I voted today! And now I'm mad at Democrats

[TalkingDog]

I'm in a small NC town. Red, but getting less so.

I went to vote and they still had me as an independent, even though I changed affiliation after Shrub's first term. So I had to "choose" which party I was going to vote for. I said, "I'm voting Democrat". The woman checking me in said, "Ohhhh! First one today!"

First one TODAY.

I was voter 171.

People, how to you think the fuckers get foothold and work their way up to doing real damage? They start small. They start local.

If you want to keep the weeds out of your garden, pull them while they are small.

VOTE! NOT just in the big elections. Vote when it counts. Vote every time. Because every time counts.

[arthritisR_US]

1. listen to this lady...important truth! K&R. n/t

[happygoluckytoyou]

32. IT'S TIME TO EMAIL FAMILY AND FRIENDS.... november will be here soon, with cold, windy, republicans

[pleah]

2. K&R Very depressing. :(

[LisaM]

3. I agree with you.

This is also how they pack school boards, town councils, etc. This is where people like Sarah Palin get their start.

PAY ATTENTION!!!!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. Wait, what? Isn't the vote supposed to be secret? -nt

[monmouth]

6. The vote is secret but the R or D "ticket" to vote isn't..n/t

[barbtries]

13. this was a primary vote

the ballot changed depending on which party you're affiliated with.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. Ahhh, thanks for the clarification. -nt

[Lorien]

5. I'm not sure if we have a local election today in FL

Haven't seen any lawn signs. I don't watch TV so I miss these things once in a while.

[csziggy]

26. I don't think there are any elections until the primaries Aug. 24

But to make sure you can check on local elections at this link: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/calendar/elecdate.shtml

[rurallib]

7. My idiot auditor still had me as an 'R' for several years even though

I was the Dem precinct captain. The 'R' was because I switched sides to vote against our governor at the time and current candidate Terry Branstadt.
Phone calls from the R fund raisers are fun though

[Fire1]

8. I totally agree. The thing that's halarious to me is when so

called dems say they're going to "withhold" their vote in congressionl and 2012 elections. Talk about screwin the pooch!!! LOL!!!!

[B Calm]

9. This is disgusting!! What the hell is wrong with our people!

[Arctic Dave]

10. My wife is tired of just voting, she is running for State House Rep. for district.

For a Democracy to work, you have to be engaged all the time. Not just one day every year or so.

[xxqqqzme]

50. I'm the candidate for our State Assembly district

for the same reason.

While Democratic registration has increased dramatically behind the Orange curtain, Democrats do not vote down ticket here, IF we can actually get them to vote. We have been engaged in a major effort to get dems to vote by mail in hopes of getting a better turn out. We could actually elect Democrats here if they would only vote!

[barbtries]

11. that is pathetic.

i voted in raleigh today. i actually meant to post something along these lines, but got sidetracked.

you are so right. in raleigh the school board is busy resegregating the schools. it was that wake up call that got me to the polls this morning. i hadn't voted the last time - when several members of this board were elected. my bad.

i was voter number 11. don't know r to d ratio.

it's wrong that so many dems get complacent, apathetic, or lazy between presidential years. i am as guilty as anyone and struggling to stay engaged, because it is important.

[cascadiance]

12. I'm guessing a lot of voters in Orange County will have this experience with the crap they've pulled

... lately in trying to switch people's voter registration underhandedly both this year, and in previous election years.

[unc70]

35. Could you elaborate on this wrt Orange County

What specifically?

