Comments | giallarhorn: On the eve of an election

giallarhorn

On the eve of an election

Nov 07, 2016 21:29

So in addition to the owl, there's a pair of woodpeckers, some doves, and a lot of chickadees that like to frequent the trees/area around the house. It's also really good running weather right now ( Read more... )

government and politics, opinion time

Comments 11

pax_athena November 8 2016, 03:59:58 UTC

OMG, THIS.

I am going so far as to say that this even applies to being a member of a political party because there will never be something you agree with 100%; I am happy when 60% or so agree given how usually there is more than two opinions on everything and I think only one of them right. But this is kind of an extra layer and almost goes against my no-politics-online rules, but still: THIS. WHAT YOU SAID.

giallarhorn November 9 2016, 04:41:50 UTC

The thing about it is that it is optional. Voting is an optional action- you can choose to participate in how your life is governed, and you can choose not to participate in shaping your environment. But at the end of the day, it isn't ever about us the individuals- it's about trying to get something done in a way that affects the larger populace, the city, the country, and in the age of globalization, sometimes the world. So when someone gets up on a table and starts decrying the political system and how they're disillusioned with it and how they're going to protest it by not participating in it because you don't agree with everything? It reeks of individualism and conceit because how dare the system not offer exactly what you want, instead handing a second rate choice, and nevermind that it is still a choice being offered at all.

(Then again, seeing how the current election results are rolling in right now, well)

pax_athena November 9 2016, 04:52:43 UTC

(Yeah, I want to curl myself together and cry ...)

giallarhorn November 9 2016, 05:03:58 UTC

Realistically, unless there are some very surprising turnarounds in the next hour, well.

(What the fuck, America. What the fuck)

ragnarok_08 November 8 2016, 05:49:35 UTC

You vote because you're trying to impress your values on the governing body, and hopefully get something done. Even if you don't like either candidate, or you think it's a lesser of two evils thing, doing something about it is a lot better than sitting back, sipping tea and going 'oh no, I'm cynical about the political system so I won't vote'

So true!!!

giallarhorn November 10 2016, 12:08:11 UTC

Looking at the numbers, it seems like no one took that sentiment to heart since Trump got the same numbers Romney got during his run, but Hillary got a big chunk less than Obama thus far.

violateraindrop November 8 2016, 16:32:17 UTC

The first time I voted I did feel kinda awesome about it, but that wasn't mostly "Yay, I can finally vote!" For me the American system is very flawed or that's just me being used to having more than two parties and voting for a smaller one does not equal throwing your vote away.

Anyway, saying both Clinton and Trump are bad and so you shouldn't would is just stupid. To me it's like comparing Bush and Hitler and saying they are the same brand of bad.

giallarhorn November 9 2016, 05:06:53 UTC

Yeah, it's that weird elation of doing something, but it isn't the feeling of 'wow, I feel good about myself as a person for voting'? Which isn't to say that the American system is perfect- I'm really not a fan of the two party system, or a system where you can literally toss your vote away just like that if you vote for the losing party.

Looking at the results right now, I'm not sure what I want to believe- that there's people out there who just didn't vote, or that a majority of the country actually backs Trump enough that he's going to be president.

blakmagjick November 8 2016, 17:44:01 UTC

Wish I could vote in this shitshow.

I'm SO happy that it's going to be done with tomorrow.

giallarhorn November 9 2016, 03:32:59 UTC

I dunno. Being able to vote would mean that you'd be a citizen, which would make it that much harder for you to just up and leave the country if need be.

I was going to tune out and not pay attention to anything and be productive, but then my friend texted me about how she finished a bottle of wine and now I can't stop watching.

blakmagjick November 9 2016, 17:50:00 UTC

That's a good point...and also, there was no way CA was gonna go red...so my vote wouldn't have mattered in this state.

That's who wins in this election...the alcohol companies are going to make so much more money on all the people that are going to turn to alcohol for the next 4 (maybe 8?) years to tune this shitshow out.