Hundred million bottles
When I was growing up, my parents were in that demographic of Democrats who didn't understand why the party seemed to have turned its back on their values. I remember asking them, more than once, why they didn't just switch parties. I'm sure I got some valuable lessons about how the important thing is that you think about your vote, and don't just let the party decide for you. But what I remember was my mother's sharp phrase,
"Because then I get to vote against the bastards twice."
Maryland, you see, had closed primaries, where you can only vote the ballot of the party you're affiliated with. If you want to switch parties, you have to change your registration 3 months in advance. (Which is still the law, near as I can tell.) The Great State of Ohio, on the other hand, has open primaries, where you can choose your party on primary day.
This is fun.
Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is running for Governor of Ohio this year. Set aside for the moment that he's a radical right-winger who's in the pocket of the theocratic wing of the party. Ignore the fact that his economic plans for the state make no sense, yet his personal financial dealings show a remarkable prescience. (At least about who's going to get a big government contract.)
In Ohio, the Secretary of State is ultimately responsible for ensuring that elections are run right. So I'm not too happy with Blackwell's job performance.
And thanks to the beauty of the open primary, I get to vote against the S.O.B. twice.
"Because then I get to vote against the bastards twice."
Maryland, you see, had closed primaries, where you can only vote the ballot of the party you're affiliated with. If you want to switch parties, you have to change your registration 3 months in advance. (Which is still the law, near as I can tell.) The Great State of Ohio, on the other hand, has open primaries, where you can choose your party on primary day.
This is fun.
Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is running for Governor of Ohio this year. Set aside for the moment that he's a radical right-winger who's in the pocket of the theocratic wing of the party. Ignore the fact that his economic plans for the state make no sense, yet his personal financial dealings show a remarkable prescience. (At least about who's going to get a big government contract.)
In Ohio, the Secretary of State is ultimately responsible for ensuring that elections are run right. So I'm not too happy with Blackwell's job performance.
And thanks to the beauty of the open primary, I get to vote against the S.O.B. twice.
posted by Joe at 10:38 PM
4 Comments:
Here in Indiana we have open primaries, too.
I declared yet again with a 'D' on the voter registration sheet in our primary yesterday. As much as I disagree with some of the Democratic Party's ideals and platform, they are the 'lesser of two evils'...I disagree with the Republican's more frequently.
Many of the disagreements that I have with the Dems are on issues like abortion (I am against abortion), but I am also realistic enough to understand that the Republicans use the abortion issue on election day and then pay lip service to it the next 4 years.
GWB said he would attempt change the abortion laws...I am still waiting. I knew he would never end up doing anything on the issue, it is an issue of convenience designed to appeal to the religious right.
When I walked in to vote, the poll watchers were all talking about "that small town in Ohio where people stood in the rain all day" and how amazing they thought it was. Alas, I was not wearing any paraphanalia. I did tell them that you were oppressed by Democratic Doritos and they laughed.
I have always preferred the strategery of the blanket primary which was offered here in Washington This enables all of us to vote for anybody regardless of our/their party, with the top Republican vote-getter in each party advancing. I can decide to vote for the Democrat I want to win or the Republican I'm sure will lose. If I do the latter, I risk not getting my way on the former. How to decide?
Alas, two years ago it was struck down as unconstitutional, so I've lost the joy of voting FOR the son of a bitch now so I could vote AGAINST him later in a sure win.
It's believed that in the 1996 gubernatorial election, Gary Locke (Democrat) won easily (58/42) in what is usually a pretty balanced state because his Republican opponent, Ellen Craswell, was so horribly, embarrassingly, unpalatably right-wing. And, it is also said, part of the reason she was on the ballot was because Dems voted for her in the primary.
I have been reminded that it was my father who said "I get to vote against the bastards twice."
My mother called them sonsabitches.
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