[cascadiance]

43. Well, just recently charges of GOP voter fraud there...

where a "bounty" for more GOP registered voters lead to fake petition drives that got Democrats and others signing what they thought were petitions, but were in fact GOP voter registration voter forms which they submitted without the voter's knowledge.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/district-71439-ocprint-orange-county.html

This wasn't the first time for Orange County. This sort of "bounty" voter fraud back in 2006 election as well...

http://www.truthout.org/article/11-charged-gop-vote-fraud

And part of me wondered if they at the time might have intentionally altered people's addresses, etc. slightly to get thrown out by then GOP Secretary of State's Bruce McPherson, who at that time oversaw a flawed system for processing new voter registration forms that was throwing them out with the slightest spelling differences between what was on the voter registration form and what was on the voters' driver's license.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/110353/New_database_rejects_eligible_Calif._voters

Part of me wonders if these two separate events were connected and reflected a way for the GOP to get a lot of new Democratic voters (as well as those that got "scammed" in Orange Country) thrown out from voting in the 2006 election.

I think that Debra Bowen has long since probably fixed this database problem, but one still wonders how the GOP puts together all of these efforts with the possible intent of disenfranchising more voters, which they've shown a history of doing in California and in other states.

[unc70]

53. I thought you meant Orange County, North Carolina, since OP is about NC primary.

That's a relief. I am in Orange County, North Carolina, and was not aware of any problems here.

I knew about Orange County, California problems. But this thread had been mostly about North Carolina and our primary yesterday.

Orange County, North Carolina, is the "original" Orange County -- the one without Disney. Chapel Hill is (mostly) in Orange County, NC.

People in CA and in FL rarely consider that there could be more than one, much less that there could be more that two Orange Counties.

[MindandSoul]

15. You are soooo right! Then again. . .that woman was probably a

teabagger, and wanted to depress you!
In fact, her remark was not very professional! She doesn't belong there! What about "privacy?"

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. you would have had a different result in California.

[grantcart]

17. I don't think she was telling the truth and you can follow up

After the election is over check the precinct vote in your precinct and see if it is running 100 to 1.

If not write to the election supervisor and complain that the precinct workers were giving out incorrect information in a way to create a negative image of the party.

[WilliamPitt]

18. Democrats vote after work.

I always do, anyway.

What time did you vote?

[TalkingDog]

20. posted at 2:50, so prolly about 2:30

[political_Dem]

19. As I've said all along, we've got to nip the RNC in the bud before they unleash monsters.

I've made it a point to especially pay attention to local elections. Lord knows we don't need another Palin out there blowing smoke and wasting the public's time.

[MissMarple]

21. This would make a good billboard. Short and pithy

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. You're DAMNED RIGHT!

K&R

[madmax]

24. Politics ain't bean bag

Thanks for reiterating the point.

[DaveinJapan]

25. "The woman checking me in said, "Ohhhh! First one today!""...not for nothing but

are ya sure she wasn't just some teabagger fucking with your head?

:shrug:

If I were she, that's exactly how I'd do it.

[JDPriestly]

27. Most important post of the day. Thanks for reminding us.

[G_j]

28. Primary voters

Who is turning out for the Republicans? The Tea-baggers? I've seen a number of local TV ads with scary RW candidates.

In the mean time, are Democrats turning out for progressive candidates?

[NuttyFluffers]

29. *sigh* i know your pain, working the polls over 10 years now...

Democrats, as I have said before, and progressives/LW in general, could learn a lot from the simple discipline to obey, be punctual, organize, and capacity to follow directions that i've seen time and again from Conservatives/RW. it's really a painful thing to admit, but the phrase "like herding cats" is far too true as to be embarrassing.

i've seen republicans line up at the crack of the polls opening to vote, often right before they go to work, even if the spouses work at different hours and drive separate cars -- so many are already up and finished voting before noon. I rarely have problems with them filling out their absentee ballot envelopes properly, let alone getting grief about protocol or following directions on the ballot itself. I don't get questions how late we're open and then flake out returning, I don't get arguments about the steps i'm required by the county to obey (even if i'm pointing out the checklist i'm supposed to go through to the very arguer themselves), i don't get flawed ballots and when pointed out i don't get waved away that they do not care to correct it, none of that. but i get that way too often from Democrats and other LW people. drives. me. up. a. wall.

i don't care who you vote for, just vote. i don't care if you choose to abstain (still a conscious decision to use your vote). but i do care if you take the time to come all the way to the voting precinct to putz around and complain and flounder around, only to go away and not vote or turn in a vote that has to be voided later... infuriating.

i so wish it was different. for once i'd like to see the stereotypes about progressives and LW people were not so true. caveat: i was absent my polls during the Obama 2008 election; so who knows, maybe enough people were galvanized and organized then.

