in the 2000 General Elections, Alabama (9 Electoral Votes) had 66% of the 2,528,963 registered voters turn out to vote. Bush got 944,409 votes (56%), Gore got 695,502 (43%). Next was Nader with 18,349.
Massachesetts (12 Electoral Votes, 68% voter turnout) went 60% Gore (1,616,487), 33% Bush (878,502).
Mass is pretty much an automatic Democrat victory for the Presidential slot, so I’d say your bang is better for Alabama.
True, but sometimes it does take something upsetting to get you to vote. I’ve voted in all the presidential elections I’ve been old enough to do so in (since 96’) but I never voted during any of the non-presidential-election-year state races. Until this year. I thought Craig Benson was a loony before he ran, so I voted for the dem(I don’t know why, but I’ve consistently voted for dem governor candidates weird.) Didn’t know much about the fellow, but him not being Benson was enough to earn my vote. Too bad Benson won…
I’ve always voted, though never for either the Republicans or Democrats, always for a third party. Three months ago I’d have voted Democrat no matter who they ran. Today… I probably still will, though it’s not 100% certain.
Yeah! Vote Bush. He tried to do a good job!
:rolleyes:
Well, I agree. I’ve always found Bush to be trying.
Gaah! I’m an Eagle Scout! Haaaalllp!
Well, I guess I’m going to have to get used to it. After all, I’m already campaigning for Dean, as of last week. I’m sure I’ll vote for whoever the Democrats put up, but I actually want to vote for Dean. Unfortunately, I live in New Jersey, where the primary is in June, so we’ll most likely have chosen a candidate before I can affect any difference. It’s possible that I’m going to move before the 2004 election, so I might be able to make a difference after all.
New Jersey is likely going to go Democratic in 2004, but that’s no reason not to vote. I’ve been voting since I turned 18, in 1987, and first voted for Michael Dukakis. I’ve never voted for a Bush, and there’s no way I’m going to start next year. The man scares the crap out of me.
I’m glad I get to vote for Dean, though. I voted for Clinton—twice—and then Gore, but I never really liked them that much. Dean is someone I actually feel good about. This is a real rush for me. I realize I probably sound a little like a cult member right now, but hey: it’s been so long since the Democrats have had a candidate who’s a real Democrat that I’m overjoyed. (Yes, I remember Bill Bradley, and I was a strong supporter of him, too; it’s sort of the same thing.)
I’m glad to see so many people who are moved to exercise their right to vote. Hope to see you at the polls next year, and I hope you make a regular habit out of it. Our democracy just doesn’t work without participation.
I first voted for McGovern. I voted kind of late at a local school, then walked down the local bar to watch the returns. About a ten minute walk. By the time I got there, they were already talking about the creaming, the debacle, the shitstorm that was Nixon.
Man did I get drunk!
I had no such reaction when Nixon clobbered McGovern. Granted, I was three years old at the time, so the whole matter didn’t quite sink in.
I do remember my sophomore year in college, when the first Bush won election. I wanted to get drunk and grumble about it, but Penn State Erie was so full of rednecks, I could hardly find anyone to commiserate with.
Thank you very much, UncleBill! I didn’t know which statistic to look for.
You know, I think that gobear had a very good point on the second page of this.
America is very much fucked no matter what happens. The all-GOP government is going to further solidify its grip on power through at least four venues: packing the Supreme Court with idealistically conservative justices; revoking, re-writing, and not enforcing environmental, fisheries, ranching, and mining regulations; the Republican-only policy of staffing non-political appointees in the executive branch; and control of federal appropriations for at least the first fiscal year of the next President’s term and in some cases, like for the DHHS, two years.
If someone can beat Bush–and this thread gives me a small glimmer of hope–that new President won’t be able to defeat the rising tide of greedy irresponsibility which has overtaken our government all by himself. He needs a Congress which supports him, and when you go to the polls in '04, you’ll have a chance of doing that as well.
But it’s a “blind vote,” a very dangerous and dissatisfying thing to do for many Americans (including myself) who prefer to vote on the candidate, not the party. This next election, however, will be different. In 2004 there will in fact have to be an overwhelming victory over Bush in order to make it stick. Recall that in '00 the Florida legislature stated that they would not certify the election as Democrat, regardless of the recount. Remember also the 5-4 rubber-stamping of the election by the Supreme Court. If 2004 is anywhere near as close, the Republicans will be in a perfect position to simply steal the election, as many contend they did the last time.
If you’re really pissed at this President, you have to look beyond him and see that he is supported by a vast network of people who have willingly contributed to the shitty state of things today: your state legislature, your federal representatives, and the Grand Old Party. That’s a rotten thing to say, but I firmly believe it to be true: if you really want to change things, you have to vote, and you have to vote them all out.
Otherwise it’s just more of the same bad thing.
On the other hand…
Never forget the pendulum factor. There is no such thing as permanence in America, it may be our greatest single strength. If permanence were possible, then the ethos of the 50’s would have been permanent.
And keep in mind that the Tighty Righties are not as unified as they appear. The Bushistas go to great lengths to mollify the Troglodyte Right, but they can’t really produce the results that are desired. It is near to impossible to legislate social change, either progressive or retrograde. Ozzie and Harriet are dead, and they ain’t coming back, no matter who sits on the Supreme Court.
But the Trog Right expects to be paid, they did thier part, they remained steadfast, they got out and voted, they were committed, and thus wielded political clout out of proportion to their numbers. I hear rumbles of growing impatience.
Right now, President Roves wake-up-screaming nightmare is a charismatic young leader from the extreme right who runs on prayer in schools, scrapping Rov V. Wade, and executing the Dixie Chicks. If he draw off even a pittance of Pubbie support and the election is as close as it was before…doom.
One other thing, and I approach this with trepidation. Wit salted with sarcasm is my style, I suck at sincere. But I mean this: the right to vote is as close to sacred as anything I’ve encountered or imagined. The Revolution to make human rights universal is the noblest cause ever, and the vote is its embodiment and its symbol.
If you’re any kind of American at all you simply must vote. Betcha five to one december votes. Scylla votes. Dewey votes. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like how they vote, but that is a long way from saying I don’t want them to! Damn sure betcha Diogenes votes! Stoid votes! Molly Ivins votes! You better believe I vote.
The brave and noble sacrifices of countless…ahhhh, screw that. You don’t vote, you suck. So sez the elucidator
Huh. I was under the impression, at the time, that that was not the case. Considering the problems I had with the UK Immigration Services, though, I didn’t want to give them any consideration that I was thinking of moving back.
A problem is that there is a widely held – and increasing – attitude that simply taking part of the ritual of voting means that the system will somehow work. Those who don’t vote have no right to complain, while those who voted help to fix the world, etc.
We need to face facts: our system just doesn’t work. We don’t have brutal anarchy or totalitarian states… but if that’s the best thing we can say about our society, then we’ve lost.
Concern for the concept of human rights and freedom – actual concern, not rote repeating of doctrine or propaganda – has steadily been diminishing in this country. We’re a free society out of habit more than anything else.
Ghandi said something to the effect that you might tire, and lose heart for the struggle. You may begin to believe that your efforts are futile, and useless. In no way does this relieve you of your reponsibility to continue those efforts.
CNN.com In-Depth Special: Florida recount study: Bush still wins