Election year chicanery and the little mermaid
Well, I don't know about anyone else here, but I'm on pins and needles about this election. Given the state of the supreme court, this could very well be one of the most important elections of our lifetime - justice appointments over the next four years will influence the next 25-30 years of court decisions. (See http://presidency04.lmu.edu/special_focus.htm as one example of more info.)
The lines were longer than I've ever seen them at the polling place in my neighborhood - about an hour wait. It's good to see people taking an interest - I just hope the involvement doesn't wane after the election results are in, and that people remain active.
I don't know if any of you listen to NPR, but there is a Chicago-produced program that I still love called "This American Life" with Ira Glass. The show is on Saturday, and usually covers kind of quirky topics. [Check out the January 24, 2004 show on "Recordings Made For Someone" if you want to laugh until you cry - it's one of my favorites - http://www.kcrw.org/cgi-bin/db/kcrw.pl?show_code=ta&air_date=1/24/04&tmplt_type=show, and includes a side-splitting reference to The Little Mermaid! Intrigued? Give it a listen!]
Anyway, the reason I bring it up is that this weekend the program aired a story on swing voters and also one on voter fraud - a huge digression from their usual topics. I was stunned that Jeb Bush, among others, could get away with some of the outright dirty tricks he's pulled this election (yes, they mention Democrat tactics, too). It's unbelievable. Really - if you haven't heard it, it's worth a listen... you can hear it by visiting http://www.thislife.org/ and clicking on the real audio file - here's a summary of the program: "This American Life Special Report: Vote Fraud.
Stories of election year chicanery appear in the paper every day. TAL contributor Jack Hitt compiles a list of the most egregious accounts, double checks the facts, and gives his election eve rundown of the dirtiest tricks to look out for this November 2."
Whatever the result of the election - whether we like it or not - this kind of fraud is completely anathema to everything our democracy stands for. Call me naive - I know there is a certain amount of corruption that is inherent to political power, but this is just plain wrong.
Anybody else have a take on this?
PS - if you have time to listen to the entire hour program "Recordings Made For Others," it's worth it as it sets the story up, but the Little Mermaid piece begins about 37-38 minutes into the real audio stream. Enjoy!
posted by Melissa @ 3:30 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
DISCLAIMER: SOAPBOX SPEECH WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTION
Ok, so I am extremely passionate about politics, if you’re not, you may not want to read this…
No really, I warned you. :)
I am depressed.
Yes, Bush won the election, but I have to say that I extremely disappointed by the way in which he achieved the win. I know some of you may not agree with me, I'm sure some of us have different viewpoints on many things. I definitely respect everyone’s right to have a different opinion – as long as they can back it up with facts and reason.
Unfortunately, the majority of Americans can’t do so, and this is what really rankles me. Our society is getting dumber by the day. We have only to look at the average reading level, inspect our education system – under funded and undervalued, and observe the misplaced emphasis on test scores while cutting after school and enrichment programs, etc.
It is clear from watching the media that most of them do not understand our Electoral College system at all, nor the importance of the Help America Vote act that resulted in provisional ballots, nor do they count the value of absentee ballots – which were all initially ignored in the vote totals, and remain on the periphery. All votes - for and against - should count! Oftentimes, their projected math doesn't add up.
Agreed, Kerry was not the best candidate – but Bush is for me unacceptable. You have only to look at how the rest of the world hates America and doesn’t understand why the American people cannot successfully connect the dots – reality is that 911 had nothing to do with Iraq, and everything to do with Afghanistan, which we alone created. And we’re doing it again now – creating enemies, getting soliders killed, and creating a war that is virtually impossible to win for a reason that is vague on the surface and all too clear in the big picture – greed!
From speaking with a variety of people about this issue, it appears to me that Americans who do not understand the issues are voting superficially. I also strongly believe that Karl Rove’s chicanery - proven instances of voter fraud and intimidation by the Republicans which are already documented (not to mention those that are unknown!) contributed significantly to the Bush victory (only listen to NPR and Democracy Now!). A contributing factor to his win, legitimately, was the evangelical vote.
The sad thing here is that Bush’s “morality” is a ruse. Why do poor people in the south vote for him when he is the very one that is pushing them down? Look at his policies - look at his tax cuts and aid programs – they never reach these people. This is not “a trial sent by God” to endure, this is a refusal and a failure to help make things better. It is astounding. And how can the church in good conscience put this man in front as a leader of Christianity? Only look at his record and it's clear the morality he wears has a very thin veneer.
