justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby May 28, 2014 - 2:42pm

I'm so sick of the political campaigning going on; wondered if you guys had the same problem. I've missed  1 time to vote since I was eligible, and I'll vote this go-around, but my heart just isn't in it. I'm an independent voter, but my vote won't count for much. My state generally sucks; there are probably 3 other people in the Tiny Kingdom who will vote as I will. The rest are either the mindless sheep who follow the extreme religious right or they are paying for the Republicans who will get elected. My tax dollars and our democracy at work!

Anyone have some thoughts? 

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby June 29, 2014 - 12:57am

Okay. Everyone gets a pass here for summer; I have no business complaining when only 12-15 people are voting on some really terrific stories in the battles going on in the Writing section--and I'm calling out everyone who could and haven't yet read these fine pieces of fiction from your fellow Litreactor community members.

You guys may not be motivated to vote in these "midterm elections"- but they are important because they elect mostly House members but some Senators, and these people have a huge impact on your lives, whether or not you know it or care. 

Please wake up, get informed, and vote.  And for the record, I'm a GDI-- I vote for who I believe is the best candidate for the job.

Sorry to be boring.  :)

L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami July 2, 2014 - 11:29am

I'm not sure if I'm voting, way to many have ties to big media that lets remember hate hate hate the topic about flying saucers. Why look at the evidence, when you can have a good debunking session?

Needless to say, I don't watch RussiaToday either. If a politician somehow cared enough to force disclosure, I might ... might bring myself to care a little bit.

I could go on and on.

Tony Myles's picture
Tony Myles from Florida is reading Diapers are not Forever - for the nth time July 2, 2014 - 5:01pm

There's no way that I can justify not voting and passively allowing the greater two evils to possibly win. I vote at every available opportunity, this election cycle will be no different. Last week I cast a losing ballot to fill the vacant House seat left by our resident idiot cokehead. A whopping 3% of eligible voters made it the polls, confirming to me how important a single ballot can theoretically be.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 2, 2014 - 9:46pm

I thought you all knew, voting isn't about candidates guys.  It is about making yourself a constituency, a vote they have to worry about upsetting.  That is why any group that is too devoted to either party gets ignored. I'll vote.  Maybe Republican over the local level, maybe 3rd party if it looks like one has a chance to get in there and make things difficult for the establishment.  Locally I'll probably go for Jim Gray.  It is a non-partisan election, but it is an open secret he is a Democrat. He tried to opposed some just flat out stupid stuff, and the local economy has seemed to get better here a bit faster than other places in the region since he took over.

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 7, 2014 - 8:10pm

I jump back and forth amongst all the parties, mostly because in my state, for many of the offices, if you don't vote in the primaries then you have no choice in who wins and will represent you. This is because now we are a solid Republican state; this used to be a solid Democrat state a long time ago. There have been rumblings from the Republicans about stopping voters who aren't registered Republicans from voting in their primaries. If this happens, then I'm SOL as far as electing many of my representatives.

Glad to see you are voting; I'm worried about a lot of things in this election cycle and the next. We need some fresh, sound leaders, especially in my much-deserved maligned state. And voting definitely has made a difference in my suburb for local issues.

Hope you all had a good holiday!

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 8, 2014 - 5:16am

I vote more for entertaining people than anything else.

SConley's picture
SConley from Texas is reading Coin Locker Babies July 10, 2014 - 6:12am

The only things worth voting for are local issues and local politicians. Otherwise, you're wasting your time and supporting a system that doesn't support you. There's an infallible power structure in place and they'll do what they please and give you the illusion that you matter to do so. The only way to truly protest is to not participate in the big elections. I'm going off of the grid (except for Youtube and Netflix) when election season starts, which will be any day now. I don't feel like dealing with all of the mudslinging and vitriol between everyone. It's unhealthy and boring.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 10, 2014 - 4:46pm

That is so crazy sounding man, I hope you are just blowing of steam.  

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 10, 2014 - 6:38pm

I don't know Dwayne; he's right about the mudslinging and 24-hour commercials plus phone calls (even if you're on the do-not-call list. I get sick of it. It's difficult many times to get an idea of what each candidate stands for with all the falderol that goes on. But I continue to research and vote, even though many times it is an exercise in futility for me as my neighborhood is solidly conservative Republican---altho not Tea Party crazy. T'is reality, at least right now.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 10, 2014 - 8:48pm

infallible power structure

If you say that big money groups have an unfair amount of influence, sure.  Infallible?  Not so much.  They aren't all on the same page, conflict does exist.  Big coal wants different things than Coke-a-Cola, whom both want different things than the NRA.  Big tobacco and the insurance companies want different things to the point of being enemies.  Not saying this is ideal or even good, but that language sounds like there is some big monolithic Illuminati ruling the universe instead of a group of powerful, but very difficult to influence groups.

SConley's picture
SConley from Texas is reading Coin Locker Babies July 11, 2014 - 5:44am

I was definitely harping a little bit and i don't think it's anything like the illuminati. It's like you said, it's a group of really powerful and wealthy people who want to protect that wealth. When i see great, sweeping changes and candidates who aren't just shills and BSers, then i'll vote. But i don't see that happening.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 11, 2014 - 10:35am

Anyone remember Governor Gloom?

