I just returned home twenty minutes ago from voting. The polling place is at the Dikeman Firehouse in Goshen, New York which is less than a mile from where I now sit. I was in and out in about five minutes. Fortunately I do not live in an Obama-leaning swing state controlled by a Republican governor. Those poor people have to wait on line for as much as eight hours or more. I'm sure that's just a coincidence though.There was a woman standing in front of me with a couple of small children. They went into the voting booth with her. Civics for tots. I was very impressed. She had jet-black hair and was very pretty. I fell in love with her on the spot. I fall in love too easily, especially on Election Day.
I won't tell you for whom I voted. That's between me and the ballot box. Aw, hell, who am I kidding? You know damned well who I voted for. I'm not fooling anybody.
We probably won't know the official results until early tomorrow morning, possibly even for several weeks. It is clear that the Republicans are doing everything humanly possible to steal this election - just as they did in 2000, just as they did in 2004. They didn't make an attempt to do so four years ago because, let's face it, they were running against a black guy. Beating him would be a cinch. Lesson learned. They can no longer count upon the ingrained racism of so many Americans to do their will.
The numbers are on President Obama's side but, contrary to accepted mythology, numbers do indeed lie. If the right wing thugs who long ago hijacked the "party of Lincoln" are able to pull this off (AGAIN) then you might as well kiss this place goodbye.
It is now 1:12 PM EST. the polls here in New York close in less than eight hours. Living in a reliable "blue state" (Thank you, New York City) I don't feel much of an urge to go into the street to "get out the vote". If I were living in Ohio or Florida it would be a different story. God bless the people - whatever their political persuasion may be - for enduring those long and tedious lines. My hat is tipped. My glass is raised. Cheers!
An article appeared on AlterNet this morning by a person named Alex Pareene that called for the abolition of the electoral college, This is an idea that's long overdue. If Obama wins this thing via the electoral college (but not the popular vote) you can bet next year's crop that the GOP might very well rethink this one (just as I became a convert to the idea in 2000 when George W. Bush won the same way). Wouldn't it be a grand thing if in 2016 we could ignore Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and New Hampshire? Talk about a perfect world.
The swing states are run by incompetent thugs and assholes. This is certainly no way to run what is supposed to be the greatest country in the world. Forget the twenty-first century, I'd be perfectly content to step into the twentieth. Seriously.
To those who wait on the long lines in Florida's sweltering heat or Ohio's biting cold, remember you're making history. Hang in there. I almost envy you....almost.
Tomorrow is the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Eleanor Roosevelt. For several months I have been planning on writing a piece in tribute to her on that occasion, but I'm afraid it needs to be placed on the back burner for a week or so. Tomorrow I imagine I'll be writing either one of two pieces:
1. A tribute to the wisdom my fellow countrymen and woman....or
2. A blind, raging tirade at what silly twits they are.
We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed and your hands folded.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
SUGGESTED READING:
Here's a link to the Alex Pareene article mentioned above:
Let's Kill the Electoral College
We probably won't know the official results until early tomorrow morning, possibly even for several weeks. It is clear that the Republicans are doing everything humanly possible to steal this election - just as they did in 2000, just as they did in 2004. They didn't make an attempt to do so four years ago because, let's face it, they were running against a black guy. Beating him would be a cinch. Lesson learned. They can no longer count upon the ingrained racism of so many Americans to do their will.
The numbers are on President Obama's side but, contrary to accepted mythology, numbers do indeed lie. If the right wing thugs who long ago hijacked the "party of Lincoln" are able to pull this off (AGAIN) then you might as well kiss this place goodbye.
It is now 1:12 PM EST. the polls here in New York close in less than eight hours. Living in a reliable "blue state" (Thank you, New York City) I don't feel much of an urge to go into the street to "get out the vote". If I were living in Ohio or Florida it would be a different story. God bless the people - whatever their political persuasion may be - for enduring those long and tedious lines. My hat is tipped. My glass is raised. Cheers!
An article appeared on AlterNet this morning by a person named Alex Pareene that called for the abolition of the electoral college, This is an idea that's long overdue. If Obama wins this thing via the electoral college (but not the popular vote) you can bet next year's crop that the GOP might very well rethink this one (just as I became a convert to the idea in 2000 when George W. Bush won the same way). Wouldn't it be a grand thing if in 2016 we could ignore Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and New Hampshire? Talk about a perfect world.
The swing states are run by incompetent thugs and assholes. This is certainly no way to run what is supposed to be the greatest country in the world. Forget the twenty-first century, I'd be perfectly content to step into the twentieth. Seriously.
To those who wait on the long lines in Florida's sweltering heat or Ohio's biting cold, remember you're making history. Hang in there. I almost envy you....almost.
Tomorrow is the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Eleanor Roosevelt. For several months I have been planning on writing a piece in tribute to her on that occasion, but I'm afraid it needs to be placed on the back burner for a week or so. Tomorrow I imagine I'll be writing either one of two pieces:
1. A tribute to the wisdom my fellow countrymen and woman....or
2. A blind, raging tirade at what silly twits they are.
We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed and your hands folded.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
SUGGESTED READING:
Here's a link to the Alex Pareene article mentioned above:
Let's Kill the Electoral College
Health food for thought.
AFTERTHOUGHT, 3:13 PM:
The GOP talking point today is that Election Day will prove that the polling process was inherently flawed. They say this with absolute confidence. I have a sick feeling that they know the fix is in. Why would they say something as idiotic as that if they didn't have absolute confidence that they will be able to pull if off? Tomorrow they'll be saying, "See? We told you so!" Most of the country will swallow the bullshit without so much as a chaser. I plan on getting very intoxicated this evening.
BREAKING NEWS, 1:03 AM:
Mitt Romney just conceded one minute ago. Barack Obama has won reelection. Thank goodness that's over.
BREAKING NEWS, 1:03 AM:
Mitt Romney just conceded one minute ago. Barack Obama has won reelection. Thank goodness that's over.
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