Absentee Ballot

It looks like, on the New York ballot, parties that don’t have a candidate of their own in the pool have the ability to endorse a particular candidate and have it fall under their party heading. Seems really confusing though. I worry that it would lead to people making repeat votes for the same candidate and nullifying their vote. Regardless: vote Barack. I don’t like the party business myself, but this is one case where I’m wholeheartedly behind this candidate (unlike so many of the other mediocre candidates the Dems have thrown up over the years). This is not one of those “lesser of two evils” elections. Barack is our guy.

Why do they even let parties suggest candidates. That doesn’t sound objective to me at all. Some stupid graphic artist probably came up with that idea. Get a real job animating skinny puppies! Fucking list the candidates that made the ballot and their respective party. Not too hard. Been doing it for years in Cali.

That was very funny. Shaming you into voting? You know that you want to vote for Ketti Kupper, you can admit it already.

It took me awhile to conjure up that witch’s name. But I figured that we were all speaking of the lessor of evils, lol.

[...] ..:JJP: Witch… isn’t quite the word I would use. But what’s in the past is in the past, right?! [...]

PJ, I always appreciate your thoughts on these matters but the only disappoint here is not being dazzled by the choices in this year’s election, mostly especially with the 3rd party candidates; John McCain is not even a consideration on my part. And despite the healthy & rightful criticism Barack Obama receives for his mainly rhetorical speeches the fact is HE DOES INSPIRE people to believe in a better future for the USA within the constraints of the political system as we all know it, and I can’t fault people for being captivated by this.

The “difficulty” I was having in my voting decision was taking into consideration that in order to be an element of change/protest you can not do so being outside of the very system you want to affect, and therefore to some degree (if not a lot) you are a participant in “the game” if you decide to vote/participate in it at all. It’s not a cut & dry issue to vote 3rd party, because that alone isn’t going to improve our governing system, but it is essential to have a real understanding of the consequences of such an action which isn’t bad in of itself, but is simply an unknown; and as much as people say they want change, they really don’t or are at least hesitant about it, and because of this most politicians exploit our fears & anxieties all the time. That’s why it is the public’s vital civic duty to turn the tables the other way around every so often and remind these opportunists who really affords them their “power” by voting them completely out of office, both dominant parties in this case.

But I don’t begrudge people for being fascinated by Senator Obama in particular because I do understand why this is, I just wish we all can open our eyes just a little more and muster within ourselves a greater sense of confidence & empowerment in actively demanding better from our government officials regardless of any party affiliation. Otherwise what’s the point of participating at all if we’re being told we only have a “this or that” choice at the polls? That’s not a choice at all, only a preference.

I know you understand all this PJ, but others still don’t, and all I have tried to do in a very modest fashion is to provide a forum to consider & reconsider some bigger implications of people’s “choices” in this election. If someone wholeheartedly believes in the campaigns of McCain, Obama, Nader, McKinney, Barr or whomever, then go for it… regardless of their candidate choice, I just hope that they all fully understand both the potential short & long term considerations of their choice with respect to domestic and international issues beyond the soundbites these candidates offer. I also hope that people use their heads as much as their hearts when heading to the polls this Tuesday, making a choice as free from the seduction of dogma and empty slogans as much as possible.

If Ralph Nader was the DFL nominee, PJ would be supporting Barack Obama as a third party candidate. Whatever it takes to be completely out of the “norm,” and try to rain on everyone’s parade. “What? 100,000 people in Denver? In Saint Louis? People of all colors, of all financial and social backgrounds? From all walks of life, enthusiastically working together in support of something they believe in? That sucks.” I’ve voted for Ralph Nader in the past and I think Ralph Nader is great, and I think third parties are great. But I’m sick and tired of these little pissant fuck’n nay-sayers who aren’t happy enough just casting their fucking vote for whoever they want - but feeling like they have to thumb their nose at and disrupt the largest groundswell of political action by the oppressed and disenfranchised since the Civil Rights movement. All because they think the whole history of American Democracy’s going to change overnight into a goddamn Single-Payer, Equal Rights, Vegan Utopia. Hundreds of thousands of people that have never gotten off their asses to do a goddamn thing (certainly not for Bill Clinton, or for Al Gore, or for John Kerry, or for Ralph Nader, for that matter) are out knocking on doors, making phone calls, volunteering their time to make this thing happen. Millions who have never even bothered to vote are registering because they, for the first time in their lives, believe that they have a chance to be a part of the system and make it work for them! Yeah, there’s plenty to bitch about if you want to dig into the DNC and into the injustices of two-party corporate politics in America. From someone who spends more than his share of time waaay outside of mainstream thought and culture: don’t fucking raise your voice to poo-poo MY candidate just for the satisfaction of being on the outside of everything all the time. It’s really unbecoming. There’s plenty of other causes worth your hot air.

brotherly love ha! Its nice to see that you have a spread of opinions working here. As Mr Murtha said the other day I am one of the racist, rednecks from western Pennsylvania. I must have forgotten to carry a bible or even own a gun but I live here and must vote for that guy that “isn’t black”!!! Please. My parents instilled in me the importance of why we should vote. Ever since my first opportunity to do so I have, without a missed chance. But they also gave me the leeway to delve into my own desires to be as informed or naive on the candidates stances on the issues.

What I have determined over the years is that common sense and decency should lead my choices. Does the candidate try to bs his/her way to office or do they have some sort of focus that will signal a true course of success in whatever necessary?

The candidates this cycle are pretty lame. 1. A war hero/old as dirt rhino with a rich arm candy wife.
2. A nonvetted/unproven junior senator with suspect experience and interesting friends.
3. Did someone just forget to take Nader’s name off the ballot the past several elections? I have always like the Corvair you prick!!!
4.5.6.7.8……. all the small special interest folk that never get a minutes notice by the BIASED media complex.

We had a little of everything but nothing to be excited about. Whatever happens will be an insult to the founders of the country and what they worked to build. 2012 cannot come quickly enough.

[...] auni: I really think that all of you need to pull your head out of your asses… and Vote for PEDRO! He’s got a Sweet… [...]

too funny