I LOVE politics. I don't think this is news, really. And while I'm pretty passionate about MY politics and issues, there is a thing that is greater. Election night...It's my super bowl. Well, what I imagine my super bowl would be like considering I don't really GET the super bowl (that's football, right? I kid...).
I remember when I was a kid, my parents voting. They would go down to our little community center in our town and vote and it just seemed so adult and important and - even then - I was excited for election day. Election Day has not diminished for me at all. Even years where the candidates are insane (I'm looking at you Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell!), by the time that first Tuesday in November rolls around, the craziness goes out the door and I run on adrenalin watching the results roll in, glued to the tv.
I HATE going to bed after Isaac. I really, really don't like it. I don't know why, but I either need to go to bed first or we go together. But on election night...I remember the first one, after we were married, before Isaac got as crazy political as me (hee?), I was happy to stay up. I love election night that much.
Last night didn't disappoint. We had a minor interruption, but from about 4 til I dragged myself to bed, I was GLUED. My politics aside, I just love the results. I love that so many people voted yesterday. I love the patterns, the projections. I love watching the polls, seeing people and names I used to work with and having the terms and knowledge come flowing back. And, after so many election nights, I am always caught off guard that things still surprise me. Like, I find it AMAZING that I had any hope at all that either our governor or new senator would be a democrat...I clearly (momentarily) forgot what state I live in. I really liked the Democratic candidate for governor, and I had a LOT of hope that he would win. It seemed he had some movement and it felt like he might eek it out. Ha! Who was I kidding...a case of projection, clearly. And, well, for Senate. While I KNEW Lee would win (hello, I don't ALWAYS forget where I live!), I still hoped he wouldn't. And threw my whole support behind his opponent (Sammy has a great "I'm with Sam" button from his campaign!). But, yet. The election not going "my" way did not dissuade the giddiness I had watching the results come in. I love them that much.
This morning, I am sad and let down, but hopeful that this state CAN and WILL eventually change its stripes. Call me crazy, but this is what an election night does for me. Re-energizes me and gets me fired up to be even more involved. Be even more vocal. Be even more...present for this awesome civic duty. Politics is so much better than sports, I SWEAR.*
*However it is NOT better than Sammy tracking dog poop into my house because now I have to get a new car, house and son...which is, well, inconvenient.
(devil inside, inxs)
19 clever comments:
You know what bugged me the most yesterday? The amount of people voting straight party just because they would never think of voting for the other party.
And I will admit that there were a couple places that I voted against my declared party.
Yeah I really wish that wasn't even an option.
Oh, how very much I hate all things political. I will admit the only excitement I felt yesterday was when I realized that the church would be open so I could get in earlier than I had planned to make copies in the library.
And since I would rather dive naked into a swimming pool full of double edged razor blades than have a political debate with you (or anyone), I will not say anything else after this, BUT, I will go against my better judgment to ask 2 things: 1) why do you assume people voting straight Republican aren't, in fact, doing it with a great amount of thought and care? and 2) REALLY?? You liked Peter Carroon??? Huh. I assumed no one could possibly actually liked him.
Finally, since you have a fence now, can you just give Sammy a jacket and let him live outside for a few days instead of recycling him?
1. Funny. But...yay! You got in earlier! The stake center was pretty busy (we were there for the stake portion - not the election portion).
2a) I don't assume that they aren't doing their thought and care in the election. I voted nearly straight dem. However, I've been proven otherwise with several people ("oh, I just voted straight ticket because I didn't care and didn't want to go through all the screens") and it always makes me sad. So I wish that option wasn't there and they had to go through all the screens. Just personal preference. And that goes for straight ticket Dem, too, for the same reason.
2b) I did like Carroon. And know a lot of people who did, also.
3) I will take that under advisement, but we'll see. Maybe he can keep the car and house and I'll just move...
Ugh. I don't think I properly said what I wanted to say. Sigh.
2a) I have NO problem with ANYONE voting straight ticket. Both Isaac and I did it this year (well, as much as we could!). I've voted straight Republican before (the 1st Bush election, in fact). I do not have ANY problem with ANY one being republican and voting straight ticket and I'm innocent enough to want to believe that everyone researches the issues and votes their conscience. I'm one of those annoying "just as long as you vote" people.
