US: Election day

[Corwin]

Remember to vote (Democrat).

[glammaman2000]

In addition:register for a party!Your vote counts much more in primaries&local elections than in big ones.Inform yourself about propositions.If you don't have time;check the endorsements in a newspaper whose policies you trust.Propositions can have a big effect on your quality of life.

[traveller]

Today I went to vote during lunchtime (my morning since I sometimes work until early morning). I was surprised that I was the only voter at the polling station. I did wonder if the new polling station location for my area affected voter turnout. For each of the past three elections, I was assigned to different polling station locations. Until recently my local polling station was 2 blocks away at a church. The previous election's polling station was about two miles at a middle school. This election's polling station was 2.25 miles away at a building in a park. I consider an odd situation for the land I live on (in California) to slowly moves north while the polling stations where I must go to vote slowly move south. ;^)

traveller

[dallasmsl]

I, too, found that voting stations keep changing each election. Here in Texas, only the Presidential elections are held at the country offices. All other elections seem to be held in church buildings!!! How wrong is that? I just can't understand why they are not always held in the county offices.

As for voting and registering Democratic, go for it. I, however, have become dissillusioned by the leadership of the Democratic Party based on the last presidential election and the Democratic Senators giving GWB the authority to go to war in Iraq without asking for proof. In my opinion (and everyone has one) they just followed behind like sheep and as a result almost 2,100 troops have died and countless numbers of innocent Iraqi men, women, and children have lost their lives, their limbs, and their homes.

I have switched to a third party. I have switched to the Libertarian Party. They actually have a platform and deep set beliefs that do not change with the wind. They OPENLY support gay rights and your rights to use Vitamin C or Vitamin S if you choose. They are not a party of sheep.

[Corwin]

Polling places are chosen by the local elections department, many times with input from party ward chairs and other local officials. Churches, schools and other public buildings are often chosen because they are "in the neighborhood" and offer a large enough space. One new criteria that might be causing lots of changes is handicapped accessibility. The Help America Vote act contains very specific provisions about making voting accessible to people with disabilities. If your prior polling place was inaccessible, that might explain the new location.

As for third parties, historically, they get usurped by the major parties. Libertarians are basically being sucked into the republican party. Witness legislation like constraining eminent domain -- pushed by republicans but very much a libertarian idea.

Party matters. There are few "independents" in the US Congress, and no libertarians, greens, etc. The two party system is farily entrenched in our system of government. We are not a parliamentary democracy where third parties can get aspects of their platform adopted by the government. In our system, the majority part(y)(ies) set(s) the agenda.

As for the democratic leadership, that is still pretty much in a state of flux as the new chairman of the DNC reorganizes the institution. You are seeing the beginnings of that change with the DNC's 50 states plan, the elimination of constituency "desks" and removing the distinction between fund raising and political operations. You are also seeing a change from the leadership in the House and Senate, pushing hard against the majorities wishes. I'm not saying the Democrats are perfect -- far from it -- but they are the only realistic alternative.

[CelticMuscle]

General Election 2005 Result

Labour 356
Conservatives 198
Liberal Democrats 62
Others 31
Labour overall majority of 66

Vote on allowing suspected terrorists to be detained for 90 days without charge

Aye (supporting the Government) 290
No (opposing the Government) 331

49 Labour MP's rebelled (voted against) their own party

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by CelticMuscle

General Election 2005 Result

Labour 356
Conservatives 198
Liberal Democrats 62
Others 31
Labour overall majority of 66

Vote on allowing suspected terrorists to be detained for 90 days without charge

Aye (supporting the Government) 290
No (opposing the Government) 331

49 Labour MP's rebelled (voted against) their own party

Yes, but a labour back-bencher (not in leadership for us yanks) proposed an alternative that was adopted. This would be akin to our president proposing something, fighting for it, then having some members of his party join the opposition party to reject it and then those members put forward an alternative that was passed.

Now class, for our next topic, we'll discuss separation of powers.

[glammaman2000]

Dear Corwin,My X-ray vision&my heat-ray vision keep getting confused;so every time I try to look through a T-shirt,I melt it!Any suggestions?Bifocals?

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by glammaman2000

Dear Corwin,My X-ray vision&my heat-ray vision keep getting confused;so every time I try to look through a T-shirt,I melt it!Any suggestions?Bifocals?

Republican answer: find a non-white pregnant welfare mother on drugs and practice on her until you solve your problem. After all, all social ills are caused by non-white pregnant welfare mothers on drugs, so you will be doing a social good and solving your problems at the same time.

Democratic answer: you shouldn't be using your x-ray vision without a proper warrant. It is an invasion of privacy and you are violating the constitutional rights of those around you. You might want to consider going to a soup kitchen and using your heat vision to cook food for the poor, thus saving the soup kitchen valuable dollars in heating and cooking costs -- money that can be put to feeding poor impoverished welfare mothers of all races and colors.

Hope that helps