Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Democracy

Yesterday I voted in the Texas primary. I am part of that magic 5% of Texans who "pulled the lever" for Ron Paul. Yeah - it felt good to go against the flow. Here's a short video clip from the Onion News Network - because they say it better than I ever could!


Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

18 comments:

Holly said...

vote-schmote...
Politicians can blab all they want about what they plan on accomplishing/reforming/providing/
what have you, but in the end very little ever gets done.

Let's just do what the NFL does at the beginning of a game and toss a coin.

That's democracy for ya.

Charles North said...

I guess I make fun as a way of avoiding being too cynical.

jenn said...

I'm with y'all! I was going to vote yesterday but was unable to get there. Really...it's not an excuse! I was going to do a write in. Who wants Justin for President?? Hey, it's probably just as good as the other candidates!

jenn said...

In all honesty...I want to know the cure for awakeness more than anything!! :)

Helen said...

I just say let the other people waste their gas to go to the polls! I would love to see a woman running the show for once but just not a Clinton!! It is in God's hands so why worry,right??

David said...

Charles, Ron Paul! Seriously, I do not understand even the purpose of voting for Ron Paul and why he is even still in the race, epsecially after McCain has clinched the nomination. Now before that there was a slim hope that Huckabee could still play somewhat of a spoiler and all you Ron Pauler's took Chuck away from us! Oh well, at least I still got his autograph.

On a more serious note, I do think people care this election more than many in the past because Washington has done such an abismal job. The problem is that no matter who becomes President we will still have the same old people in Washington. Its just some of them have changed buildings.

Also, whoever said that America was a democracy. We're a republic. Not even Greece, who invinted democracy was a true democracy. A true democracy is not possible. Every utopia (Plato's, Moore's, 2nd Isaiah's) has to have someone who is still "lower" class and whose voice does not count as much as others.

Charles North said...

I'm actually way less cynical about this election than past elections. I'm excited more people are participating. My vote for Ron Paul was a protest vote, but I actually do have libertarian tendencies - which is why I understand the difference between being a democracy and a republic. Our founders never even used the word democracy. Patrick Henry objected to the use of the term "We the people" in the preamble to the Constitution. I'll probably vote for McCain in Nov, but I have a really hard time following the logic of conservatives who love Bush but not McCain. It makes no sense!

David said...

I honestly do not know enough about McCain yet to decide but I think for most conservative Republicans it is because McCain agrees with the Democrats on a lot of issues. Also, I keep hearing from people like my parents that they don't trust McCain. As for me, if Obama gets the nod that's probably who I'll end up voting for, but if Hillary then probably McCain.

I'm still sad about Chuck :(

Anonymous said...

Well Charles, it looks like Ron Paul has stepped out of the race. I could say that you wasted a vote...

It was inevitable that McCain would recieve the nomination. I think people in these later states that were going to support Paul or Huckabee would have done better to vote for Obama. The Huckabee and Paul supports could have given Obama a decisive win in Ohio and Texas. That would have gone a long way to ensuring an Obama nomination, and I do not believe that Obama's youth and smooth speech could stand up to McCain's experience and record (especially if McCain brings along someone like Huckabee as his vice).

My fear is that Clinton (in all her smugness and haugtiness) will win the nomination by manipulating the flawed Democratic Party nomination process. Her nomnation would lead to a harder battle for the Presidency.

Just some thoughts...

Charles North said...

Mark. That's some good analysis. I think Hillary beats McCain easier than Obama. For all our public declarations of diversity and open-mindedness, I think there are still lots of people, who, when in that voting booth, will not vote for a black man. Pointing that out is not racist. Everyone knows it. Plus, I have a hunch that if elected Hillary will be the next Margaret Thatcher - an "iron lady."

David said...

Mark, you are so correct. I did not know that you could vote for Obama in the primary if you were a registered Republican so I voted for Huckabee. I have hope that there are enough people out there who hate Hillary from both parties to keep her ultimately out of it. If she gets in, I am worried because then we are having the same old people in Washington all over again. Also, I am still not quite sure yet about McCain. I'll have to do some more research on him but like I said before as of now Obama would probably get my vote.

jenn said...

y'all just need to vote for Justin!

Helen said...

I agree with jenn everyone should vote for Justin! Hey, at least his record would be clean and we know he hasn't been sleeping around with his staff :) LOL

Charles North said...

That would be pretty disturbing! You could always write his name on the ballot. You could write my name on the ballot - no wait - I wasn't born here, so I can't be President. Pity!

Anonymous said...

I hate feeling like the best I can do is vote for the lesser of two evils. In the end, it's still evil that wins! I can easily understand how some people in the church can take a stand to not participate in the political process.

A.H. Jordan said...

My barber loves to talk politics, and he made an interesting observation about Ron Paul a few weeks ago. Archie said he didn't mind folks voting for Paul, he just felt like they should be forced to get a tatoo or a chip implant so we would know who they are.

I cast a protest vote as well for Huck', but I'll be willing to get behind McCain if for no other reason than it would be nice to have somebody say "hey, the other guys might be on to something here, let's go talk to them," as opposed to playing a zero-sum game on every politica issue.

Charles, I may also need to take some time to explain the concept of the billable hour so you will quit defaming my profession from the pulpit. Try picking on dentists, that's the real racket.

Charles North said...

Andrew - I can't. I have an 8am appointment with Dr. Sloan tomorrow. To prepare I'll watch the "anti-dentite" episode of Seinfeld,

jenn said...

Not sure how much that episode will prepare you! But atleast you will have clean teeth! :)