Today, I voted (plus, Orson Scott Card and Liberal Logic)

As many of you know, Oregon is the “mail-in voting” state. In a country where people yell and scream over dangling chads, stolen ballot boxes and voter disenfranchisement, we Oregonians trust the U.S. Postal Service to send us our ballots and then return them. Of course, to use the mail-in option, you actually have to vote several days before the election, which I find highly suspect, if not just plain wrong.

So, in the spirit of American Independence, I chose not to vote early. I vote on the 2nd Tuesday of November, period. I wait until the last minute, allowing for any late-breaking scandals, and proudly deliver my vote, in person. So, today, in true Oregonian fashion, I filled out my ballot (in black ink), sealed and signed it, and drove down in the pouring rain to the City Hall.

Our City Hall is an unobtrusive structure – in fact, it’s cleverly disguised as a steel building with a partial brick facade, with all of the character of a double-wide trailer. So, I parked in the lot, stepped out into the drizzle and wandered around the building looking for the front door. I found it around the corner and opened it, allowing for 3 other patriotic citizens to exit the lobby.

Our City Hall lobby is reminiscent of many other cheap government offices, filled with posters, stacks of forms and people behind counters who completely ignore you. But, I quickly found the ballot boxes, two highly-secure Rubbermaid tubs with rectangular slots cut into the ends. I selected a box, and proudly deposited my ballot. Unlike the many other voting halls I have been in over the years, no one thanked me for voting or handed me an “I Voted!” sticker. No one checked my ID, or even watched me to make sure I didn’t toss a match into the boxes.

Voting isn’t what it used to be, at least in Oregon.

So, all of you people in Ohio, Tennessee and Florida, don’t complain. At least you seem to have people who actually care about the process.

But wait, there’s more…

Some of you may be familiar with Orson Scott Card, author, Mormon & Democrat. He’s written several very intriguing sci-fi and fiction novels. He also is the author of an article published yesterday, titled “The Only Issue This Election Day.”

Card is no Venusian (see yesterday’s post if you need that explained). He, though a Democrat, expresses very succinctly and logically why the worst thing that could happen to this country would be for the Democrats to control the House and the Senate. It’s worth reading, so please do so.

This just goes to show you that not all Democrats are Venusians. It is possible to be a liberal while retaining your ability to think. It’s encouraging.

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3 Responses to Today, I voted (plus, Orson Scott Card and Liberal Logic)

  1. I’m thinking that you are tilting at the cartoon version of Democrats, rather than looking at them through critical analysis. It is a common ailment to all political stripes.

    I, for example, have been flabbergasted that conservatives continue to support the sort of power-grabbing and imperialism that the current White House has been engaging in.

    The president is a charlatan who takes pride in not sweating the details, and a poor example of leadership. Even Pat Buchanan is disgusted.

  2. me says:

    That is not really what I have said
    Though I admit that I do prefer red
    Blues don’t know what “is” is,
    Will soon raise our taxes,
    And do their best to muck up the Fed.

    Nancy Pelosi
    is now speaker of the House
    Heaven help us all

    Two roads diverged into a yellow wood
    And sorry that I could not avoid both
    and be one American, long I thought
    and considered logically as best I could
    and voted for the lesser of two evils.

    Ok, I’m tired of poetry. The good news is that Ms. Pelosi (she’s not even from Venus… I’m guessing Neptune?) is certain to provide tons of great blogging material.

  3. Quixote says:

    The country’s much better off Red.
    We must ward off the Blue virus spread—
    If the Blues win the nation is dead!
    Such a notion should fill us with dread.
    At least that’s what Alden’s Blurt said.
    But if the horizon is Blue up ahead,
    Will he be a Canadian instead
    Or go Mormon and just head for bed?

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