the USA elections

madameshawshank · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:18 am Post subject: the USA elections

well now..for me, the images that I find difficult to comprehend are the long long lines of voters..

here, in Australia, where voting is compulsory...virtually in and out..drive to the local school...long lines are unheard of...

seems some of the touch screens aren't working all that well...ah...

so 'nuff of that...this message simply to wish all in the USA the very best wishes..
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

Zoe · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Haifa, Israel

bainst · Joined: 07 Aug 2005 Posts: 151 Location: Baghdad, Iraq

Yes, I anticiapte a long wait but it is worth it. Th longs line are partly due to the fact that large groups of people (black, young, etc) who never felt the urge to vote before finally feel th need to have their voice heard.
I'm palnanning a little red white and blue party for my self. Luckily for me since I am on the west coast, I hope that I don't have to stay up too late to get the final results.
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Live as if to die tomorrow. Learn as if to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi

Zoe · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Haifa, Israel

bainst, I know there are a lot of first-time voters this election (which is great!) but weren't the lines pretty bad in 2000 and 04, too? For me, and I imagine that for madame as well, it's a strange sight; we live in countries where a larger percent of the electorate votes and yet the wait times are rarely that bad, if ever. I've never waited more than five minutes to vote. But we only vote on one thing: a party for our parliament (the Knesset). Makes it quicker and less confusing!

msue · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 368

Voting lines are expected to be long this year because of the record turn out. There is an excitement about the presidential race that has captured the attention of many people, no matter what side they are on.

Many states or cities have an option to vote early for those who prefer. I voted on the first day of early voting, and it took 20 minutes from the time I got in line to the time I cast my ballot. My husband voted this morning, and he walked right in without a wait. It just depends where you are.

I love voting, and will watch the returns until the results are locked in. There's a bottle of bubbly chilling in case it is a happy night!

Erin · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

Well as of this morning before our polls opened 44 million of us had voted early, so the lines could be worse. Personally, I don't care about the long lines and find it exciting that so many have chosen action over apathy at last. My polling station had a line around the block before the polls even opened. It made me happy that so many are finally taking part in democracy instead of sitting ildy by while other make the decisions for them.
As to the questions about our process, yes, things need to change. A close friend of mine worked in the Washington State absentee department in 2004 and saw the Gregiore/Rossi debacle. She got an up close and personal view as to how broken it is. Maybe now that the country that is waking up and beginning to put up a fight for their country we will be able to fix these things.

No matter what side of the aisle you sit on we are entering an exciting time in America. As Victor Laszlo said to Rick Blaine, "welcome back to the fight".
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

madameshawshank · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 11:45 pm Post subject:

Goodness me Erin.."we are entering an exciting time in America"..as I read that line I went all goosebumpy..once I asked someone what it meant..the time of goosebumps..she told me to pay particular attention to that moment...it's your body telling you something..an important moment she said..I rather like that...

Can't recall ever being THIS interested in an American election before...as for the lines..long before the internet, I can remember long lines for ticket sales...especially one rather longgggggggggggg wait for tickets for The Rolling Stones Smile

_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

Erin · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 4:11 am Post subject:

Madame, my mother in-law told me this morning that she and my father in-law were having a special dinner and taking a walk to the polls afterwards. Something they do every election day. Doing their civic duty is something they feel is important enough to do together and make into a personal moment. I am seeing them a little bit different now.

Loving ones country entails more than flag waving, it means speaking up, criticizing (even if it's your own party) and casting a ballot. You can't make your country great if you don't care.

Sorry I'm a bit of a typing cliche this evening, seeing those lines at 6:00am this morning filled me with pride.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

varnadore · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 26 Location: Renton, WA

They have called it for Obama

varnadore · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 26 Location: Renton, WA

This is the last time we will go to the polls here. All mail in now, which I have done for years. I took my preschoolers over to the main building to see voting. It was very moving, the librarian took pictures of us.All the grown ups, voters, teachers, poll workers, I think were really moved to see the kids, being very quiet and serious... I got a little perclemt!

woodstocker · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 224 Location: kingston, ny

I early voted on Saturday in central florida, a key battleground state. All four candidates were in my area more times than I can remember fighting for every last vote. The local university had a reported 3+ hour wait in line to vote this afternoon (4 pm local time, polls closed at 7). Voting this past Saturday entailed a 45 minute wait at the local town hall. I must also echo Erin in her pride in the American people to actually get out and vote. This was my brother's first time voting and he drove home from college to do so, along with several of my other friends who are still in university. Very Happy

Erin · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:51 am Post subject:

I have hope.

Varnadore, I think that is really cool that you showed your kids the process.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

madameshawshank · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:47 am Post subject:

From a liveblog I've been reading for hours!

"When Obama was a kid, he would have had to ride the back of the bus in a lot of this country. And now he's going to run the country."

Loved the spot in his speech where he spoke of the 106 year old who voted....Obama mentioned that both her being a woman and the particular colour of her skin had prevented her from voting ...years back..'n now this!

Well wishes to the USA..

I found McCain's speech gracious....

Remarkable scenes at Grant Park...

Well wishes to the USA...to all...
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

Donna · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 827 Location: Oakland, CA

Happily, no repeat of the electoral fraud we've seen in the last two elections! Voting machines seem to have worked flawlessly, for the most part. We ALL felt strongly enough to make the effort to go out and vote - old, young, Black, white, Democrats and Republicans. I am wiping away tears of joy after listening to both Obama's speech of acknowledgement of his win and McCain's concession speech. They both struck all the right notes. I am hopeful that my country will reestablish alliances that George Bush destroyed or maimed and that we will work as a world to solve the many problems that look very global.

I am proud of my president elect - after eight years of embarassment.
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

Rachel · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 296 Location: Santa Barbara, CA

I voted two weeks ago, and so did my mom (Illinois being one of the states with early voting), and am glad I did - my stepdad went to vote at 6am today (or rather, yesterday) and had to wait 45 minutes! He said he'd never seen the like in his life.

Now, having watched the returns, and the concession speech, and the acceptance speech, I'm giddy with joy and relief. And after several sleepless nights, I'm also ready for bed!