[JNelson6563]

30. It takes more than voting.

Sounds to me like the local Dem party doesn't have much of a presence.

Julie

[southernyankeebelle]

31. I went to vote and got pissed off. One of those electronic machines. Here is what went down.

They walked me over to a machine I read the instructions and did what it said to do and then hit next page. It kept going back to the same page. The staff that worked there didn't know what to do. Finally they called their higher office and then we were able to go on. I should have said cancel my vote and move me to another machine, but I didn't think about it at that moment. Well I did my vote and push the push to next page and it returned again to the same page not once, twice but three times and I called the guy over again and told him what was going on. He again repeated what to do and I showed him what I was doing while he stood there. He said again I don't know what to tell you and I said well I'm doing what you said. What usually takes a minute to do I was still standing there trying to vote. Finally I got pissed and said to him forget it this is stupid am not voting you can take this machine and shove it and walked away from the machine. I left and they didn't know what to do. Now they know how I felt. I usually vote early and it is at a different place. I know in Nov I will go to the early voting place.

[unc70]

33. Which town?

If you are willing to share publicly. Or PM otherwise, if you are willing.

[TalkingDog]

47. No prob. I'm in Statesville, NC. The western part of the county.

Lots of farmers. There used to be a lot of factory workers. But that was before Republicorp decided shipping all the textile jobs overseas would make them more money.

[unc70]

52. That area has generally been a Repub stronghold

First Dem is a bit surprising, first "independent" to vote in the Dem primary would be a little less surprising.

Either way, you are definitely in the minority out there.

[TalkingDog]

57. She definitely was pointing out the Democratic choice.

As for knowing how red it is....yeah...I grew up here.

But a low turn out for any vote is frustrating. People wonder at how certain people get elected, yet they don't see the connection between not voting and No-Neck Jimmy Jr. making decisions that will affect their lives.....

[unc70]

59. I grew up down east in NC, equally as red.

Barely any need down there still to even have a Dem primary.

[FailureToCommunicate]

34. "Compulsory voting", that's the answer. It works well in the countries that require it...

from wikipedia:

Arguments in favor of compulsory voting:

"...other civic duties also exist, like paying taxes, attending school and, in some democracies, military conscription and jury duty. All of these obligatory actives require far more time and effort than voting does, thus compulsory voting can be seen as constituting a much smaller intrusion of freedom than any of the other activities.

Apart from the increased turnout as a value in itself, other advantages to compulsory voting: firstly, the increase in voting participation may stimulate stronger participation and interest in other political activities; secondly, as no large campaign funds are needed to goad votes to the polls, the role of money in politics will decrease; thirdly, compulsory voting acts as a sort of civil education and political stimulation, which creates a better informed population; fourthly, high levels of participation decreases the risk of political instability created by crises or dangerous, charismatic leaders (eg. Adolf Hitler)."


GET UP, GET OUT OF BED! GO AND VOTE, YOU SLEEPY HEAD!

[whereaminow]

44. Refusing to vote is also a right

And there are many valid reasons to refuse. After seeing a short list of countries that require it, only one or two could be considered free and democratic. Most are under authoritarian regimes, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Democratic Republic of the Congo (there's a winner for ya), Peru, Turkey... I thought China and Cuba were in there, but I didn't see them. I wish more people would vote. They should write in "Nobody". If Nobody wins 51%, then the office must be left vacant.. Win, win..

