Happy Super Fat Tuesday
I got my absentee ballot for WI in the mail yesterday. Let me tell you, few things are as disappointing as looking down at an open ballot (both parties) and realizing that you can't get excited for any of these people. Maybe I expect too much from my politicians, I know my views are so out-of-wack and all over the place that nobody will ever fall in line with them, I know that, I understand that. However the slate of candidates is wholly unappealing. I've all but decided to toss my primary vote to Ron Paul, but what does that do for me in the General? Huckabee has some good ideas, but also a number of bad ones, and his evangelicalism is too much for me. McCain has anger issues, and that is not really something you want in a person who at any moment could be 35seconds away from pushing the button and destroying the world. Won't vote for Clinton, and Obama, although I think it is long over-due for a minority in the White House, his views on national health care and gun control preclude me from being able to vote for him. (Oh and because I have no really pony in this race ((and even if I did I still wouldn't, but)) I have no plans of playing shenanigans with the open primary and voting for an opposition candidate that I think would be easier to beat in the General.)
Here is to hoping that a third party candidate can still be found.
For many of you out there it is Election Day. Super Tuesday. The single biggest day to receive delegates in the primary season. However, and I might add thankfully, after today neither party will have a definitive candidate. This means the rest of the country will still have a say in who they think their party's nominee should be. It also means that we have more time to learn about the candidates (and their pandering) before they move slightly to center for the General. However, and I'd be remissed if I didn't say this, but if you haven't made yourself aware of the candidates and issues, please don't vote. Timothy's 4th Rule of Voting states: "The only thing worse than the non-voter is the uneducated voter." The last thing we need is someone voting for someone simply because he/she speaks very well, which although would be a nice change from our current President, is hardly enough reason to vote for someone. There is still plenty of time to make yourself aware of the candidate, their stances, and what issues you find most important. Please do so.
I'd also like to think (and I am sure I will be told I am wrong on this here later) that I was able to get at least one more person (two if you count the fact a roommate is joining) in taking part of the democratic process. 7inchdork and her roommate are going to the Caucuses in Duluth today. (She didn't even realize they had caucuses, thought to be fair the only reason I did is because I am a political junky, and well, I had nite classes canceled in college so we could attend them.) I never attended caucus nite while I was in MN, mostly because I tended to vote absentee for WI (with the exception of the 2004 presidential election where I didn't get my absentee request in in time and I voted in MN). We've discussed the election and the candidates and a few of the issues from time to time, and I pointed out that MN has a caucus and she should go. In any event, this will be her first caucus and I am claiming credit (even if she refutes it) for getting her to go.
Now even though as I stated above, that I have no candidate, I still will be glued to the internet and the TV to watch the results as they come in. Unfortunately I have to work the call center tonite calling Phi Psi alumni in hopes to get donations to our Endowment Fund, so I am stuck at work from 7-10est. I still don't quite understand why we are calling, I understand not everyone is as geeked out about tonite as I am, but I would think if we didn't call on Super Sunday, why are we calling on Super Tuesday? Am I to infer that the Super Bowl is more important than possibly deciding who our next president is going to be? I tried to discuss this with my supervisor (who is a co-worker for the day job) but he wouldn't have it. All I know is if I was watching results come in and the talking heads talk, I'd be pissed if a telemarketer called bothering me, even if it is a group I am a member of. I am also hoping for no candidates chosen until at the conventions. Make things nice and interesting, and depending on how things go and how the super delegates come into play (in addition to the states with partial proportional delegates) could make this a possibility.
Laissez les bon temps roule encore.
For you practicing Catholics (or others observing a Lenten abstention from ___ )out there, what a day to have Fat Tuesday, your reasons to drink/ do _____ one last time before a 40 day break have more than doubly increased. Whatever you are giving up, I wish you the best of luck. As for me, I may finally open my bottle of Balvenie 15 Year after call center and imbibe a dram or two as the results come in. After that, since I don't have enough ingredients to make a Hurricane, I guess I'll have to have some of my New Orleans Amber Rum (AMAZING STUFF) as a shout-out to NOLA and crazy Mardi Gras antics.
Here is to hoping that a third party candidate can still be found.
For many of you out there it is Election Day. Super Tuesday. The single biggest day to receive delegates in the primary season. However, and I might add thankfully, after today neither party will have a definitive candidate. This means the rest of the country will still have a say in who they think their party's nominee should be. It also means that we have more time to learn about the candidates (and their pandering) before they move slightly to center for the General. However, and I'd be remissed if I didn't say this, but if you haven't made yourself aware of the candidates and issues, please don't vote. Timothy's 4th Rule of Voting states: "The only thing worse than the non-voter is the uneducated voter." The last thing we need is someone voting for someone simply because he/she speaks very well, which although would be a nice change from our current President, is hardly enough reason to vote for someone. There is still plenty of time to make yourself aware of the candidate, their stances, and what issues you find most important. Please do so.
I'd also like to think (and I am sure I will be told I am wrong on this here later) that I was able to get at least one more person (two if you count the fact a roommate is joining) in taking part of the democratic process. 7inchdork and her roommate are going to the Caucuses in Duluth today. (She didn't even realize they had caucuses, thought to be fair the only reason I did is because I am a political junky, and well, I had nite classes canceled in college so we could attend them.) I never attended caucus nite while I was in MN, mostly because I tended to vote absentee for WI (with the exception of the 2004 presidential election where I didn't get my absentee request in in time and I voted in MN). We've discussed the election and the candidates and a few of the issues from time to time, and I pointed out that MN has a caucus and she should go. In any event, this will be her first caucus and I am claiming credit (even if she refutes it) for getting her to go.
Now even though as I stated above, that I have no candidate, I still will be glued to the internet and the TV to watch the results as they come in. Unfortunately I have to work the call center tonite calling Phi Psi alumni in hopes to get donations to our Endowment Fund, so I am stuck at work from 7-10est. I still don't quite understand why we are calling, I understand not everyone is as geeked out about tonite as I am, but I would think if we didn't call on Super Sunday, why are we calling on Super Tuesday? Am I to infer that the Super Bowl is more important than possibly deciding who our next president is going to be? I tried to discuss this with my supervisor (who is a co-worker for the day job) but he wouldn't have it. All I know is if I was watching results come in and the talking heads talk, I'd be pissed if a telemarketer called bothering me, even if it is a group I am a member of. I am also hoping for no candidates chosen until at the conventions. Make things nice and interesting, and depending on how things go and how the super delegates come into play (in addition to the states with partial proportional delegates) could make this a possibility.
Laissez les bon temps roule encore.
For you practicing Catholics (or others observing a Lenten abstention from ___ )out there, what a day to have Fat Tuesday, your reasons to drink/ do _____ one last time before a 40 day break have more than doubly increased. Whatever you are giving up, I wish you the best of luck. As for me, I may finally open my bottle of Balvenie 15 Year after call center and imbibe a dram or two as the results come in. After that, since I don't have enough ingredients to make a Hurricane, I guess I'll have to have some of my New Orleans Amber Rum (AMAZING STUFF) as a shout-out to NOLA and crazy Mardi Gras antics.