Election Day Esoterica

Some random musings that came to me while wondering why there is no such thing as an “extra medium” sized shirt…

- The national voting apparatus is completely unprepared for the massive turnout that will happen tomorrow.  The 50 state strategy and massive voter registration effort that Obama employed could blow up in his face with huge lines, typical election day voter suppression an states that are unprepared for the scrutiny of swing state electioneering.  Virgina and Colorado are completely unprepared for the turnout.

-  Two things the pollsters seem to be willfully ignoring because there are no models for it.  The massive African American turnout in urban areas and the number of people who don’t respond to polls because they are cell phone only types.  Both of these items could flip the script on every poll published

-  Why is it that every voter in a Canadian federal election can vote with a pencil and a piece of paper and they can tabulate the votes from Moose Jaw to Vancouver to Newfoundland in less than 8 hours?  While in the US, we have over 100 different pieces of voting technology and it’s a total crapshoot if people can properly use it?

- Let’s agree on a constitutional amendment to make federal elections a national holiday, choose a simple, uniform voting method for all federal ballots, and allow for walk up voter registration with proper identification.  Let’s also separate federal elections from local elections while we’re at it.

- Also, how about publicly funded elections?  The idea has some holes, but it’s a worthy topic of a national discussion.  Removing PAC and special interest money from politics will change this country for the better, forever.

- Term limits for State Assembly, State Senators, Governors, and county level offices in New York State.  The game is rigged for incumbency and until that changes, NY will keep sinking.

- Is Rachel Maddow the most interesting breath of fresh air in cable news or what?  I love her show.

- Obama will either win in a total landslide or will lose by one electoral vote…tomorrow is that fucking unpredictable.

- Vote, it’s not a privilege it is a right.  It’s a right that millions on this planet would die for.  Don’t waste it by sitting on your ass or being cynical or “above it all”.  Just vote.

- I was going to write a long winded piece on why I support Barack Obama for President, but Andrew Sullivan is a better writer than I am and he summed it up.  Read it.

Let’s hope that when we wake up Wednesday morning, this man is our next President.  Know hope.