Lame-ass firsties

I'm only commenting in a desperate attempt to be first! I'm not from California. In fact, I'm not even from the US!

Damn it. Scuppered by Fraize!

Oh, and incidentally, those 30 second commercials? They're not so much with the cold, hard facts.

Just a word to the wise.

Well, I being a responsibile citizen would vote, but I am Canadian, therefore it would not count. har har Seriously, elections especially national ones are a joke. If you live in the west, your vote, will for all intents and purposes will not count. Most of the population resides in the East, the election is usually called before coverage even begun out here. (Western Canada). Oh well what are you going to do, such is life. So much for my political rant. :-P

I started looking through my San Diego County sample ballot this weekend, reading up on the candidates. Have the state one to go through also. I'll be out tomorrow.

I don't think we ever got this much info in WI on elections. It's kinda nice.

My tax dollars at work, I'm sure!

Hello.
Long time reader, first time poster.

I am normally a huge supporter of free elections, but this time...I may just pass. Why? If I get one more 'pre-recorded' message on my answering machine I'll go crazy. I also got about 12 calls this weekend as well to support something or someone. I'm not going to mention the forest worth of paper I get weekly from canidates and issues.

How much does all this nagging cost? A pretty penny I'm guessing. I have a funny feeling I'm paying for all of it...or will be paying at some point. This is not part of the process.

And the commericals? I'm moving to Canada

Bah, voting sucks. You have to wake up early, stand in long lines... then you're late for work. It's all a big hassle if you ask me.

Sure, why not move to Canada. Our national election campaign process beginning to vote takes about six weeks. hehe Very few smear tactics, all the candidates say " Vote for me and not them. " and that's about it. hehe :)

I'd vote but I live in Chicago where voting means absolutely nothing.

One of my neighbors is working on the development of a computer-based national voting system. Here's to hoping it goes somewhere! (Not that it would make the candidates any better, but it would make it easier to choose the lesser of the evils....)

It can be so frustrating, sometimes, living in Texas and being such a tree-hugging hippie type. Every elected official in Texas save a very small few, are Republicans. The air I breathe is sodden with soot (hey! alliteration!), trees are being felled, more and more earth is being covered by asphalt and while we represent only 7% of the US population, we execute 34% of everyone executed in the US.

I continually chant the mantra "my vote counts...my vote counts... my vote counts..." but it gets increasingly frustrating. How does one combat this?

Gah, Don't discourage people, you aloof minions.

I love the campaign finance info at the Sec o' State site.

Not trying to discourage the peepz! I'm just trying to figure out how NOT to!

The coolest thing about living in Minnesota is that voting is sooooo easy, and every vote really does count! Know how you register to vote? Just show up at the voting booth with a letter delivered to your house showing your name & address. If you don't have a letter, bring any registered voter with you; if they vouch for you, you're in! And I know every vote counts, because Jesse Ventura got elected governor! Florida may be warmer, but I'll take Minnesota any day.

Well, I would vote, but being from Oklahoma, my vote counts just as much as Capt. HarHar in Chicago, which is my second home by the way.

I would say that my vote counts here in Oklahoma, but I am in the majority here, so when my party wins, I can think my vote counted.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Wil. The only thing worse than not voting is uninformed voting. My college is about to go through elections, and while I know who is BEST for each position, I am afraid whoever is most POPULAR or who is CUTEST will get the job.

Kinda sad, but people sometimes just dont care. I guess thats why the electoral college was put in place in the first place. Uninformed and uneducated voters of one type or another.

Oh Well...at least there will always be WWDN. And Strongbad...gotta love Strongbad and his email.

Yes, Unca Willie is right -- vote!

And, those TV and radio ads aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

Cynically yours....

Those 30 second commercials arent the "god's honest truth?!?!!" Next thing you're going to tell me is the Easter bunny isn't real....

Seriously, I hate state/local elections, there just doesn't seem to be enough information available about the candidates, without some digging. Some of the candidates DID make it easy for me though, with their "conservative values" spots. I can safely say they will not be getting my vote.

(When I first came to this site, I thought posting here to be lame, but then, I was afraid it was tantamount to being a sycophant, and that's the last thing I wanted to be. I have been proven wrong, I see now (and have for some time) it's just people communicating.... or maybe I've just been assimilated. :P)

Thanks Wil. Now I have to go listen to Combat Rock. Ah screw it. London Calling it is.

Hey, I'm a responsible citizen, and i *DON'T* vote. Why? Because I believe the system is SO broken, it's not worth perpetuating any longer.

My .03,

Jeremiah

PS- Wil, you've been linked-to.

If you don't vote, don't bitch.

Jeremiah: Not voting perpetuates the broken system. You've got it backwards.

Conundrum... I'm registered to vote in CA but I'm leaving the state in a few months, before the Novemeber elections. Do I even have the right to cast votes in a place I'm not even going to live in???

