Opting in

I know that some people are finding it hard to decide who to vote for in November. I'm not sure why, since the choices seem so clear to me, but I hear and see the hesitancy around me and I've heard too many people say that they are just going to sit this election out.

Please don't.

Even if you don't vote for Obama, which I wish you would even if it is just to keep someone like Palin out of our highest office. But even if you don't support Obama, please register and please vote.

Your vote matters, today more than ever.

A product of the California public school system (which doesn't suck everywhere but sucked a lot in my district) I grew up ignorant and apathetic about my civic rights and responsibilities. I thought my vote didn't matter and even if it did, the system (even 26 years ago) was so screwed up that I believed nothing I did would change anything. I registered to vote when I was 18 but didn't actually vote until I was in my 20s. My voting record since hasn't been perfect but has been stereotypically American: I show up for the big stuff and skip the smaller elections. I'm not proud of this. I should be more involved especially now that I understand how much it can make a difference.

This is a big election, maybe the biggest ever. And there are two groups of people I would like to send a message to: young people and white women (I answer to the latter).

Kids (and please forgive me for calling you that): three days ago our government saddled you and me and everyone we know with a debt unlike any we have seen before. Why? Because 20 years of deregulation and cronyism have finally come home to roost and in order to save the financial system they had to send us the bill. You should be pretty pissed since you will be paying off this debt for a long time and the savings your parents were counting on to get them through their retirement and to get you through college are now seriously at risk. These are the same geniuses who started the war in Iraq, who doubt the scientific realities of global warming and are allowing their corporate buddies to rape the planet for profit. They don't personally worry about global warming because a) they will probably be dead before it really starts to matter and b) if they're not dead, the underground bunker they'll be moving into will have chandeliers and an indoor swimming pool.

Go here and here and here and here and here to learn more about how and why and where to vote.

Watch the video below to get an only-somewhat humorous-because-it's-so-freaking-scary explanation of what happened last week.

Bill Maher and Paul Krugman "We Need Better Government"

My fellow "white women:" They keep reporting that we are sitting this election out because we wanted Hillary to be VP and are pissed off because we "don't like how she was treated." Is that true? I was and am a Hillary fan. I think she's smart and committed and has the country's best interests at heart. Is she part of the political machine? Perhaps, but I had hoped that she was just picking up the skills she would need to work the government system to our advantage. 

At the end of the day I was very torn between her and Obama and when he beat her I was glad for him and sad for her. But I don't hold it against him for not picking her as his VP. At the time most of the political world was saying that picking her would have been a terrible mistake. Now of course, Fox is pretending to love her because it raises Palin up if you can favorably compare her to Clinton (which you can't).

But Obama and Clinton had too much negative friction. Picking her would have appeared politically motivated without actually attracting significantly different voting audiences. Or so I thought. If white women are opting out, or switching to vote for a woman who is as anti-choice, anti-Hillary and xenophobic as they come, maybe not picking Hillary was a mistake.

Regardless,Sarah Palin is a slap in the face. It is their way of saying "you wanted a women, here you got one." Not the right person or the smartest person. Not even the best woman they could find for the job. Just someone with ovaries who was available and willing, someone who would read the script and focus on her primary role which is to look like one of us. Someone we can identify with because she's a working hockey mom. She's pretty (but not too much), well spoken (if you don't actually listen to the message) and approachable. Last night author Naomi Klein characterized her as "Bush in drag." I'm not sure Palin is as smart as Bush, I think it's more like Quayle in drag.

Okay. I did not really mean to digress into another rant about Palin although clearly I could rant about her all day. She makes me mad and she frightens me. Frankly if McCain wanted to manipulate women he should have picked Condaleeaza Rice. She also scares the shit out of me and I don't like her very much, but I can't say that she's not smart enough to be president or experienced enough in foreign policy.

But back to my point. I do have one and it goes beyond Palin:

Regardless of who you support, think you like, or even slightly lean toward voting for, whether or not you agree with anything I've said. Please vote. I can take losing if everyone in America votes. I will be devastated at the loss but at least I will know this is the will of my fellow citizens.

What I can't take is losing because we were too jaded, too pissed off or just plain apathetic to do something about it.

Please allow me introduce you to a great nonpartisan site called Smartvoter.org. Plug in your zip code and they will show you great information about what's on your ballot, what the different opinions are and where to vote.

Your vote counts. Please vote.

Comments

[Nacwolin]

[this is good]

[hp]

[this is good] I think the Palin choice is an insult. Would a man with her qualifications be picked as a running mate? I don't think so. Great post on the importance of voting, whatever your political leanings.

[snoringKatZ]

[this is good] I'm stealing this and posting it everywhere I can think to post it.

[karen]

Thanks! Feel free to steal away.:-)

[Tara S]

So ... I have a slightly different take on my "civic duties". I think we have a duty to vote PROPERLY INFORMED. If you haven't done your due diligence, DON'T VOTE. At the last pre-election, I couldn't decide who to vote for, because I didn't feel my2 candidates distinguished themselves enough. So I didn't vote. And I'm so glad now because if I'd voted I probably would have voted for the person I thought would win, and not only would I have been totally mistaken, but I would also have voted for someone I later surmised would have been the wrong choice. I did end up voting for the various local Propositions etc, but I didn't vote for the presidential nominee for my party. Even though I'd probably done more research than most people who did vote. My vote might have cancelled out someone else's vote who DID do their due diligence and chose someone for a good reason. That's just my opinion on the subject of PLEASE VOTE...

[Karen Lynn]

[this is good] Great post! I think McCain could have done far better too. Sarah Palin is indeed a slap in the face.

[karen]

ah Tara. You and your rules. ;-)I agree that we should be better informed, of course. But the glut of 24 hour information and misinformation can make it hard for a person to ever feel they know enough. This can lead to paralysis. Paralysis is bad.My advice, learn what you can and go with your gut.

[karen]

Would a man with her qualifications be picked as a running mate?

No, never. Even Dan Quayle, the epitome of idiot vice presidents, had better credentials.

[karen]

From another point of view Palin is a great choice because it shows us exactly what kind of impulsive, shoot from the hip (regardless of whether or not your gun is still in the holster) guy he is.

[Karen Lynn]

He's a maverick. haha

[fi]

If McCain had chosen Condoleeza Rice as his VP running mate ... wow, that would have been strategically interesting.

[saabnet]

[ ] I am a huge Hillary fan and was really put out when Obama picked Biden (where the hell has he been lately?). I felt the Dems had a slam dunk win going with an Obama/Clinton ticket and I still cannot figure out why they didn't solidify Dems, for once, into a sold, single team - I mean, the Repubs are such team players... Now, I'm very worried, but I think I swung a McCain vote to an Obama vote in Florida this morning.... My mom.

[AshbyChick]

I'm with you - voting is very important. It drives me nuts when I hear people say they aren't going to vote because they don't care for either candidate. We are priviledged to live in a democratic country so we really should be grateful and exercise this important right.

[Tara S]

Yea, at the time, my gut couldn't decide either. :(
I'm def voting this time...

[Dave]

Yes, yes, yes! Please vote. It needs to be known how many people are actively paying attention.

[JD]

[this is good] Okay, so I'm a fan of yours already and from only reading two posts! This is exactly how folks should feel about this election and if they don't, then I agree with Tara, if you're not informed and can make informed decisions, don't vote an let those of us who make an effort to be informed, make the different. Thanks for this post! It's honest and real and without hurtful commentary! Kudos!