I survived early voting....
....but just barely. Really, the first two hours weren't so bad, but that last hour -- it was a killer. Both on my feet and my will to live.
The fascinating part was that no one seemed to be complaining. Not even a little. The air was positively electric with a singleminded purpose: to elect Barack Obama. I've never experienced anything like it. It was like the first free elections after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It was like all of these people in line had been living in a closed society that just secretly, quietly, decided to open up.
As for my vote (if you are interested), after two months' worth of agonizing, I decided to Nader-trade with a friend in New York. That is, I stood in line to cast his vote for Barack Obama in a state that might make a difference, and he's going to vote for Ralph Nader tomorrow in a state that's not contested. It's a decision I feel mixed about. Nader's platform is more in line with my -- for lack of a better word -- values. Particularly regarding single-payer healthcare and not invading Pakistan.
On the other hand, I felt strongly about casting a strategic vote against Sarah Palin and the angry Strongsville mobs. I love Ohio and I want the rest of the country to see the Ohio I see, not the ignorant, angry Ohio that's always on the lookout for a convenient scapegoat to its social ills.
So that's that. I'll be writing to both Obama and Nader encouraging them to work together. I'd love to see Nader be offered a position in the Obama administration. More to the point, though, I'd love to see Ralph accept it.
The fascinating part was that no one seemed to be complaining. Not even a little. The air was positively electric with a singleminded purpose: to elect Barack Obama. I've never experienced anything like it. It was like the first free elections after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It was like all of these people in line had been living in a closed society that just secretly, quietly, decided to open up.
As for my vote (if you are interested), after two months' worth of agonizing, I decided to Nader-trade with a friend in New York. That is, I stood in line to cast his vote for Barack Obama in a state that might make a difference, and he's going to vote for Ralph Nader tomorrow in a state that's not contested. It's a decision I feel mixed about. Nader's platform is more in line with my -- for lack of a better word -- values. Particularly regarding single-payer healthcare and not invading Pakistan.
On the other hand, I felt strongly about casting a strategic vote against Sarah Palin and the angry Strongsville mobs. I love Ohio and I want the rest of the country to see the Ohio I see, not the ignorant, angry Ohio that's always on the lookout for a convenient scapegoat to its social ills.
So that's that. I'll be writing to both Obama and Nader encouraging them to work together. I'd love to see Nader be offered a position in the Obama administration. More to the point, though, I'd love to see Ralph accept it.
posted by Christine at 9:52 AM
3 Comments:
Good for you! The vote trade was a good compromise.
I'm voting tomorrow, so I can take my little girl with me -- hubby is a precinct judge so he'll be busy all day.
I can only hope that all those Angry Strongsville Mobs will be discouraged by the long lines tomorrow (can't be late for our manicure, you know) and the Republicans will lose because the Barack supporters are just more determined.
Good for you study buddy. Wish me luck in Virginia tomorrow!
omg the angry Strongsville mobs LOL. I voted today (the Fourth) and a woman was in line ahead of me -- she looked to be in her late thirties/early forties; had never voted before. I don't know who she voted for but that excited me to no end, that someone took their civic duty plunge. Then she said to me 'so now I know how to use the voting machines in Ohio.' I said 'for this year, yes LOL'
FWIW, I think you did good, Christine! :-)
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