Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Thoughts on a gray Election Day in Michigan.

I'm voting, but with my eyes wide open. My Congressman will leave office only at the behest of death or retirement, and the opposing party insists on running token opposition, so that part of the ballot remains closed.

The open Senate seat will go to a man who hates me and mine in large measure because the opposing party chose an awful candidate to run against him. So, yay--no voice on the national scale. 

At the state level, things are no great prize either. The AG is solid, but I get the distinct impression our Governor, rather like the national movers and shakers in his party, has a strained patience toward the more traditionally-minded. A pro-corporate technocrat...yay.  

Would you like another serving of Romney, sir? And if not, could we interest you in our fine selection of Romneys?

Granted, his opponent is an empty suit who couldn't get the endorsement of the state's premier African-American newspaper, but he's a sure defender of the cultural left, so...ack.
  
I've come to the conclusion that I have a choice between people who hate me and want to stab me in the chest (Democrats) and people who claim to like me but stab me in the back when I become inconvenient (Republicans). Heads I lose, tails I lose more slowly (maybe).

Yes, the franchise is important, but more so at the local level. So, I'm off to vote on some ballot initiatives that actually might be of some benefit.


6 comments:

  1. It could be worse - you could be here in my lovely state. I actually had to write my own name in for one of the races (state Senate) because the opposition party had not even a token candidate, and the sitting Senator is so repellent that a mere abstention in the race would not suffice.

    BTW, oddly enough my assignment for the Ace of Spades decision desk is Michigan, and what's more I'll be inputting Wayne County - in other words, Detroit.

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  2. Oh, my. Yes, your state would drive me nuts--especially since the western part of it seems reliably sane, but is drowned out by the bedroom community leftists.

    My sympathies.

    Funny that you have the Michigan job--wow! Fair warning, though: Detroit returns always come in late...sometimes, really, really late.

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  3. I abstained on quite a few local races because they were uncontested. Out in the sticks, it's part of life. Nothing really competitive in MO, so focused ballot initiatives like you. I normally just wait for the end of political ad season anyway.

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  4. I'm in Canada where elections are a bit different. When we have no decent candidates our Priest suggests we simply say that we 'refuse the ballot because there is no one worthy of a vote'. Here, this has to be counted. If you say this in a firm voice there are others around who will hear. So some will be influenced to work for candidates with some moral background who are willing to act on that.

    Some might see this as a wasted vote, but at least we are out there doing our duty to vote.

    I sympathize with Americans today. What a choice - between evil people on one side, and evil people on the other side. The only different in the US, like here in Canada, is a slight one in style of evil.
    Barbara

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  5. You're in the 9th? Yeah, the idea of a "Levin" losing is almost as guffaw-worthy as "Dingle". Third member of the dynasty will be assuming the position...

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  6. Decent election day down here in Texas, Dale. And the weather is lovely this time of year. :)

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