Thumper: hell yeah of course you do. If you vote as if you were staying in CA, why should that stop you?

Voting *is* the broken system. The number of people voting who are A) informed, and B) not voting for something criminal as a result, is infinitesimal. If you're one of those people, though, go nuts.

(Could Prop 40 be just a little vaguer?)

Wil

Thanks for spreading the word about the vote. I second the thought that if you don't vote, don't bitch. I just moved to CA and it's been a bit of effort to figure out the candidates and the hot button issues, but it's worth it. I have to agree with others out there...if some candidate is self-labeled as a "conservative Republican" that's all I need to know. I do hate the fact that up here in the central valley, all the conservatives equate Clinton with Satan, like that will help their "don't vote for X because they did this" crap. I'd rather hear why we should vote for some candidate than why we shouldn't vote for the opponent. That's what's wrong with the system.

Ok, getting off the soap box. Sorry folks.

Vote tomorrow if you're registered. If you're not registered, please do so in order to vote in November.

I take it you guys are getting the standard negative campaigning ads saying you shouldn't vote X because of (fill in potential scandal here) instead of why you should vote for Y. Gotta love partisan campaign ads...

I hate election times and can't wait for the day that candidates realize that their constiuents don't like smear campaigns. Smear campaigns turn me off from a candidate (the one who ran the ad that is).

And for those saying the system is broken - yes, I agree. But, as billder put it, not voting makes it worse. You're letting the people who vote uninformed win, perpetuating the vicious cycle. Get out there and vote. Otherwise, quitcherbitchin.

Yeah, you can't fix the system by not voting. If you don't make decisions then your agreeing to let everyone else in the state make the decision for you. So if the voting system is broken, what would you choose to replace it? An interesting question.
If I had the money, I'd love to put out an add campaign during elections saying 'Politicians, smear campaigns are stupid and none of us want to vote for backstabbers, so just tell us what you're worth instead. Citizens, please take action and don't support petty people who can't play nice.' I dunno.. something like that.

Ah, but the constituents DO like smear campaigns!

Maybe you and I don't, but apparently a lot of people do, because if they really weren't working, the politicos would have dropped them a long time ago -- they have some pretty sharp mediawhores working for them. Seriously.

The entire campaigning & electioneering process in this country has turned into just another selection in the Survivor/The Chair/Temptation Island genre. Maybe if we cut the money out of the equation, it'll tame it down a bit. But I'm not holding my breath.

If I vote for X or Y, both of which are virtually identical and neither of which represent me in any way, how is it that this will fix the system we all seem to agree is broken? Why would this not simply perpetuate it? My non-vote IS my vote. Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil...

fuck you and your primary...it can suck a fat cock...why dont u post something worthwhile like a cliff yablonski update you pile of shit....this is the worst site on the intrarnet....eat shit and die

Why is it that when I hear the words "california" and "primary" i hear Kiefer's voice saying "this is the longest day of my life"... beep... beep.. beep... beep..

I am still waiting for Warren Beaty to run for office. Anyhow, I will be out there in the morning cold casting my vote at 7:30 a.m. before I head to work.

"will" wrote:
"fuck you and your primary...it can suck a fat cock...why dont u post something worthwhile like a cliff yablonski update you pile of shit....this is the worst site on the intrarnet....eat shit and die"

Brice Beckham, is that you?
*snicker*

while1 sed: If I vote for X or Y, both of which are virtually identical and neither of which represent me in any way, how is it that this will fix the system we all seem to agree is broken? Why would this not simply perpetuate it? My non-vote IS my vote. Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil...

Yes it is, and unfortunately, that's one thing we can't fix right now. You are free to choose NOT to vote, but you thereby forego your right to bitch about what the person elected did or did not do or how they misrepresented you. If you don't like the candidates, then next time YOU run for office.

"Personally, I think the only thing worse than not voting at all, is voting without being well-informed"

bullshit. voting uninfrmed is much, much worse than not voting at all. it's something incredibly important.. shouldnt be taken lightly.

I definitely agree with you about an uninformed voter being worse than not voting at all. Unfortunately, most people seem to get their "news" from the political advertising that inundates the media a few months before election day... and that's pathetic.

don't choose the lesser of 2 evils. evil is still evil. find a candidate in which you agree with, or write yourself in. or boycott elections because you disagree with how royally fucked up our system is. but if you are gonna boycott it, make it public.

I think its a great idea that you have the political points here for people to see so that everyone can make an informed choice, unfortuatly because I'm in the UK I won't be voting but I think more people should do this so that people can be well informed.

Keep it up

Spike
12.14am GMT
5th March 2002

Don't forget that we're not limited to X or Y, who *are* more or less the same...you can vote for A, B, or C, as well as X or Y. The big problem is that X and Y *deperately* want you to think that they are the only *real* choices, and as long as people refuse to vote for A, B, C, or [write in letter], they are, sadly, correct.

"Know your rights...all three of 'em!"

Mr. Wheaton, you've made my day.

hi ;)

I'm out of state and my absintee junk wasn't sent to me. BAD STATE BAD! I wanted to vote though. But I am glad I don't live in LA county. YOu poor poor people. Makes me not want to vote lol!

Ya know, here in Australia, it's compulsory to vote. Even if it wasn't, I'd still vote. Here in my state, Western Australia, Greens hold the balance of power. Our major parties know that the minor parties don't mean nothing. It's kinda cool. But, if we want something, we still gotta fight for it.

Nacey.

is anyone watching Stand by me? its over now :(

Hi all, and hi Wil.

I/3´m new to this and I/3´m from Germany. (The fame of WWDN has reached Terra Incognita now.)

Once that I/3´m here, and an election day in California is about to come, I/3´d immediately like to bore you with some punk history.

The UK anarchist punk band CRASS has made a very nice statement about elections:

"Whoever you vote for, government wins."

Ok. Now the reason I/3´m calling this very expensive sex telephone hotline is: I/3 have some comments on elections.

I/3 personally hate elections. Elections are things for split personalites. Like the three of me. And the three of you.

Now, I/3 have developed a groundbreaking 1-2-3-system (TM) to deal with my three egos. Here goes:

1) Ego #1 says: Crass (as quoted above) are right.

Voting is bullshit. The problems we have are part of the way our society (read: economy) is organized, and voting is only a part of legitimating that and therefore keeping it alive - so let´s not vote, but go and bring it all down.

2) Ego #2 says: Crass are right.

But this is the real world, so let´s vote for the guy/party closest to what we imagine a free world or at least closest to what we consider as-far-away-from-apocalypse-politics-as-possible, and then see how finally a type-1-world can be made happen.

3) Ego #3 says: Crass are right.

But there´s nothing I can do about it. Let me talk about it for a while, and then feel better.

So. That´s why I/3 hate elections. And that´s why I/3 think you should too.

The three of us will do some Ultimate Fighting now, and then go to bed. Good night.

i gotta ask..."with guitar"?
where in bloomin heck does that come in? is that a crazy american public service announcement kinda thing? it makes me think...but i like it anyway! jsut for the comedic value in this post...thats the only reason however...
cant wait for he next election of any sory in calgary and/or canada...my first time voting! go me!
oh thats great!
colleen~

Hey,

I am all cornfused now, because I heard Warren Olney on "Which Way, L.A.?" (KCRW Rules!) talking about California's Stealth Primary and I thought I missed it...

Turns out it's tommorow, and of course I'm working... yeah, I know, you can get time off from work to vote... but I don't want the scary AGVA Union enforcers coming down to keep me at my post. ("Jete, boy! While you still got legs...")

Voting would make a difference if I knew the candidates or the issues. Guess I better be a good little citizen and do a bit of homework tonight.

Hrmm... homework, Counterstike... homework, Counterstike...? Decisions, decisions.

Aw, screw it. I'm downloading porn.

~j

To all California voters, please make sure that they don't vote the pedophile judge into office tomorrow. Read the diaries this judge kept on his computer. What a sicko. The site that has the story on him and the journals that a hacker was able to access on his computer is: http://www.removejudgekline.com/

And yes, he's still on the ballot... and no, despite charges of lots of child molestation charges being brought against him, he's decided not to save us taxpayers money and remove himself from the bench.

NO ON 45. Keep Term Limits!!!

I'm so angry I could sh*t bricks. I hadn't heard a damn thing about that judge in OC who was an indicted child molester. Only guy on the ballot, buh bye chad!

Fark. I want to go back to my polling place and demand a re-vote. Grrrrrrr.

I can't beleive I was suckered into voting for a child molester. This only goes to show, kids! Do your homework before voting!

You have primary's already?
We, in Washington State, don't have them until September. Makes for a shorter mud slinging session.

>i gotta ask..."with guitar"?
>where in bloomin heck does that come in? is that
>a crazy american public service announcement
>kinda thing

Obviously not a Clash fan.

Visit http://www.geocities.com/jendave/art_down_beat_12_82.html for details on the origins of that line.

By voting you're agreeing to the system, win or lose. You agree to the outcome of the vote. You don't have room to bitch because you knew the risk that your side might lose the election.

According to Locke the non-voters are the only ones with a right to bitch. They didn't consent to the vote and therefore the outcome.

Not that I'm against voting. Just that we shouldn't be down on the non-voters so much. Quite a few non-voters are still politically active, and not as dangerous to the system as the incompetent voters who automatically vote for the incumbent.

your fucking vote does not count remeber prop 187 all those specal intrest groups for the poor fucking wetbacks these 3 world fucks they never had it so good back when are fore fathers came here they learn english jump off the boat all their was drit make it or die assholes mexico has every naturel resores california does they cant make that work so they come over here jam their culture down are throats cost tax payers billions