I'm pretty sure everyone who's ever read more than three words on this website knows which way I lean politically. I used to bitch about politics a bit here, but over the past couple of years I realized that political commentary was not my strongsuit. I think there are those who are much better at discussing these matters than me, so I'm just as happy to leave it to them.
That said, I just feel the need to mention that I am positively sick over how the election is being handled in this state. A last-minute appeal was won by state Republicans last night, which in case you haven't heard, allows partisan "challengers" to hang around at the polls and randomly harass people about whether they have the right to vote. The challeneger at my polling place this morning was a fat, surly-looking white guy with a receding hairline who stood leering at everyone and taking copious notes. A voters' rights volunteer told me that he had challenged a number of voters' rights -- mostly black men and women --over the course of the morning, and fortunately, she'd managed to sort it all out so that no vote had been left uncast, despite The Fat Man's efforts to the contrary.
The whole thing made me sick. There is no evidence that past Ohio elections have been rife with voter fraud, so I don't buy the Republicans' argument that they're just trying to make sure the election is "fair." They're trying to intimidate voters, and it's disgusting. I was having a lot of trouble stomaching the image this morning of that man inexplicably taking notes and staring over his wire-rims at every African-American who walked through the line. What was he writing? I don't know, but I'm sure whatever it was will end up being lawsuit fodder come tomorrow, when the lawyer mob steps in to decide the election.
I hate that thanks to what happened four years ago, we've set a precedent that says it's OK for lawyers and courts to interpret our votes. Remember the good old days when we knew the election outcome with reasonable certainty by the time we went to bed on election night? I miss those days, and I'm scared that any children I might have could grow up in a world where they can't be certain about whether their votes count.
I hate that four years have gone by, and virtually nothing has been done in our state to update and simplify the voting process. Four years later, and I still had to flip my ballot over to make sure there were no bloody hanging chads.
I hate that I feel compelled to type this post.
Please, Ohio people, if you're reading this, and if you haven't voted yet today, get to the polls and do it. And if any lurpy motherfuckers try to tell you you can't vote, find the voter's rights advocate (there's one at every poll) and argue your ass off. If they won't let you cast a standard ballot, ask to cast a provisional. Those count, too.
If you're undecided and looking for advice (hardee har har), I'd like you to vote for Mr. Kerry and Mr. Fingerhut, pretty please, and against Issue 1. Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, please let the Metroparks have some money. Parks are good. I like parks.
*** End o' Political Rant ***
posted by Kate at 9:50 AM link/comments
