Thank god. It's almost over. If I get one more damn candidate/computer/desperate person calling me trying to get me to vote a certain way, I shall scream. If I get one more goddamned phone call that starts with "If the election were held today, which (insert office here) would you vote for?", I will change my phone number. Oh wait, I already did that today. Take that, candidates!!!
I made the mistake of answering the phone last night. It was a woman telling me all about this wonderful candidate. He's all "hearts and flowers (sue me, I tuned her out) and he's big on women's rights!" You better believe I started listening then! I had a few questions.
me: "Wait, women's rights? Oh wow! Am I finally going to get the right to vote? Oh wait, I can already do that."
her: ...
me: "Oh wait! He's going to make it so I can enter the workforce and get a chance at equal pay? He wants to make it illegal to sexually harass me? I'll be able to wear pants in public without fear of being jailed?"
her: ...
me: "Seriously, I think the subject of women's rights has been covered like 50 years ago. Can we just term it basic human rights now?"
Honestly, I don't know why that term is a sore spot for me. There is something about it that just immediately pisses me off. Add one politician to the mixture and you have instant explosion.
I do have one political sign in my front yard. I live on a very busy road, and my house is right on the corner at the only stoplight on the road. So I guess it's prime political sign territory or something? Hell, I don't know. All I do know is that the county coroner rang my doorbell, introduced himself, then asked if he could put his sign up. Since I immediately decided that would be fucking awesome and hilarious all at the same time, I told him to go right on ahead. He looked a bit confused by my laughter, but he managed to gamely try to continue the conversation and make small talk. I finally had to confess to him that I had no plans whatsoever on voting for him, his opponent, or anyone else.
Many years ago I used to pay attention to the political world. I'd research candidates and look at how they've voted in the past, I'd look at their home lives...I was damn near stalkerish. I refused to just vote straight republican or straight democrat on a ticket, just because someone was affiliated with a certain party did not mean they weren't an asshat. I live in Illinois, believe me when I say I have seen my share of asshat politicians.
Then the breaking point hit. The election that did me in. After being told my entire life that my vote counts, a president loses the popular vote but still manages to stay in fucking office because he won the electoral vote. Wait. What? If my vote counts, then how the fuck did THAT happen?!?! After I sat and thought for a bit, I realized something. I honestly don't give a damn who my county coroner is. I don't care who the county clerk is. I don't care who is what judge where. The only reason I really voted was to have my say in the presidential election...and it turns out that they don't give a damn what I say.
Who I voted for in that election won't be mentioned. It doesn't really matter. The system is outdated and wrong. We don't need an electoral college anymore. The time for that is long past. Until the system is fixed you won't see me at the polls. I'm glad and grateful that I have the right to vote, but I also have a right NOT to vote.