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tomp]

48. a quiet odious idea.

kind of like the draft. if you can't get people to support your war, impress them into service.

you can't mandate citizenship. you can only educate people to the facts and to their interests.

people aren't interested in voting because they have direct experience that it changes very little.

the only conceivable way i could ever support such an idea is if there is always a "none of the above" option and a requirement that has consequences, i.e., if "none of the above" gets more votes, then no candidate gets elected, and that there must be some reasonably high percentage of total eligible voters that must be reached before a candidate can be elected. in fact, we could just institute that part now: mandatory registration, mandatory 50% of eligible voters required to be elected, at all levels. things would change very quickly.

and by the way, increased turnout is not a value in itself, just like making people show up at school does not equal education. i would venture that a very large percentage of people showing up to vote in general elections are basically clueless as to the ramifications of their vote and are essentially voting based on ameri-pravda instructions anyway.

i think the rest of the reasons in favor of compulsory voting are equally specious.

[TalkingDog]

54. Hey, it can learn! Yes, big words are impressive and if you use spell check all the better.

But if you don't use the correct word, it doesn't matter if it is spelled correctly.

Quiet Odious? What is that? Something repulsive that doesn't make any noise?

Quite. Not Quiet.


I think your bridge is calling.....

[tomp]

36. wow, someone who still thinks effective change comes via the voting booth...

...how quaint.

[TalkingDog]

49. Hey a girl can dream, can't she?

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Ghandi

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. -Thoreau, Walden

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. -Betty Reese

Go the extra mile. It's never crowded. -Author Unknown

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. -Robert F. Kennedy

[lonestarnot]

37. K & R

[tabbycat31]

38. thanks for the reminder

I have a municipal election last week and already voted (by mail). Thanks for the kick in the ass so I can mail my ballot to the board of elections (I can't vote in person as I'll be working on a campaign in another city all day)

[w4rma]

39. Rahm and the DLC types who believe in "targeted" "protect the incumbants" campaigns over grassroots

volunteering and long-term planning are in charge now. The people that fought *against* Dean's 50-state strategy are in the leadership roles and the people that worked for the 50-state strategy are sidelined.

That is why that happened in your town, in a nutshell.

[deacon_sephiroth]

40. where I come from they call that...

"word life"

[Javaman]

41. or she was just bullshitting you. I put nothing past the repukes. nt

[RedCloud]

51. I concur!

[clarence swinney]

This Big Problem For Me

To be published in local Burlington Nc paper
If you miss me it will be because of a killing.
Rips my R pals to shreds

Letter To Editor
CONSERVATIVE RECORD

From 1945 to 1980 each President worked to reduce WWII Debt.
Each percentile gained, almost evenly, in Wealth and Income.
It was the Great Middle Class Years.

Then from 1980 to 2010 we had, mostly, Conservative Control.
Three Presidents for 20 years--18 years Senate-12 years House -- 6 years of Total Control of Government
They took a 600B Budget to 3600B. Less Clinton number.
They took 1000B of Debt and added on 9000B.
Their policies were “designed” to enrich the very rich.
Top 1% had 20% of Wealth in 1980—36% in 1989 --(an 80% increase in eight years of Reagan Tricklenomics ---60% Tax Cut for top 1%).
In 2008 the (1% owned 43% of Wealth) --(10% owned 70%) --( 20% owned 93%.)
80% owned 7% which was 120,00,000 of Middle Class Workers Not Wall Street.

They created 99,000 Net New Jobs Per Month compared to Carter-Clinton record of 222,000 per month. They gave us Great Depression and Great Recession with same Ideology.
They got us involved in nine conflicts compared to Carter-Clinton one.
They created two illegal horrid invasions in two of most destitute, unarmed nations on earth.
They changed friendship of America to hatred by 1500 Million Muslims.
They were responsible for deaths of over 500,000 humans, men, women, and lil' children.
Where are the Christian prayers for all those widows and children without parents. Where are the prayers for thousands maimed for life, lil kids with no legs or arms and brain damage?
What would Jesus Christ say about all this killing, enrich the rich and ditch the poor????
Say what Preachers! You promote Iraq Slaughterama? You promote Wall Street?
The only leadership of a major religion in America to back Iraq Slaughterama was Southern Baptist in Nashville.
Conservatives are determined to place many of these horrors on President Obama our first Black President. The Racists are loose once again in America.
A voter for a Conservative to go to Washington is a vote for :Anti-Christ—Anti America-- Anti --World.
clarence swinney
old-ugly-honest

