Friday, May 13, 2016

I Voted

I was surprised to find my real ballot in the mail when I arrived home Wednesday. Yep, I'm one of those lazy absentee voters, having requested permanent absentee status some years ago. So don't tell me, as we keep hearing from the Democrats, that voting is too hard and it needs to be made easier. 

Change elections to weekends? Why? You can vote whenever you want if you do it by mail. The same could probably be said of any of the other hare brained proposals to make it easier for the sick, lame or lazy to vote.

I was surprised at the layout of my ballot compared to the sample ballot. You probably noticed, as I mentioned earlier on, that Trump and Clinton weren't on the ballot. The only name I recognized was perennial Green Party candidate, Jill Stein. Not so on my real ballot. In fact, it included what I believe is all the Libertarian Party candidates so I was able to check the Gary Johnson box rather than write him in.

So who else did I vote for? Gail Lightfoot for U.S. Senate.

U.S. Representative? Anybody but Huffman in that one so I chose Dale Mensing, the Republican. Sure, I believe he's the guy that works at Safeway in Fortuna, or Ray's in Garberville, but at least he has an honest job.

Didn't vote in the state assembly race. Current assembly guy, Jim Wood, is running unopposed. Nor reason to taint my principles by voting for him.

Then there's the mysterious Prop 50 that would suspend pay when state legislators are otherwise suspended for bad behavior. I made a sort of guerilla voting decision on that one. Of course, that the Sacramento Bee came out in support of Prop 50, is probably reason enough to vote against it.But my thinking was more along the lines of trying to muck things up and play to the dissatisfaction with state legiislators in general. With so- called "independents" being the fastest growing group of voters in the state, lets give them more reason to be pissed off at those in Sacramento.

If this loses and legislators still get paid vacations when suspended for wrong doing, that will get more people pissed off which would be a good thing. I voted No on Prop 50 with that in mind, goofy as it may seem.

Those of you that haven't voted yet probably shouldn't bother now since my votes already nullified yours. Go ahead and stay home. You'll just be wasting your time and vote going to the precinct on June 7.

11 Comments:

At 8:49 AM, Blogger Henchman Of Justice said...

Good thoughts on selections.

What would piss off Independents too is that 50 passes, but politicians devise otherethods to usurp 50, same ole stuff.

 
At 8:58 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Whatever works!

 
At 9:52 AM, Blogger Julie Timmons said...

MOST voters in California vote by mail now.

 
At 10:12 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Not sure if they actually did it, butI thought I heard Oregon was considering mail only voting.

 
At 12:50 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

here in clearlake i just today got my sample ballot and im permanent absentee voter also

 
At 11:01 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Actually, I like going to vote in person. It makes me feel like I'm doing something very important and patriotic. Maybe silly, but I like the "I voted" sticker. I enjoy seeing the precinct captains. However, it's great that vote by mail is available for those who need, or prefer that route.

 
At 6:54 AM, Blogger Henchman Of Justice said...

Good points, and election workers are appreciated, so a thanks is appropo for their civil service.

 
At 7:03 AM, Blogger Henchman Of Justice said...

Really? If so, how many voters are not voting at all? Just wondering if "as more mail in votes occur", is overall voting declining.

Mail in is skeptical because, just like a "county pkanning department mailed public notice", how does the "mail in ballot" not get lost or received, of it was ever mailed at all despite a list which does not mean jack regarding if it was mailed or not (difference is a voter knows an election is near, understands a ballot should be on the way)? IOW, does a low percentage of m.I.b.'s never get received.

 
At 7:05 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

" It makes me feel like I'm doing something very important and patriotic"

The wife seems to feel the same way. This strikes me as silly and I can't help but be reminded of the movie The Time Machine, with the voters seeming drawn to the polls being the human like eloi. When the sirens go off the eloi would stand up straight, seemingly hypnotized, and all march down to the caves to be eaten by the morlocks.

"Maybe silly, but I like the "I voted" sticker."

Yes, that is silly.

 
At 8:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Funny you should mention that movie, especially that particular scene. Flashbacks of that scene occur often in my mind, like warning flares, every time I hear of a new study, tax or ban.

 
At 8:58 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

We had fun when I worked at Sabrina's in Eureka. It was across from the Eureka Theater back then. When the noon siren would go off, I'd stiffen up, put a blank look in my eyes and walk towards the door as if I was heading to visit the morlocks. One of the other cooks started doing it with me.

Fun stuff I came up with after watching The Time Machine".

 

Post a Comment

<< Home