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 11, 2014 - 12:29pm

Are you talking about Governor Richard Lamm of Colorado, back in the '80s? 

Thuggish's picture
Thuggish from Vegas is reading Day of the Jackal July 11, 2014 - 8:10pm

i'll chime in with a new angle-

i think the real problem is that people in this country no longer agree that personal freedom/liberty is of the utmost importancy. once you let go of that, it all crumbles.

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 11, 2014 - 11:58pm

Whoa!! Hold on Mr. T.!

Personal freedom/liberty is extremely important to me. I would fight for it, and I'm of the female persuasion (not that should make a diff--just a little short on battle experience). 

I think people in this country take a lot of freedoms we have for granted, and I also think they don't understand the nature of the freedoms we have. I have heard the most unbelievable things being touted as "Constitutional rights" that are nowhere near being covered in that document. I am continually amazed at what people will believe when the idiots on Fox News or whatever extreme-right radio station they listen to declare as true some of the BS endlessly spewed from those sources. 

People don't like to change their beliefs. They don't like change. And today, too many people don't want to listen to the truth that's readily available, if only they will listen to a neutral source. Middle class folks who are barely making ends meet are looking for someone/some thing to blame for what's happened to them: their wages have basically stagnated at best, count for less at worst. They feel they're being screwed and nowhere near getting kissed. My state has a shrinking middle class that's really feeling the pinch. We aren't the only state not educating their children to attain the bare minimum of reading and writing (let's not EVEN get into prepping them for technical jobs, let alone helping them get admitted to a junior college). 

History has shown over and over that it ain't a good thing when the uneducated are the majority in your citizen-state and they are hungry and w/o basic necessities (It would be better to face the Zombie Nation, methinks). 

Sorry for the rant. I had a bad day. I'm going to bed now, right after I take my meds  (Oh, Nurse Ratchet? )

:)

Just sayin', if things don't shake out soon, the failure of the nation's infrastructure alone will create some serious chaos. That should concern some of the bozos in Congress, but they don't seem to be listening 

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 12, 2014 - 6:52am
justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 13, 2014 - 1:52am

Ok, D: your point? Or are you calling me out for hijacking my own thread?  :)   

(sigh)

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 13, 2014 - 8:46am

Point?

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 13, 2014 - 7:03pm

You do have one, right? I know about Lamm; just been a long time since there has been a reference to him, bless his misguided mind.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 15, 2014 - 4:50am

Point?

Species84's picture
Species84 from Fluidic space is reading UNIX a standard operating system (1985) by Austen & Thomassen July 16, 2014 - 1:50am

@justwords

Aha, new tournament! :)  Any interesting players on the field? 

 

 

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 16, 2014 - 1:05pm

@Dwayne: Ad in   (cheers!)

@Species84: Hi! Well, as far as players go in the political field iin my part of the world, I guess the usual assorted band of mental escapees, clowns, thieves, power-hungry hypocrites, and ex-convicts. The parade goes on!    (mostly said with tongue firmly planted in cheek)

Species84's picture
Species84 from Fluidic space is reading UNIX a standard operating system (1985) by Austen & Thomassen July 18, 2014 - 10:02am

Names and numbers please. :)  

Can you perhaps put down some names of Alabama politicians so I can give a fresh review on them? 'Cos I am an outsider from far abroad... Haha (please add not to much, how you call them?, southern baptist freaks, I am kind allergic to them, but try me anyway. On the other hand, southern baptist still seams relaxed compared to mormons, those folks are really from another world it seems......

Thanx dude :)

 

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby July 19, 2014 - 2:05am

^ I'll have to get back to you. Too many juicy choices. Southern Baptists are a breed apart... The Evangelicals are amongst us as well. We do have a Mormon contingent, but very small. I am a "lapsed cradle Catholic" -- so I have issues of my own, of course. Our liberals are Episcopals (we've had a breaking away from English Episcopalian tradition; the African Anglican church has taken a good chunk of the regular E's in the South, if you can believe it. The African continent Christians are pretty heavy into tradition and Evangelicanism), but they include other folks as well.

Will reply, probably with other websites, if you're interested. Happy weekend!

Sasquatch Funk's picture
Sasquatch Funk October 14, 2014 - 1:05pm

I have a fresh new angle. Help out the polititions and Judges who are pro cannibis with your kind support and together we can explore the universe on a magic school bus. I'm talking about some of those Judges that are peaking out from behind the hedgerow

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby January 3, 2015 - 2:24am

Cannibus in the Deep South in the open?.. The White King will vow "Off with your Head!" Sasquatch . Besides, you can't pay those in control enough for a law to pass on that at the moment, cheap as they may be sometimes (one was bought for a mere 2 pair of Ferragamo)... Sigh

Thuggish's picture
Thuggish from Vegas is reading Day of the Jackal January 22, 2015 - 9:39pm

^

I don't know, I have family in the south and they do drugs in all those small towns (bigger ones too) like it's going out of style and about to expire.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated January 23, 2015 - 8:35am

In almost all of the south I've been it is like being nude. No one gets arrested for that unless they go in public and even then it is iffy if they aren't doing something to upset someone. I'm not a expert but I try to be and informed laymen and it seems like it is most common to find someone who thinks what you want and put them in office. Just a thought.