by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2008/11/01 19:59 -04:00, original URI: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/michkap/archive/2008/11/01/9028539.aspx
Here I am, home in a Saturday afternoon and pondering what I'm going to do tonight (the choice is between several things that aren't really sounding too exciting, but maybe it will pick up).
Over to my right is a huge pile of mail asking me to vote for various people, including Rossi (who I wouldn't vote for), Gregoire (who I don't love but who is way better than Rossi, in my book), Deb Eddy (who I have no real opinion on and have until now never heard of), Barak Obama (whose principal benefits to me are that he is not McCain and he does not have a running mate like Palin).
There are others, including a recommendation to vote for Mass Transit (a safe bet given I gave up my car?), and to something from WA Realtors asking me to call the Governor and my state legislator (Eddy?) and ask them not to tax anyone, in my copious spare time.
At least one them discusses how important November 4th should be to me as a homeowner (which I am not).
Another points out how someone is interfering with my right to choose when it comes to me receiving emergency contraception after being sexually assaulted (which seems highly improbable or more accurately impossible, though I understand if I strip away the rhetoric that it was aimed at women and happened to hit me).
I actually got two of that last one because one was put in the wrong mailbox, though I called the guy it was addressed to and he decided that he was also unlikely to be sexually assaulted and in need of emergency contraception, and planned to vote against Rossi anyway (as does his girlfriend who lives with him), so I could chuck it. He wondered if there was a way to forward junk mail like this without forwarding the real mail....
There's more to the pile, but you get the idea.
I happen to look over at the answering machine I have attached to my listed, landline phone. The one that I only use to torture telemarketers when the mood strikes. There are twelve messages, mostly reminding me to vote and to tell me my polling place, a message which would be much more useful if
There was also a very nice message from Michelle Obama where she did not mention my name so I guess it was a recording. A shame about that one, she has a nice speaking voice. But then there were a lot of people to contact so I understand.
Interestingly, the messages from earlier in the week were the Republican party automatic messages, and later in the week is mostly volunteers (plus the Michelle call), all democrats.
I'm unable to fathom why it was all Republican earlier and now it is all Democrat. Maybe they are taking turns? Weird.
None of the Republican calls seemed to help me with the polling place. Though on the plus side, if you don't give me the polling place then you won't give me the wrong polling place.
I am left wondering if the one giving me the wrong place was intentionally put in to screw with my ability to vote. The caller identified himself only as Matthew.
Oh well -- no harm, no foul. Maybe either place would be okay. If I needed them.
Don't even get me started on the TV commercials.
But the absentee ballot seems like the best approach, if I am a homeowner about to be sexually assaulted....
I know this is important, all of it. And I know that decisions are made by and for the people who show up. But other than inspiring me to write this blog making fun of the efforts, it really isn't gonna affect much here.
Is this the best way to affect change?
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