[clarence swinney]

42. This Big Problem For Me

To be published in local Burlington Nc paper
If you miss me it will be because of a killing.
Rips my R pals to shreds

Letter To Editor
CONSERVATIVE RECORD

From 1945 to 1980 each President worked to reduce WWII Debt.
Each percentile gained, almost evenly, in Wealth and Income.
It was the Great Middle Class Years.

Then from 1980 to 2010 we had, mostly, Conservative Control.
Three Presidents for 20 years--18 years Senate-12 years House -- 6 years of Total Control of Government
They took a 600B Budget to 3600B. Less Clinton number.
They took 1000B of Debt and added on 9000B.
Their policies were “designed” to enrich the very rich.
Top 1% had 20% of Wealth in 1980—36% in 1989 --(an 80% increase in eight years of Reagan Tricklenomics ---60% Tax Cut for top 1%).
In 2008 the (1% owned 43% of Wealth) --(10% owned 70%) --( 20% owned 93%.)
80% owned 7% which was 120,00,000 of Middle Class Workers Not Wall Street.

They created 99,000 Net New Jobs Per Month compared to Carter-Clinton record of 222,000 per month. They gave us Great Depression and Great Recession with same Ideology.
They got us involved in nine conflicts compared to Carter-Clinton one.
They created two illegal horrid invasions in two of most destitute, unarmed nations on earth.
They changed friendship of America to hatred by 1500 Million Muslims.
They were responsible for deaths of over 500,000 humans, men, women, and lil' children.
Where are the Christian prayers for all those widows and children without parents. Where are the prayers for thousands maimed for life, lil kids with no legs or arms and brain damage?
What would Jesus Christ say about all this killing, enrich the rich and ditch the poor????
Say what Preachers! You promote Iraq Slaughterama? You promote Wall Street?
The only leadership of a major religion in America to back Iraq Slaughterama was Southern Baptist in Nashville.
Conservatives are determined to place many of these horrors on President Obama our first Black President. The Racists are loose once again in America.
A voter for a Conservative to go to Washington is a vote for :Anti-Christ—Anti America-- Anti --World.
clarence swinney
old-ugly-honest

[defendandprotect]

45. Agreed -- it certainly didn't help women nor African Americans not to have a vote . . .

but we also have to understand that the large computers used by MSM to PREDICT and CALL

elections are manipulations in every sense -- including the reversing of that power which

we saw in 2000 --

and we have certainly suffered the hacking of our voting computers for decades --

The computers began coming in during the mid-late 1960's ... just about the time America

was passing The Voting Rights Act!


I'd question every vote back to Nixon/Humphrey -- 100,000 vote difference there?

[freddie mertz]

55. I guess too many people have forgotten the struggle of so many to be ALLOWED to vote.

It is pathetic, the lack of civil awareness out there.

YES the candidates are often terrible and there is little choice between them.

But I always show up to vote, in honor and memory of those who fought and died for the right to do so.

[freddie mertz]

56. I guess too many people have forgotten the struggle of so many to be ALLOWED to vote.

It is pathetic, the lack of civil awareness out there.

YES the candidates are often terrible and there is little choice between them.

But I always show up to vote, in honor and memory of those who fought and died for the right to do so.

[upi402]

58. Corporate Dems discourage voting

People say, "What's the difference?" -and they have a point. I vote anyway and ALWAYS vote for non-corporatists in primaries. Never voted for Clinton or Gore because they were corporatists in the Dem party which pisses me off to no end!

[WI_DEM]

60. first, she shouldn't be saying that second, she may be herself a repuke and was just saying that.