined up out the door, into the sidewalk, down to the parking lot. The election worker told him that they ecpected about 500 ballots at their polling station. I skipped lunch so I could leave work early. I got in line at outside the door, down the sidewalk, and near the parking lot.When I put my ballot into the reader, it was, I think, number 1150. Dad and I went to eat dinner, on the way back, we decided to see if there were still many people at the school voting. At 6:30 they were lined up out the door, down the sidewalk and in the parking lot. Joplin ran out of ballots.
# posted by 
: 11/08/2006 7:03 AM
: 11/08/2006 7:03 AM
Hey in Republic, Meg and I waited 30 minutes but the line really exploded after we left. I too mourn the moral(less) directions our state has turned, where disinformation can be taken as truth and truth be taken as intolerance and ignorance. Canada (minus the healthcare system) is looking more appealing each year yet I am a devout american through and through and thank God for my freedoms. I also was on the loosing side of many of the votes.
# posted by : 11/08/2006 8:07 AM
: 11/08/2006 8:07 AM
Allz I can say is...at least the 18 year olds won't be welcomed in any major bars around town. That one actually worked in Spfld.
I too voted opposite many of the results. I am disappointed to see how many of the issues/officers turned out. I agree with you that I felt a certain sense of voter pride and appreciation for our freedom to vote when I heard about and then saw with my own eyes the incredible voter turnout this year. I only hope that those who sat on their hands and did nothing, will find plenty to complain about in the next 2 years and come out in droves to the polls in '08 when there will be even more at stake.
I'm glad to hear your voice, but I could argue the point that abstaining from voting can be an equally patriotic duty and those that actively chose not to vote should not be subtly berated or intimidated. I think with the "Rock the Vote" mentality or the translation "it doesn't matter if you really know the candidates or issues, just get caught up in the emotional pulls of interest groups and unabashed emotional campaigning" doesn't advance the health of a democracy. In fact, I could argue that in many ways it injures. There is not enough time to debate this here, but there should be more debate. However, keep perspective that a non-vote for some is a reprimand of the standard party that someone normally aligns with without actually giving the vote to another party/candidate/issue. Basically, the earn my vote approach instead of the "lesser of two evils" approach. Remember that the devil works effectively through disguise and subtle persuasion. So voting for a party or individual simply because they fly the same banner may not be the wisest approach. But I digest. (Oh, and please don't think I'm like Hugo Chavez calling anyone in particular the devil other than the actual Devil.)
I would agree that being an uninformed voter could be detrimental to the process. However, I do not agree with abstaining from voting altogether. First, there are always other issues to vote on besides officials (i.e. Amend 2, 3, 6, 7, etc). Second, if you don't want to support either of the candidates, vote an off party or write in (you have my permission to write me in any time!). Believe it or not, many people look at the increase/decrease of "throw away" votes as an indicater of overall satisfaction with both parties. You can also just leave it blank, it'll still go in the machine that way.
You can choose not to vote as part of your own convictions about the political environment, but you can't complain about it later if you didn't at least try (as futile as it may be) to do something about it. Of course this is just my opinion, much love to debate and the freedom to do so that we are granted here in the good ole USA!!
Praise God.
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You can choose not to vote as part of your own convictions about the political environment, but you can't complain about it later if you didn't at least try (as futile as it may be) to do something about it. Of course this is just my opinion, much love to debate and the freedom to do so that we are granted here in the good ole USA!!
Praise God.
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