Voting Dilemmas in Jersey City
Municipal elections are about six weeks away, here in Jersey City. Two days ago, as I was coming up out of the PATH, I saw a truck parked alongside the curb, at the corner of Grove Street and Christopher Columbus Drive. On one side of the truck was an enormous TV screen, and the screen was showing an image of Obama giving a speech. He was mentioning the incumbent mayor of Jersey City by name (one Jerramiah T. Healy) -- a favorable mention to be sure, but intended by Healy to be perceived, no doubt, as a wholesale endorsement.
Actually, it was a more surreal experience than the above indicates. As I was coming up out of the subway, I could hear a familiar voice resounding through the entryway, and I thought, "That measured cadence, that pleasant but charismatic baritone, isn't that... Obama?" I'd never seen a political advertisement quite like this, though I have of course seen trucks that drive around towing mini-billboards that may or may not have TV screens on them; and of course many taxis in New York have small TV screens with ads on their roofs.
I never know quite what to do about local elections. Ideally, I'd be able to make a well-informed decision. But let's face it, I'm probably not going to make the time to research the various candidates for office, not even the mayoral ones. And yet, the media always encourages us to vote, with no stipulation made as to the quality of our votes... I once knew someone who would always vote against the incumbent, no matter what office it was, just out of a principle of keeping things stirred up, and I would be tempted to do so in this case too, only I've heard that Mayor Healy lives nearby, and that it's thanks to him that our neighborhood park got spruced up.
Usually, with such elections, I'll vote for the Libertarian candidates. They're probably not going to win anyway; but if they do, so much the better. And let's face it: there aren't any, or hardly any, Libertarian politicians, so I don't expect them to have much experience in governing; therefore, local offices are the best ones for them to cut their teeth on. When I see a Libertarian Congressman or governor running for President, then and only then will I vote for a Libertarian for President. As much as I may approve of the party's principles, I still believe experience trumps all else, and that the highest office in the land can't be given to someone who's not held any office whatsoever. (Even if he stands no chance of winning; I still think you should only vote for someone that you don't mind winning.)
Er, wait -- there was Bob Barr this time around, wasn't there? He hardly seems to count, since he was originally Republican... but yeah, according to the logic above, I should have voted for him. Hmm. What can I say, I read The Audacity of Hope, and I really liked both what Obama said, and how he said it. And the same went for his speeches. But I'll admit I'm a little uneasy about some of his proposed policies, now that he's in power; I have a feeling of, "Wait, what did I sign up for, again?" Ah well. Guess I should have gone third-party after all, so I could say, "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos."
Actually, it was a more surreal experience than the above indicates. As I was coming up out of the subway, I could hear a familiar voice resounding through the entryway, and I thought, "That measured cadence, that pleasant but charismatic baritone, isn't that... Obama?" I'd never seen a political advertisement quite like this, though I have of course seen trucks that drive around towing mini-billboards that may or may not have TV screens on them; and of course many taxis in New York have small TV screens with ads on their roofs.
I never know quite what to do about local elections. Ideally, I'd be able to make a well-informed decision. But let's face it, I'm probably not going to make the time to research the various candidates for office, not even the mayoral ones. And yet, the media always encourages us to vote, with no stipulation made as to the quality of our votes... I once knew someone who would always vote against the incumbent, no matter what office it was, just out of a principle of keeping things stirred up, and I would be tempted to do so in this case too, only I've heard that Mayor Healy lives nearby, and that it's thanks to him that our neighborhood park got spruced up.
Usually, with such elections, I'll vote for the Libertarian candidates. They're probably not going to win anyway; but if they do, so much the better. And let's face it: there aren't any, or hardly any, Libertarian politicians, so I don't expect them to have much experience in governing; therefore, local offices are the best ones for them to cut their teeth on. When I see a Libertarian Congressman or governor running for President, then and only then will I vote for a Libertarian for President. As much as I may approve of the party's principles, I still believe experience trumps all else, and that the highest office in the land can't be given to someone who's not held any office whatsoever. (Even if he stands no chance of winning; I still think you should only vote for someone that you don't mind winning.)
Er, wait -- there was Bob Barr this time around, wasn't there? He hardly seems to count, since he was originally Republican... but yeah, according to the logic above, I should have voted for him. Hmm. What can I say, I read The Audacity of Hope, and I really liked both what Obama said, and how he said it. And the same went for his speeches. But I'll admit I'm a little uneasy about some of his proposed policies, now that he's in power; I have a feeling of, "Wait, what did I sign up for, again?" Ah well. Guess I should have gone third-party after all, so I could say, "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos."