WWTBAM Bored

Really, it should speak to anyone who's ever considered sitting out an election:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/womenvote.asp

This one's non-partisan, folks.

One of my students showed a clip from Iron-Jawed Angels last semester. We all went home and put it in our queues.

I just forwarded the site to a whole bunch of teacher friends.

It's non-partisan and very dramatic.

Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with why women sit out or don't sit out. Many people vote because it's basic to their citizenship. Many more don't comprehend that piece of it. One of the political science majors at my alma mater took a survey right before the Presidential election one year. It had one question on it: "Who will get your vote for President?" About one household in every ten knew who the candidates were.

The Australian model gets more and more attractive -- you vote or you're fined. Of course, their entire population is less than California's, so it's probably a little easier than it would be here in States to find and fine those scofflaws.

I must've misread the piece, then, because it sounds to me like you and that author are saying basically the same thing. She just tied it to gender because that was her audience, but as I said in the first post, it really applies to everyone who even thought of sitting out an election. If you could have it rubbed in your face, dramatically, how much people had to suffer to obtain the right to vote, then you might view that "basic citizenship" through a slightly different lens.

Apathy, or perhaps more precisely, misplaced priorities, are the major reasons I see for people not voting.

mrkelley23 wrote:I must've misread the piece, then, because it sounds to me like you and that author are saying basically the same thing. She just tied it to gender because that was her audience, but as I said in the first post, it really applies to everyone who even thought of sitting out an election. If you could have it rubbed in your face, dramatically, how much people had to suffer to obtain the right to vote, then you might view that "basic citizenship" through a slightly different lens.

Apathy, or perhaps more precisely, misplaced priorities, are the major reasons I see for people not voting.

I agree with you.

The headline said "for any women..." I think it should have said, "for anyone..."

Years back, I was chatting with my financial advisor. It was an 'off year' election. He asked me if I was voting. I said - no, it's off year.

He requested that I promise to vote in every election.

I promised.

My promise has been the thing that has gotten me to the polls on those off years.

Maybe each of us could ask people to promise to vote.

SportsFan68 wrote:

mrkelley23 wrote:I must've misread the piece, then, because it sounds to me like you and that author are saying basically the same thing. She just tied it to gender because that was her audience, but as I said in the first post, it really applies to everyone who even thought of sitting out an election. If you could have it rubbed in your face, dramatically, how much people had to suffer to obtain the right to vote, then you might view that "basic citizenship" through a slightly different lens.

Apathy, or perhaps more precisely, misplaced priorities, are the major reasons I see for people not voting.

I agree with you.

The headline said "for any women..." I think it should have said, "for anyone..."

I take it all back.

Your opening statement says anyone.

I always vote, even if I am not happy about the choices.

I vote absentee and make sure that the girls are around when I do it. I've tried telling them that even if you don't like the stuff going on at the top of the ticket, it's important to vote on propositions, local government and bond issues.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I always vote, even if I am not happy about the choices.

I vote absentee and make sure that the girls are around when I do it. I've tried telling them that even if you don't like the stuff going on at the top of the ticket, it's important to vote on propositions, local government and bond issues.

Having lived in CO in the past and done bsuiness in CA for the last 20 or so years - I beleive that in direct access states the Propositions probably impact your lives as much or more than the politicians - things happen there that would never happen in a legislative arena.

CO has a bizillion amendments to the constitution to show for it.

In NC judicial elections can shape our lives a great deal more than many realize.

gotribego26 wrote:Having lived in CO in the past and done bsuiness in CA for the last 20 or so years - I beleive that in direct access states the Propositions probably impact your lives as much or more than the politicians - things happen there that would never happen in a legislative arena.

CO has a bizillion amendments to the constitution to show for it.

This is not a good thing. I will be voting for a Republican this fall partly because she supports revising the Colorado constitution to make it harder to pass amendments. Actually, she supports a full revision, which I am also in favor of. Some of the other part is that she's running unopposed, which is not a bad thing. It would be very hard for a Democrat to run against a Republican incumbent who has espoused Democratic values as she has.

I always vote because I like to bitch about the outcome, and I don't let myself bitch if I didn't vote. I've gone in to find ballots that had races for stuff like dogcatcher that had candidates running unopposed and thought, "The hell?" and that was my amusement for the day. So sometimes you get unexpected goodies...

minimetoo26 wrote:I always vote because I like to bitch about the outcome, and I don't let myself bitch if I didn't vote. I've gone in to find ballots that had races for stuff like dogcatcher that had candidates running unopposed and thought, "The hell?" and that was my amusement for the day. So sometimes you get unexpected goodies...

All that trouble just so you can bitch about the dogcatcher!?!?!?

I pity you, fool!

National Apathy Party wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:I always vote because I like to bitch about the outcome, and I don't let myself bitch if I didn't vote. I've gone in to find ballots that had races for stuff like dogcatcher that had candidates running unopposed and thought, "The hell?" and that was my amusement for the day. So sometimes you get unexpected goodies...

All that trouble just so you can bitch about the dogcatcher!?!?!?

I pity you, fool!

Okay, I always knew I had no life, but when I get the pity of a washed-up, has-been, D-List, FORMER child actor, well, you just don't get any lower than that...

minimetoo26 wrote:

National Apathy Party wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:I always vote because I like to bitch about the outcome, and I don't let myself bitch if I didn't vote. I've gone in to find ballots that had races for stuff like dogcatcher that had candidates running unopposed and thought, "The hell?" and that was my amusement for the day. So sometimes you get unexpected goodies...

All that trouble just so you can bitch about the dogcatcher!?!?!?

I pity you, fool!

Okay, I always knew I had no life, but when I get the pity of a washed-up, has-been, D-List, FORMER child actor, well, you just don't get any lower than that...

And a former child actor who is in trouble with the law. Evidently Gary Coleman and his wife were at a bowling alley and had a run-in with another patron, who accused Coleman of hitting him with his car. This according to TMZ.com. But I thought Coleman had to sell his car a few years ago - at least that's what the infomercial said.

earendel wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

National Apathy Party wrote:
All that trouble just so you can bitch about the dogcatcher!?!?!?

I pity you, fool!

Okay, I always knew I had no life, but when I get the pity of a washed-up, has-been, D-List, FORMER child actor, well, you just don't get any lower than that...

And a former child actor who is in trouble with the law. Evidently Gary Coleman and his wife were at a bowling alley and had a run-in with another patron, who accused Coleman of hitting him with his car. This according to TMZ.com. But I thought Coleman had to sell his car a few years ago - at least that's what the infomercial said.

So it's worse than I thought. *sigh*

earendel wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

National Apathy Party wrote:
All that trouble just so you can bitch about the dogcatcher!?!?!?

I pity you, fool!

Okay, I always knew I had no life, but when I get the pity of a washed-up, has-been, D-List, FORMER child actor, well, you just don't get any lower than that...

And a former child actor who is in trouble with the law. Evidently Gary Coleman and his wife were at a bowling alley and had a run-in with another patron, who accused Coleman of hitting him with his car. This according to TMZ.com. But I thought Coleman had to sell his car a few years ago - at least that's what the infomercial said.

I made the Cash Call and got me some new wheels!

I have to have some pity for my fellow midgets. What kind of bowling do you think they had in that joint I was at?

National Apathy Party wrote:

earendel wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote: Okay, I always knew I had no life, but when I get the pity of a washed-up, has-been, D-List, FORMER child actor, well, you just don't get any lower than that...

And a former child actor who is in trouble with the law. Evidently Gary Coleman and his wife were at a bowling alley and had a run-in with another patron, who accused Coleman of hitting him with his car. This according to TMZ.com. But I thought Coleman had to sell his car a few years ago - at least that's what the infomercial said.

I made the Cash Call and got me some new wheels!

I have to have some pity for my fellow midgets. What kind of bowling do you think they had in that joint I was at?

Was it dwarf bowling?