Wednesday, October 29, 2008

What counts, and what doesn't?

The minute hand clicks forward and I sit motionless, curled up on the couch, pondering this and that. It's early. Thoughts don't fully form yet and that's more than alright. I wonder what must be going on in houses and offices around the world, where now is not too early to be awake and functioning. I think about our country and wonder the inevitable, will things ever change?

We stayed in last night. Andy made Indian food, and we voted. Some decisions were easy, some took more reading and thinking, and some I couldn't decide and so I went with my gut. But really, isn't that all voting ever really is? Going with your gut? I mean, really, what else is there?

Either way I'm glad I voted. But one thing still gets to me...at the top of my ballot, the heading on top of the list of candidates it states:

"Your vote for the candidate for United States President and Vice President shall be a vote for the electors supporting those candidates."

So does my vote actually count? Not if I vote against the electors. Darn, I almost bought into the lie.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah the whole Electoral College thing STILL pisses me off, and will until I die or they go away, whichever comes first.

I skipped a lot of the options when it came to arenas I had no understand of, and didn't have the time to research - like the judges and stuff.

I love the mail-in ballots in Oregon - why doesn't everyone do it this way?

Happy Girl said...

I just voted too and wondered the same thing... have wondered it forever it seems so wrong. Is voting an illusion meant to keep us little sheep in line thinking we are going somewhere? And then I remember eternity and feel much better.

Melanie said...

You know, I have to say, this is something that has never really bothered me. I hear people complain about it off and on, though, and it always makes me think - why would have the writers of the constitution set it up that way? The only thing I can think of (I haven't gone looking for their writings on it yet) is that it requires that the person running for president to make their appeal on a broad basis, to appeal to people throughout the country, rather than just appeal to a high-density group in one area of the country.

In defense of your vote - it is what directs your state's electoral college. So, in what way would it not count?

meg said...

Mel - I like your insight, thanks for the probing dialogue. I guess I always think of it in this simple way...Because of where I live the majority vote my not fall into line with my vote, and it seems that if I moved to another region my vote would fall into line with the majority vote. So does my vote count if it is against the popular vote? Will it shift the state's electoral college?

I like your point about the writers of the constitution, but I wonder if they ever imagined our country being so densely populated and the "popular vote" in some states not reflecting the "electoral" vote in the nation.
Thoughts I ponder. Thanks again.

Melanie said...

Good point about the size of the nation. It would be interesting to hear the founders re-debate the way the government should be set up had they imagined how large our country would become. The fact is, I don't even know my state representatives, and I think a critical part of the representative government set up was that the voters would know the character of their representatives first-hand. What to do? I don't want to live in a direct democracy.

And to onefinemess, I say Amen! As no longer a voter of Oregon, I am worried about how long I may have to wait in line tomorrow. I didn't take the day off.