What I was trying to say is that, as a personal preference, I don't like that 1st screen option of skipping the rest of the ballot to just vote straight party. Personally, while I know why that option is there, I wish it was not and everyone had to go through each page individually. If they still ended up voting straight ticket? Do not care. It's the mechanics of it that I personally don't like. For a variety of reasons. And I don't like it for either side - I've known Dems as well as republicans who use it "lazily" - when they use it as a way to vote and not really do their due diligence. While they are not (I hope) the vast majority, the few ruin it for me. Not the ones who use it for what it was designed for - merely a time saver because you've thought about it and that's what you believe. No beef with that at all.
K. I think that's more to what I was trying to say! More clear? Or too wordy and crazy? Hmmm. Don't answer that.
Ha, ha, I think you and I live in the wrong states. I was so hopeful that a Republican would take one of the major races here in Cali, but no luck. I feel rather down about the whole thing and can't help but feel like my vote doesn't count for much. At least we didn't legalize pot; I guess that's something. I'm really glad to have the political ads over with though. I don't know how it was there, but ours were so negative and mud-slinging this year. By the time election day came I didn't really want to vote for any of them. I so wish they'd just stick to the issues, but that's probably never gonna happen.
a more intriguing question is "where in the heck did your kid step in dog poop?"
Outside the Stk. Center in the park strip. It was dark when we left and we were hurrying and EVERYONE walks their dogs there...
Christin - I feel the same about my vote and this state. I keep trying to tell myself that we (dems) need all the help we can get, here, but sometimes it's so discouraging...
The ads here aren't bad. I think that's what happens in states like ours where everyone knows it's futile! Ours were (surprisingly) mostly issue based. Which was lovely. Or maybe they weren't and we just don't watch commercials. That's also possible!
See, and I'm thinking Sammy's stepping in poop is a perfect metaphor for politics.
Ha!
Maybe the campaigners in Utah recognize that the majority of Utahns don't appreciate the mudslinging so they try to stick to the issues, not so much here.
I failed to mention that we still vote by paper here so there is no "vote straight party line" option. Ryan and I spent a lot of time going through the voter guide trying to get informed on the candidates and issues, but some of the candidates don't submit statements and some of the props are so confusing that we had a hard time understanding them. The only way a democracy works is if people make INFORMED voting decisions. My big fear every time I vote is that people are going to the polls completely uninformed and voting based on who knows what (looks, straight party line, misleading commercials, misleading propositions, etc.). There's not much I can do about that though.
I don't know. There was A LOT to sling about this year. I really think that since it's SUCH a primarily republican state, the democrats know mudslinging isn't going to get them anything here!
You still vote by paper? Really? So weird. We were still Oregon residents while we were there, so I never knew...
And YES! Some of the props and initiatives I SWEAR are written just to be confusing...I had a conversation with my doctor last week about the ins and outs (according to research) about why casual voters vote the way they do. Totally interesting.
We still do paper, fill in the circle.
Wow! Really? Huh. I didn't think anyone did paper anymore. Well, save Oregon, but that's because everyone has a mail in ballot there - no going to vote in Oregon.
I gotta say that I find it VERY unique that you enjoy the 'game' as much as the results. And impressive as well. I was quite pleased with the results, nevermind the game. I just checked online in the morning for the results.
Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and say hello. Its been FOREVER and I miss you! At some point in our busy (and my somewhat grumpy, exhausted, prego) lives, we need to have another get together! And if you ever want your feet done, you know who to call!
Hey...I miss you too! Congrats on the boy results. How stoked is Avery? I would love a get together. Anytime. Ditto with the feet. I just didn't want to bug you while you weren't feeling great...
Apparently you are in a state that is WAY too conservative for you and I am in a state that is WAY too liberal for me. I too had high hopes for the election and I had to come to the harsh realization that all the conservatives in San Diego can never compete with Los Angeles and San Francisco. We'll lose every time.
I noticed that when I lived there, Holly. San Diego is this little bubble of conservative that I don't think gets a really fair voice since the other larger areas of the state are so liberal and talk over it. It's an interesting thing to witness.
Luckily, I'm in an area of the state that, while conservative, I have high hopes won't always be the UBER conservative that you find in the smaller areas. Or, you know...that's what I tell myself!
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