The leaves are red and yellow, and
A chill is in the air
It’s frosty in the mornings, so
You have to dress with care
The last days of October mean
That creepy things are out—
Cos scaring folks is what this season’s really all about.
With fearsome, greedy pirates, and
With nasty, ghastly ghouls;
They’re canvassing the neighborhoods
And threatening our schools
They’re after sweets and money—
Just as much as they can tote—
Only one chance to defend yourself—so please be sure to vote!
The most fearsome of the little trick-or-treat monsters that accosted us this evening (Cuttleville had trick-or-treat tonight, because local towns share police, and thus need to split trick-or-treat nights over 2 or 3 nights) was maybe three feet tall, and had difficulty seeing through his mask. Much, much more frightening are the political ads, and perhaps more frightening than that are the polls. Sadly, I’ve been polled a couple of times, and I have heard for myself the sort of leading questions that are asked in order to push for a favorable outcome.
One of the “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” panelists has a book, “Don’t vote–it just encourages the bastards”; I’d suggest that anyone who really doesn’t want to vote… goddammit, vote anyway! No one can tell if you are not voting out of protest or out of apathy; not voting as a protest is about as sane as not eating or not breathing as a way to make a point–more harm than good. If you want to send a “none of the above” message… write in “none of the above”, don’t stay home. Or better, write in Digital Cuttlefish. I can let them know what you meant.
For an individual, from a purely statistical point of view, there isn't much point in voting. The odds of being THE tie-breaker is nearly nil.Of course, if people made decisions solely based on the numbers, then few would vote, state lotteries would disappear and the TSA would be mostly unnecessary.So I reluctantly drag myself to the polls, and select the least repugnant choice (mostly not from the Rep or Dem options); but leave feeling good about my vote of discontent and fortunate that I even have the option.
Well, yes, but… http://xkcd.com/795/Making a difference should not be limited to people who don't comprehend how unlikely making a difference actually is.
Very good.Expect at least one more write-in on Tuesday. :O)
No single snowflake feels any responsibility for an avalanche. You aren't in a traffic jam, you are the traffic jam. And so forth. So yes, voting matters, if one can get over the affront to one's ego that individual non-votes are in the snowflake or stuck car category. My algorithm is to vote for the candidate closest to the model I prefer, or against the one farthest from it.Be careful, Cuttlefish; you could wind up getting elected to something.
Hey, I already got a campaign donation! (or perhaps it was just a tip in the ol' tip jar) Thanks, G. K. (happy to identify you if you wish)! I once saw, at a polling location, a group of young would-be voters chanting, playing drums, and waving "boycott the vote!" signs. They thought none of their options represented their views–but none of them had even heard of the lower-tier candidates who were on the ballot (I asked).All it would take would be for the disenfranchised to unite behind one third-tier candidate who had no chance, and of course he or she would still lose. BUT–if that person beat the lowest of the top-tier candidates (the ones invited to the debates by CNN, for example, even though they also have no chance of winning), that person would be all over the news, for nearly a day or so (it would have been a week, but news cycles have sped up), and there would be a legitimate voice representing the people who are currently actively taking themselves out of the political process.So, since it is a bit late to start my campaign today for Tuesday's election, and since Pat Paulsen is no longer with us, expect a big "Cuttlefish 2012" campaign to begin any month now. Campaign donations willingly accepted–you cannot buy influence, but you can buy the peace of mind that comes from knowing your money went to a worthy cause. So… all you millionaires and billionaires who have worried consciences from donating to the wrong people, here's your chance to make up for it.
Here Down Under, I grumble and moan every time I have to drag my sorry rear to a polling booth. Voting is compulsory here, and fines are imposed on those who don't vote. But almost every election, I get a lovely little surprise. For example, I had no idea that my little coastal town had a Secular Party until I saw them on the ballot paper. There was no way they were going to win a seat in this conservative community, but I felt indescribably awesome giving them my anonymous, drop-in-the-bucket support. Also, there was a BBQ on site. Win.
Not being USAian, I cannot vote for you, and if I were to donate money to your campaign, it would probably get you branded as being under the thumb of furriners, but I can still endorse your candidacy with some doggerel, can’t I?So Cuttlefish’s a candidate for 2012 election,Prepared to take the country in a more profound direction.The Sea Party’s own activist, with verses, words and commasWill swimmingly go forth and outmaneuver Grizzly Mamas.Let deeper, 3-D thinking through the halls of Congress spread – move from the superficial, to black ink from the red.Imagine: leading congress people as a giant schoolOf Cuttle-kindred swimming in the Mall’s reflecting pool!With metered thought and eloquence, and pure linguistic luster,When Cuttlefish is speaking, I’ll enjoy a filibuster!And even to a skeptic, it’s an omen clear to see:That the capital is specified as Washington, D.C.!