Election 2000
11.29.00

Take a look at that date. Three weeks and one day after Election Day. I kept saying to myself, "this will be over soon, there's no use in writing about it." And now it's three weeks later, and this shit is still going on.

I, like everyone I know, am tired of it. I wish it would go away. I don't want to hear about it anymore. But of course, like everyone else, I'll say that just before Rambling about it.

I voted for Gore. I would've voted for Nader if I didn't think the elections were going to be so close. I wish Nader got his 5% so he'd get funding for the next election, but I think a lot of people were like me, and got scared, and figured they'd rather have Gore for four years and try again next election, than let Bush in for four years even though Nader has funding next time.

Anyway, I thought I'd get my bias out of the way right quick. I voted for Gore.

Do I want to see the votes go his way, and he get elected? Yes. Do I wish it wasn't this close to begin with? Yes. Am I fucking tired of Gore's whining and complaining? YES.

I think everyone is tired of it. Especially Republicans, but Democrats too. This shit is embarrassing. I'm sure that we, as a country, look like a bunch of retards riding the little blue bus to the White House.

Okay, this POV is nothing new. But one thing I'm thinking of more than I'm hearing about in other commentary is that I can't really blame Gore for this mess. On a few levels, this bullshit is necessary. For Gore and Democrats, they want the votes to be correctly counted because they want to be in the White House, and they think that the people want them there too... or at least .05% more of the people than want Bush in office. Forget the bullshit that Gore is spewing forth about this being a necessary process because it represents the voice of the people, and the people need to be accurately represented in this democracy. Well, forget it as far as Gore is concerned personally. We can all see through the thin veil of crap, and we all know this is about putting himself into office. But to us, as a people, this battle IS a show of strength in our democracy, if it truly shows a change in numbers, more accurately representing us, the people who make up this democracy.

And wouldn't that be a bitch? If after all this, the new numbers show that Gore really DID receive more votes than Bush? That's the amazing part. No matter what side you're on, you will HAVE to be amazed if every analyst, every machine, and every newscast was just plain WRONG, and Gore wins. After al the complaints by the Bush camp about recounts being biased, incorrect... that Gore should just shut up and go home... that there's no need for a recount... wouldn't that be a bitch?

And THAT is where my problem is.

What kind of back-asswards election system do we have anyway? My girlfriend voted on an al digital system. I voted on a system that was more mechanical, but still a system where you could change your mind and turn the other lever as many times as you like before the ballot is actually punched and cast by the booth. Still a much better system than what, even I consider, a slightly confusing ballot that was used in Florida, or the cards that only got dimpled. Let's face it... HUMAN ERROR. It happens. People make mistakes. PRIDE. That happens too. How many times have you been wrong about something, and realized that you might be wrong, and then asked for help. People see the situation, act on it, and move on... never realizing that they might have misinterpreted the situation. Or, maybe they had doubt and had too much pride to ask for help. THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

So what the hell are we doing with half-assed election processes leaving so much room for human error? We're the greatest country in the world, with a democracy that people drift in inner tubes for days to try to live in, with some of the best technology in the world... what the fuck are we doing with all that?!?

That's what I find so embarrassing. That we have a system in place where more people in the country can vote for one person and another can win the election; where people are (allegedly) intimidated away from voting; where ballots aren't clear enough that a 6-year-old (or in this case, an 80-year-old) can't easily vote for the person they intend to; where people and machines can't work together well enough to give an accurate count of votes; where news sources report winners before results are even clear, never mind being complete; where there is enough things going wrong that one candidate is forced to go to court to see whether he truly won or lost the election; where the other candidate is forced to fight back with the argument of human bias to stop an argument over human error; and where what may be the simplest of solutions, a re-vote with a better system, isn't even considered as a solution.

So, it takes a few days to bring in easier and more accurate voting machines and set them up, a day to vote, and maybe a day to bullshit. If we can do a vote nationwide in a day and have all the results the next day, what's a few days to set up the machines and re-vote? Better to spend a few weeks in and out of courts? Have federal enforcement to make sure there's no local intimidation or bullshit, and re-vote

Some people ask about the votes for the other candidates, knowing their candidate can win... where do they go? They go to the candidate the voter now wishes to win. Either way, the winner is determined by the will of the people.

What do I know? I'm just Joe Schmoe American. Obviously, the people running around suing each other and getting nothing done must know much better than I do, right? I'm sure they must realize that while they talk about democracy, they're only concerned with personal gain; that while they're showing just how much the democratic process represents the people, they're showing the people (and the world) just how fucked up our democratic process, and politics in general, can be. Or are we, the people, the only ones who realize how poorly the process, and our leaders, are representing us?