This is the last election-related post, I promise.
I went to vote this morning. It was an experience in utter futility.
There were five contests on the ballot -- President/VP, Congressman, State Assembly, State Senate and local judges.
Congressman -- the only real choice was Anthony Weiner. The Republicans didn't put up a candidate.
State Senate -- the only choice was the Republican. The Democrats didn't put anyone up.
State Assembly -- the only choice was the Democrat. The Republicans didn't put anyone up.
Local Judges -- the same eight people ran on both lines.
President/VP -- there I had a choice. But then again, I live in New York, so it really doesn't matter anyway.
So, why the heck did I even bother going?
The Wolf
11 comments:
I feel your pain, brother. Still, part of living in a democracy is partaking in elections even when the conclusions are foregone. I took my kids in order to give them hands-on lesson in civic duties. Overall, a good use of my 10 minutes this morning.
Because if you don't vote then you can't complain about this country. Voting is a responsibility and lack of it is pushing it off on someone else.
mlevin,
I agree with you that ultimately, it's good that I voted. But it's very frustrating to know that my vote in *every* race was meaningless.
The Wolf
Would your vote for president feel more pointless or less if it were decided by national popular vote?
Would your vote for president feel more pointless or less if it were decided by national popular vote?
That's a fair question. I suppose it would feel less pointless. Of course, you can then say that the same thing applies to New York on a smaller scale. :)
Or, let's put it this way. Rationally, I know you're right. Emotionally, however, it hasn't quite sunk in yet. :)
The Wolf
Wolf-
I live in your district, and I too felt stupid pulling the lever for candidates that were running unopposed. I also felt angry. Why were they unopposed? I had heard nothing about this before today. Does NO ONE else in our district want to be congressman, or state senator, or judge?
"Rationally, I know you're right."
What did you think I was trying to say? My question wasn't rhetorical.
I voted so that way I can complain leter on, see if I didnt vote than my complaints later on are meaningless since I didnt do anything to stop this.
I voted because it was my first presidential election to vote by, so it was fun.
Everyone seems to think it's so important to vote, so I voted to make them happy.
But really I still don't understand the concept of telling people to vote without telling them who to vote for.
By the stuff I had to choose, most had both democrat and republic, I just picked republic for all, unless I recognized a democratic name, like Helen Weinstein.
I was also surprised that no one talks about all those other stuff, only the president, I wasn't prepared to see so many names to have to choose from.
You mean you didn't vote on the proposition?
In a country as big as ours, one vote doesn't make much of a difference. In Florida, Obama won by 200,000 votes- and Fla. was one of the CLOSE states. So why vote? As an act of self-expression; as a kind of civic ritual.
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