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So I just helped re-elect Bill Clinton. Hopefully. It wasn't a vote for something I believed in. It was a vote against something I was terrified of: a Bob Dole presidency. At least, that's how I rationalized it. But it saddens me because, four years ago, I voted for a young, charismatic man who I really believed in. A man I thought would do the things he promised. It was my first vote for a president, and I felt good about it. Today I don't feel good about it. I feel like it won't make a difference. How about you? Did you vote? For whom? And why? dmp |
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I chose a candidate at random.
I couldnt see voting for anyone in particular. I mean, as far as I know, they would all equally suck. Dont worry. I didnt choose Dole.
yates I voted for every third party candidte whenever applicable. I'm sick of this binary political system we have. Change is good. Yogic flying sounds like fun, so I voted for the Natural Law Party at every chance. In Illinois half the ballot is a list of judges, for each of which we vote whether to retain or not. I had no idea, but I was pretty sure that A) they weren't all bad and B) they weren't all good. So the odd-numbered ones I voted to retain; the others I kicked to the curb. On the walk to the voting station I witnessed my first car accident. A woman was rushing to take her cat to the hospital and bent over to see how kitty was doing. In doing so she veered off the street, popped over a curb, knocked down a traffic light and plowed into a tree. She wore a seatbelt and was okay, and no pedestrians were hit. A little poorer karma and I could have very well been standing in front of that tree. Life doesn't seem so bad all of a sudden.
Luke Seemann {lukeseem@stardot.com} I voted too. I didn't know what I was going to do before I stuck my arms into the voting apparatus, which hardly deserves the name "booth" anymore - it's more like a voting urinal. (I'm old enough to remember red-curtained booths with levers that you had to really pull: the engine of democracy.) I looked down at the names listed for president. I didn't vote for Bob Dole, but I didn't vote for Clinton either. I voted for Ralph Nader. Why? Clinton was in zero danger of losing. The only issue at hand today is by how large a margin will Dole be humiliated. I didn't vote for Clinton because he whored whatever few principles he might actually have - no offense to actual whores meant here - to sell himself and win this election. I didn't vote for Clinton because of his "personal" (his word) objection to same-sex marriage. I didn't vote for Clinton because the first civics lesson that he wants to teach high school students who want to get a driver's license is that their bodies are the property of the state. I didn't vote for Clinton because he traded the survival of thousands of people on welfare for a few extra votes. I didn't vote for Clinton because he came down on the wrong side of nearly every civil liberties issue that came up this year. I didn't vote for Clinton, that is, because he campaigned as a right-wing Republican against a pitifully inept man who never had a chance to win, a man who, as one wit put it, "couldn't sell arks in a flood." I didn't vote for Clinton because I knew this election was going to be served up to Willie on a fucking platter - and he still didn't use that rarest of opportunities to work his position as a bully pulpit for the good. I hope Dole gets half the miracle he's praying for, and Clinton has to sweat a little as the returns come in. It's apparently too late to keep him honest. I hope we get some chance to keep him human.
Steve Silberman {digaman@hotwired.com} i also voted for clinton. i mean, against dole. er, whatever :-)
drue {drue@vivid.com} I voted, but did it matter? I'm an uppity progressive in an uppity progressive town. It's easy to be a liberal in San Francisco. I hear Jesse Helms has been reelected in North Carolina, which means six more years of him frothing at the mouth, spewing hatred, and generally being an embarrassment to the people and the country he supposedly serves and represents.
Owen Thomas {owen@cyborganic.net} I had decided not to vote for Clinton because of, among other things, the Salvage Timber Rider, which opened up old-growth forests to logging. But then I ended up voting for him because of the Utah Monument, and his veto to open up the Arctic and Tongass National Parks to oil drilling and logging, respectively. Clean water, superfund reform, mojave desert protection. While this is not a one-issue vote, I believe that the environment is the issue where the difference between Clinton and Dole is the starkest - and where Dole could do the most damage.
rebecca {rebv@hotwired.com} I voted for Clinton again. But I seem to have had a unique first impression of him (meaning nobody else I've talked to felt the same way; obviously I had only a single first impression). When I first saw Clinton campaigning for the primaries about five years ago, I thought, "Wow! Now there's a politician I can believe in! He's lying, he knows he's lying, I know he's lying, and he knows I know he's lying." So from the first, I've been comfortable with Clinton as a career politician who can't possibly betray me. Because I never believed a word he said. Which is not to say that I didn't have the occasional flash of hope, but that's different. And I grew to respect his wife. Some of my hopes have been well-founded: I hoped he'd repeal the presidential order barring federally funded medical clinics from so much as mentioning abortion, and he did. I hoped he'd tell the military they couldn't ban gay people outright, and he did (incidentally, I don't know anybody who could tell a large organization of gun-toting homophobes they have to be civil to gay people, so I wasn't surprised when that didn't happen). I don't really think much of the American political system, but I'm not sufficiently distressed by it to do anything but vote. After all, what are the chances of me getting picked for top dog if we switched to a benevolent dictatorship?
kate {kate@hotwired.com} I still love Clinton. Last time I went through a night like this, I was in college, surrounded by debutantes who drove SAABs and had trust funds. They, ahem, voted for Bush. It was a night of living terror. I was the only Democrat in the room. Yeah, I loved Clinton then. I love him now.
Alexis Massie {pandora@pbot.com} I Voted today, I voted for Bob Dole, & I voted against Benny Cardin. I am sorry that both of my votes did not help my choice win. I do not trust slick willie, I know the little maggott is not the best man for the office. I am glad that it looks like Congress will stay in the hands of the Republican Party. I look foward to the Impeachment of slick willie & al gore. I look foward to Newt as President!.