I suppose those who did not vote for Bush will have the bitter satisfaction in four years of saying to those who voted for him “What did you *think* would happen?!” when women’s rights are eradicated, the environment is given over for the temporary gain of big business and our wildlife refuges destroyed, the education is system further ruined, and our democracy functions more and more like an angry dictatorship. We will see 25-30 years of hard conservative decisions by the next Supreme Court that will mean a decade or two of progress for women and minorities will be largely eradicated. If that’s not depressing, I don’t know what is.
And finally, why, in the name of all that is good and right in the world would we embrace the union of church and state once more when that is the very thing our founding fathers fled England to escape? Does no one see the bitter bitter irony?!?
I am saddened – and yes, embarrassed -- to be American today – I am taking this very hard.
Anybody have any uplifting news?! I'm off the soapbox...
We're definitely going to have to have the reunion in Canada.
Stupid United States.
I haven't yet read the above, but I promise that I will when I recover from the overall shitty day that I had.
ERIC
No, Eric, although the was disappointing, our reunion will still be held in what I still believe is the the greatest nation in the world! Trust me, we are not happy with the election outcome at the Scott household, but we are very proud of the voter turn-out for this election. Hopefully the generations to are realizing that we do have a voice. Side-note to those of you that did not vote: shame on you and no crying two years from now, you had your chance to make a difference!
Please keep in mind the name Barack Obama, he is a newly elected Senator from Illinois. Mark my words his name will show up in the future.
Eric, you will be more depressed when you read it in it's entirety, but many of Melissa's points are valid and it's a really well-written commentary!
Robin, you are terrific for seeing the bright side. It is great that more people than usual came out to vote even though the results are disappointing. And we do have things better off than many people in many countries around the world, so we should be glad to live in the U.S. despite embarassement. Of course the people who should be embarassed probably have no clue! One of my co-workers is passing around a photocopy of the headline on the UK Daily Mirror that says "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?"
Anyway, I am looking forward to the reunion! Judging by Eric's poll, Sunday wins. Can't wait to see everyone.
Lis
Wow, if you ask me, that article's not worth the paper it's written on. It's so condescending it's not worth calling journalism. And I agree, Derrick, this kind of stuff just makes the divide greater.
The only part about the article that rings true is that there certainly is this sense of disconnect between those who voted *for* Bush, and those who voted *against* Bush. For me - and this certainly holds true for most of those I know - it wasn't Kerry's election to win, but really Bush's to lose.
Most (though certainly not all) people, Democratic party members and pundits included, really didn't like Kerry that much, but thought Bush was simply unbearable. This is reflected in nearly all of the credible journalistic analysis of the election.
In my opinion, it's really not that Kerry was any more elitist than Bush, it's that Kerry did not do a good job of communicating his personality. He didn't connect with the masses. Bush's average joe personality won by default.
But isn't that a pretty superficial basis on which to judge Kerry? It's clear from his record he's intelligent, and from his success in the Senate one can conclude he connects well with people one-on-one, or he wouldn't have achieved so much success. The debates proved him an articulate representative of the people, as did his willingness to speak his mind on the Vietnam war issue - to take a stance he felt morally obligated to defend.
Perhaps Bush does seem more "approachable" to some people - but if you ask me, I don't want "Joe Regular" running the country. I want somebody who is brilliant, someone who is so much smarter than the average American that they can't ever be seen as average. Someone who understands all of the implications of the important policy decisions they make.
Maybe that's a pipe dream, but I don't think so. I'm not saying they have to be perfect, either - don't mistake me. But just that they really have to "get it" on so many levels. Bush doesn't get it. I'm sorry, but he doesn't. Look at his polarizing legacy and you see he can't unite this country. Aside from his embarrassing public speaking blunders, he just can't think on his feet. This is borne out time and again. He has some good advisors, but that doesn't make up for his failings in my mind.
Whether or not we agree with our leaders, they have to be able to convince the country that they are articulate, intelligent, and capable. That we can trust them to steer the country forward, if not always exactly where we'd like.
Bush does not inspire my trust. And it's clear if you look at a real breakdown of the post election voting map that many all across the country voted against him -in California, which went Blue, and in many areas in the heartland, where many pockets were Blue, though the states ultimately turned red.
My trepidation is that many in our nation - all across our nation – have become so fearful of EVERYTHING that we'd prefer the status quo than to vote for something better. That we'd rather remain average than take a risk. We’re letting the fearmongers take over.
That's what I'm fighting against.
Post a Comment
<< Home