November 3, 2008
I know everybody is saying that you should go vote tomorrow but I don’t want you to.
Here are three reasons.
1) If you don’t vote, my vote counts more.
2) If you don’t vote I won’t have to stand in line all day long. This is especially important if you live in my neighborhood.
3) I am scared that you might be voting for John McCain. While I personally don’t have anything against John McCain and I think he would even make a pretty good president, he is old and Sarah Palin scares the crap out of me. If she were to end up appointing people to the bench it could set back civil rights and women’s rights for fifty years.
Okay. The truth is I think you should vote.
The truth is that I am not a Democrat. I am an Independent.
The truth is that neither party represents my interests, but the Democrats come a lot closer.
The truth is that for the first time since 1992 I am voting for a Presidential candidate instead of against one. For the first time since I have been old enough to vote I think that no matter who wins we are better off.
The truth is that no matter which ticket wins history will be made.
The truth is that even though I think we have acted in an embarrassing fashion for the past 7 years I am still proud to be an American.
The truth is that I am excited for the election.
The truth is that I can’t wait for it to be over so we can talk about something else.
The truth is that just by having the option to vote we all win.
But I still wasn’t kidding about not voting if you live in my neighborhood. I’ll be in line with two four year olds.
Posted by Goon Squad Sarah @ 4:51 pm • My Soapbox
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November 3rd, 2008 at 5:41 pm, lacochran Says:
Well done!
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:18 pm, HeyJoe Says:
Preach it sister
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm, cheryl Says:
Great, great post, Sarah! Like you I consider myself an independent but in your sentence here:
“The truth is that neither party represents my interests, but the Democrats come a lot closer.” I have to substitute in Republicans.
It IS a great time to be an American, and to be raising kids. (I’ll have two pro-Obama 7-year-olds with me, so I’m hoping you’ll not hold my vote against me!)
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:21 pm, jodifur Says:
Too bad you don’t live closer. We could trade off kids and voting.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm, Amy@UWM Says:
Yes! VOTE!!! But vote for Obama!!!
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 pm, Brenda Says:
Sing it loud, sing it proud girlfriend!
If Sarah Palin becomes second in command, I am not sure my head won’t explode.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm, De in D.C. Says:
I think I can say a resounding ‘Ditto’ to everything you outlined above. While I am firmly in the Obama camp this year, I do have a huge amount of respect of McCain and think he’d probably do a good job if he wins. Heck, out of all the republican candidates in the primaries, I think he was the best choice of the bunch (be glad we aren’t getting Romney as a possible president). However, I have little respect for the people running his campaign, and his flip flopping on issues over the past two years (denouncing the immigration bill you wrote? HELLO?) squarely lost this independent’s vote.
And AMEN to being better off come Jan. regardless of who wins.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:06 pm, Sarah Says:
Nice post and I agree with you 100 percent. Good luck with two kids in line tomorrow. Bribe them.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:13 pm, Momma, The Casual Perfectionist Says:
Great post!! I’m an Independent, too! You did a great job of summing up how I feel about this election, too. Only, I was able to vote early, because I only have ONE preschooler, and she was in an incredibly good mood that day.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:03 pm, Jacquie Says:
Oh, I hear you. I was correcting one of my employees, who thought she could just go to any ol’ polling place where there was no line. Then she said something about voting for McCain and I had to physically restrain myself from saying “oh, you’re a republican? you CAN vote wherever you please!” Ugh.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 pm, Pocklock Says:
Awesome post! I agree with every word, except that I’ll be in line with a 10 week old instead of two 4-year olds. You win.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 pm, Heather of the EO Says:
YES. yes, yes, yes, and um…yes.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 pm, Aimee Greeblemonkey Says:
I hear ya about voting FOR someone. It’s freaky but I like it.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm, M.A. Smith Says:
I agree with you on wanting this whole election over with just so we can all move on.
And it is kind of cool to be voting in an election that will make history.
I’ve just been tired of politics since last year, when the whole thing started, so I’m really looking forward to Wednesday when, if all goes well, we’ll have a new President-elect and I can move on with my life.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:02 am, DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted Says:
[...] Please don’t vote, writes Sarah and the Good Squad. If you don’t vote, my vote counts more. [...]
November 4th, 2008 at 12:20 am, Papa Bradstein Says:
Who are you kidding? Two four-year-olds are your go-to-the-front-of-the-line free card. Seriously, there should be express lanes for voters with kids.
November 4th, 2008 at 1:06 am, Arjewtino Says:
I’m on to you, Sarah. Nice try reverse psychologizing me.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:03 am, patois Says:
I promise you I will not vote tomorrow. ‘Cause I always vote absentee. To avoid mothers who drag their kids along.
I think it’s great that you’re taking them with you. Start ‘em young.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:13 am, Jaynee Says:
Since when is 70+ old? A lot of baby boomers (including my parents who are in the mid-60s) would disagree with that. With people living into their 90s nowadays, 70 is NOT old anymore. And given the fact that McCain’s own mother is in her 90s and still alive and kicking makes it even more believable that 70 isn’t old anymore. My grandmother is 96 years old and acts like she’s 60.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:21 am, Audrey Says:
I will be in line today, most likely with all 4 of my kids. I hope the line isn’t too long!
And thanks for sharing your political views, now I like you even more!
)
GO OBAMA!!
November 4th, 2008 at 11:02 am, Lori Says:
Luckily most folks in my district either got up early or are going after work. 30 minutes!!!
I voted a straight Republican ticket. I’ve never done that before but I can’t risk the socialist leaning agenda of the Democrat party in general and Obama in particular. I have not been happy with Bush’s execution of the plan but I don’t abandon the principles of small govt, etc simply because he didn’t get it right.
Looking at Palin and her record, you don’t see any sort of streak of
authoritarianism in her. She has not made any moves, that I see, in Alaska, to restrict social liberties.
In America, it is not the views of somebody that should be feared; it is the propensity of that person to use force and coercion to enforce those views.
It is Obama that you see using the law and force of govt to enforce his views, whether it involves seizing private assets to spread the wealth, control guns, or environmental views.
Even on abortion, Sarah Palin’s view is that citizens should vote state by state, whereas Obama’s view is that the courts need to decide the issue because American citizens and state govts are not to be trusted.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:11 am, Lori Says:
Forgot to say – I did think of your earlier post when a woman behind me kept trying to silence her two kids. Everyone in line helped keep them entertained. But then, it wasn’t a long wait either.
November 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm, js Says:
I’m not listening to you! I will be voting today. I agree with you about McCain, I think he’d make a fine president. But the fact is, if something happened to him, Palin would step up. And that scares the crap out of me! I actually just got chills. I read somewhere, “She’s smiling at you like that because she wants your soul.”
November 4th, 2008 at 7:19 pm, Leslie Says:
Yep. Everything you said. Me, too.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:18 pm, Kristi Says:
BRAVO! BRAVO!
November 5th, 2008 at 10:42 am, Julianne Says:
Very nice and inspiring. I voted and I am in the same boat as you: so pleased to be in full support of the president-elect for the first time in my adult life.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:53 am, Cynthia Samuels Says:
There is a reason you have so many readers. That happens to good writers. funny, huh?
A great post.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:55 pm, Lori Says:
This was awesome — and I agree with you on just about every point. (I’m also an independent who leans more toward the Democrats, though if there were a party that stood for fiscal conservatism and social liberalism, I’d probably stand with them.)
And congrats for getting in and out in 10 minutes.