Tiptoe through the dogs**t
It was such a nice day today, that I decided to walk from 53rd St and 7th Ave to 4th St and 2nd Ave (about 2 1/2 to 3 miles). Usually, once I get past 34th St, past the last major bridge entrance for a while, it’s smooth sailing. But tonight it was really bad almost all the way down.
What bothers me is that there were so many drivers not driving correctly that at many intersections there were gridlocks and people skirting around just to get across the street.
Even when pedestrians have the right of way, cars end up having the right of way. That’s just wrong.
11/8/2006
The Morning After
So another election day is over. And love the results or hate them, life goes on.
There are some topics I’d like to raise, though.
First, the same thing happened this year as happened last year, in that my name wasn’t in the voting book even though I’m allowed to vote where I did. Adam suggested that I re-register to vote and contact the Board of Elections to make sure that I am registered. I’m also thinking that I should contact the people who won (the ones for whom I voted, of course) and ask them to support better scrutiny in voting lists. I understand that these lists of names are massive, but if my name is on some list and I’m getting information on where to vote, why can’t the same list be used for the voting books?
On that note, how many people actually voted? Midterm elections have a notoriously low turnout, with less than 40% of all registered voters speaking up. Of course, how many more went to the polls and got turned away? (Sorry, it’s a major issue for me. The US touts that we have given other countries the power of voting when we can’t get it right ourselves.) According to this article from last month, almost twice as many people voted in midterm elections in the late 1800’s as do now. A presidential election would bring 80% of all registered voters out of the woodwork. Politicians now can’t say that the people have spoken if less than half of us actually have. If you think your vote doesn’t count, think about this - you should have absolutely no right to complain about your current elected officials if you didn’t participate in voting for or against them.
Last, I would like to see a fully publicized report of actual votes given to candidates a week from now, when all the votes have been counted and it really is official. Yes, for the most part it won’t change the outcome, and that’s quite all right with me, but I want to know that someone out there has taken the time to open my affidavit ballot and put my votes to work. Right now, the only races that don’t get called two seconds after the polls close (or 30 seconds before, as in what happened last night) are the “too close to call” races, and even they have projected winners according to exit polls, those throughly unscientific drek reports. There was actually a race where the projected winner was behind in the real polls. I understand the craving to get results right away, but if it’s not on TV, radio or in the papers, no one cares. If you are interested, visit your state’s Board of Elections website in a few days to get the results.
11/7/2006
Vote, Vote, Vote!!
Yes, kiddies, it’s that time of year again - time to perform that civic duty:
-even if you believe that voting doesn’t change anything (if everyone votes, it will)
-even if there isn’t a hotly contested seat in your district (who’s running against Hillary & Spitzer?)
-even if it means you have to leave work early (isn’t that a plus?)
-even if your idea of fun isn’t standing in line just to pull a lever or push a button
-even if you dread going to a place run by a voting board who really doesn’t care about you so conveniently forgets to add your name to the voting books half of the time (literally)
But I’m not bitter. And I’m still going to vote. And then I’m going to Drink Liberally!