Civic yada, yada, Duty
Ok, I want to wax poetic all about how you have to vote because it is the foundation of our nation and all that greatness. But the reality (and we are nothing if not about reality here in Snarkville) is that failure to vote means you don’t get a right to complain. Even if you vote for the guy who wins.
You see, I know the lines are insane and this ought to be a holiday for everyone in order to stand in line and be heard. But I firmly believe that if you complain about government, taxes, health care, Wall Street, war, etc, the first question you should be asked is “Did you vote?” and if you can say yes I did, then you shall be allowed to continue. If you say no (without the follow-up of “I can’t vote because I’m not a citizen, felon, or under 18.”) you should be forced to sit through a high school civics class until you understand that the right to vote is important, worthy of wars we have fought, and gives you the almighty right to complain.
I don’t love the candidate I voted for. I don’t think he is the best man for the job. But I have the right to complain about him or the other guy — because I cast my vote. I think that’s more important than complaining about standing in line.
But I already have a complaint. I vote absentee, since I don’t live in the state I’m registered (yes, it is ok/legal/whatever). So, my vote was cast two weeks ago. So, today, when everyone else will sport these cool “I Voted” stickers (that I see as translating to “I have the right to complain for the next 4 years” stickers.) I don’t have one. I will go to the grocery store and the employees (who voted) will look down at me and tsk (I hear it — I know they do it) because appartently I’ve given up my right to complain.
I want to scream that I voted; I’m done; I’m in the club. I hoped that with the number of early voting places might end my suffering. But alas, in the state of Snarkville, it appears they gave even their absentee ballot people the sticker (as seen by a guy on the news this morning). Take that Swing State where I really vote — get it together and put a dang sticker in the mail with the instructions to DRAW a LINE in three languages!!
Not that I’m bitter — I just hate the pity looks from the grocery store people.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Exactly… if you don’t vote, you can’t complain!
The kids and I will all go vote together when my son gets home from work. The hubby’s already voted, too.
Then… it’s off to Starbucks to get our free “I Voted” coffee!
November 4th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I know the feeling – I could really have used a free Starbucks today. No sticker for me either – but at least I didn’t wait in line 3.5 hours to vote early like some people I know. They’re kicking themselves today, as the lines are only about 1/2 an hour long.
November 8th, 2008 at 7:51 am
When we were getting our free Election Day ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s, we noticed a lot of people in line with Starbucks cups. Doubling-dipping so to speak.
November 20th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Late to the party here, but… we voted absentee simply because we were told we had no choice: not enough non-absentees to make it worth staffing a precinct over. Our ballot came with “I voted” stickers to stick on at will.
Our precinct’s been run so badly in the past that I quite understand why my neighbors all bugged out of going there.
Hey! I voted! I just complained! Score!