Justhefax I voted for Mary Cal Hollis, the Socialist nominee. Although there was hardly a shot at her becoming president, I felt I had to have my say in the matter. It's unfortunate that our system has become so narrow in its offered range of candidates. I don't think anyone in Washington will ever give power to others. The people have to demand it, there must arise a social movement to force these people to look past their corporate sponsors and personal motives to realize that, in the end, their interests belong with ours. With the recent laxity in voter turnout there has been a greater usurpation of power by PACs and lobbyists. Once the people grab back their rightful power from these greedy appendages of our economy, there will be true choice, true elections, and true progress.
Airun Warren {aawarren@vassar.edu} I woke up early and voted for Clinton. He is the best of the field as far as I can see. Nader would be nice but why waste a vote? Voted no on 209. Republicans suck.
Jonathan {jhurwitz@tmp.com} I voted absentee a couple of weeks ago because I had to have minor surgery yesterday. :( It was really odd. For me it has seemed like the election has been over for a long time and someone just forgot to count the votes. I'm a Republican and my husband is a Democrat. I suspect that we cancel each other out most years. Such is life. i had terrible insomnia last night, was up til 4. And then at 8 am Douglas called me to tell me he was going to be in san francisco for two hours, would i be able to meet him for a drink. Of course, i said, since i hadn't seen him for five years and probably wouldn't for another five, since he was going back home to australia on thursday. so we met for a drink at six, at a revolving restaurant atop a hotel. the equinox. and i sat there and i knew i was going to miss the cutoff at the polling place, and i wanted to leave, but i couldn't. i wanted to talk to douglas, he was so funny and so kind-- and i didn't have the heart to say--i must go. finally it was he who said i was going to miss it, i should go. i couldn't walk very fast out of the hotel, since douglas is almost blind. we walked very slowly. very slowly down to his train, and a real goodbye. i walked him to his train, ran to mine, i ran up the hill, and the lights were still on in the polling place, but the man said, sorry, the polls are closed, just a minute ago. i felt terrible. walking home, though, i thought, it isn't such a bad thing to love your friends just a little bit more than you love your country. I did not vote. Last presidential election, I voted. I voted for Clinton. Hell, it was the first time my dad voted since LBJ. When it comes down to it, the election process comes down to 'who sucks less?', and that is pretty scary. (my opinion only) I'll vote for local issues, sure. I can take time out of my life, go down to Mountain View City Council Meetings and perhaps have a chance at presenting an argument that may make some difference. It's closer to me and I can feel the effect. But if I were to disagree with Billy or Bobby, I can't exactly go yonder and say, "Hey man, can we do lunch?" Ever wonder if that green paper in your wallet or purse is the real political party? It's worth thinking about. If I don't cast my vote to the landlady, guess who gets impeached? I am thankful for one thing: that here in America we have the option to vote. Maybe I'll reconsider one day. Four years ago when Clinton was nominated, it was almost a spiritual, almost religious experience for me!! This was MY generation; I was moved; I felt a part of the political experience for the first time. I identified with their music, their avoidance of the draft, their intellectual snobbery, as well as their desire to improve medical benefits, welfare, and the economy. I knew how it felt to hate Viet Nam and to try marijuana. This was my peer group and I was so proud! This time was different. I was embarrased by inconsistencies and double-speak. I could list positions with which I didn't agree. But above all, I was amazed that the Republicans chose such a lame opponent, when they could have used Clinton's bad press to rise to victory. But, they didn't, and I've never voted Republican in my life, and certainly couldn't start now!! I still have great hope that we will see positive changes and improvements in the next four years. After all, California has passed proposition 215!!
Lois Powazek {loispow@cyberg8t.com} Whored myself for Clinton, only because it was the best way to say no to Dole. Secretly wished I was strong enough to vote for Nader.
andrew baldock {andrew@cruzio.com} This was my tenth year voting. It was, nonetheless, the first time I felt really good about having voted. I am obsessive. I spent countless hours comparing all of the platforms, reading the text, and talking to people whose opinion I respect. I compared notes, crossed out, asked questions, thought, and slept on it. The national elections barely concerned me this year. They were wrapped up. Local elections usually have far more meaning to me. I voted for Margo St. James, which felt so amazing in light of the fact that she is a former prostitute and civil rights activist. If she wins, history will have been made. I voted for Leslie Katz, a jewish lesbian. I am a bean counter, and proud of it. I believe in quotas until some level of representation is acheived. I voted AGAINST 209, which would turn back the clock on racial and sexual equality. I worked on many of the legal remedies that 209 seeks to undo, as a public interest attorney. I HATE to see my hard work go to naught. I believe in affirmative action. I believe in quotas. I hate racism with every bone in my body. I voted for 211, and against 207. Caps on legal fees hurt the poor, because no lawyer will take a case if she is not going to earn a fee to pay her for her time. Contingency fees are determined according to damages; damages are often determined according to a plaintiff's wages. The lower paid the plaintiff, the less she will recover. Limits on attorneys fees make it impossible for low-paid people to bring suit. I voted against 205 because I want my tax dollars to go to schools rather than jails. I voted for 210, to raise the minimum wage. I voted for 214, 215 (medical marijuana) and 216 to improve public health. I voted for 217 to tax those fuckers who make more money than they need and to spend their money on education and public services. I voted against 218 in order to protect city services. I voted for A because I believe in affordable housing. I voted against B because I think a park is most useful when it contains more grass and trees than concrete and cars. Take a bus there. I wrote in the Fray earlier that I am bitter. I am still bitter. But today I took my bitterness and used it to punch holes in a cardboard paper. I feel good about my votes. You may disagree with me. But we all took our responsibility for the world we live in if we voiced our opinion. It is truly empowering.
No.
Lance {king-of-apathy@glassdog.com} |
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