Terminalcoffee discussion

due to my appearent ignorance i thought it would be best to start a new thread.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/a... heres another article about the election but there probably better so post whatever is better..

as i said my opinions of NJ politics is that either way were screwed but it will be interesting to see the outcome..

hope all is well and this thread is a bit better.. =D

mine is the middle school that i went to that was once the high school.. its not far from my house..

its all good though, its better to keep the topic focused on the elections anyways..

i dont know if i will vote or not, i have only yet really voted on presidential elections.. but this one seems serious.. though i dont know how much change it will really bring either way..

No voting here. I love those New York State voting machines!

Huh. I haven't not voted with a mail-in ballot in about 8 years.

No elections here today but I hope everyone in Washington and Maine is vote vote voting.

after another call id like to add about the election in NJ; the phone has been ringing off the hook about who we should vote for, i don't know what others think but it just annoys me to the point of not wanting to vote.. i know its a close race but the phone calls don't tell me anything about anything, just 'vote for me'.. =\ annoying.. that and the junk mail fliers, i have enough to wallpaper the house with.. we get the hint.. =\ and its from all sides and different offices..

I'm in denial about any elections that are or are not being held in our area. I'm still on burnout from the big elections last year. *Willfully putting on blinders*

The Ohio ballot has issue number 1 being something that gives money to veterans from the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, number 2 has to do with livestock regulation, number 3 is about bringing casinos to Ohio, and number 4 is saving our libraries.

I need to read up on the issues before I vote later today. I didn't vote in the last presidential election because I was in Nepal, so I feel obligated to vote in this one, especially with the fate of our libraries being on the bill.

It's mostly vote by mail in Washington state, and I dropped my ballot off yesterday.
There are some city council races I'm crossing my fingers about, and a gay rights/all but marriage referendum that I hope will pass.

Misha: I wanted to vote absentee but the timing just wasn't right. I didn't know that I would be staying in India until the last week of September, and the papers probably would not have gotten to me in time (they would have gone to my parents, and then to India when I was out of the country for two weeks, and then back).

My father isn't even a registered voter, which drives me crazy. Men can afford to be apathetic when it comes to government, since they're really the ones running it, I guess.

Don't lump all men together, Angie.

I would have loved to have voted online. That was only the second presidential election I was eligible to vote for, so in the long run, missing one isn't bad.

I still think election days should be national holidays.

And Larry, while it's true that generalizations are bad... men are the dominant rule-makers, and have always been. A man can be apathetic when it comes to issues like abortion or social programs that help women, because they have that privilege, just like straight people have the privilege to be apathetic to GLBTQ struggles and rights. The voter turn-out in America is still pretty bad.

We should encourage voter turnout the way the Australians do - a national holiday, and FREE BEER!

alcohol and voting, that may be interesting.. i could imagine people tailgating while on line.. =D heh.. but isn't voting compulsory there?

Yes, voting is compulsory there, and in a lot of countries.

All I'm saying, Angie, is that I'm not apathetic about those issues. And I'm a man. At least this time around.

And then, isn't low male turnout an excellent opportunity for women to assert themselves on the issues they care about? Maybe there's some apathy there as well?

I couldn't disagree with your last paragraph more Angie. I don't think that men can afford to be apathetic about anything anymore. Stand still too long and the world passes you by.

I'm also not sure what privilege you think that we have to be apathetic. Why would I be apathetic when I have a daughter that mat need the social programs that I shouldn't care about.

Please don't lump me in with those you think don't care.

I'm not lumping you guys in with all men, don't worry. :) This is my feminist side coming out. You two have the right attitude, of realizing that these issues affect ALL of us, but when it comes to really controversial issues like birth control and abortion, it doesn't affect you physically like it would a woman. Thus, while it's important you voice your opinion over these things, they will never directly (physically) affect you (your body).

Privilege is a touchy and messy subject, so I'd rather not we get into an argument over it.

I appreciate you clarification.

We're having buttered popcorn in another thread if you'd care to join us.

Angie wrote: "I'm not lumping you guys in with all men, don't worry. :) This is my feminist side coming out. You two have the right attitude, of realizing that these issues affect ALL of us, but when it comes to really controversial issues like birth control and abortion, it doesn't affect you physically like it would a woman. Thus, while it's important you voice your opinion over these things, they will never directly (physically) affect you (your body)."

That's all the more reason to applaud allies and feminist guys instead of condemning them by saying "you're not a (woman, GLBT, person with a disability), you wouldn't understand."
Empathy is a wonderful trait, and change is rarely made without cooperation.

But I certainly agree we need to get more women voting. That could make a huge difference.

Did you pick up anything good?

JUST ONE?

I have to chime in here too, about the "men are apathetic" generalization. I really don't agree with that at all. I don't think we can boil down to gender one's political zest.

Sweeter, and many male friends of mine, are waaaay more political than I, or even their wives are.

I don't care about this conversation.

:)

(No, I'm torn on the "vote by mail" thing like Jackie has. On one hand the idea sounds good, no lines, etc. On the other hand, the voting booth is such a piece of americana...)

Our voting place was full of farmers coming in on breaks from the field. My mom witnessed two people getting into an argument about one of the issues in the parking lot while I was voting inside.

Apparently, there was no issue 4 on the ballot, despite there being numerous signs posted around the county. Not sure how that works...

I miss the polling place, with the stickers and the cookies, and all the retired folks running the election making sure we all vote properly.
And running into neighbors and chatting with them, I miss that, too.
Vote by mail is convenient, but I'm not sure it's better.

NY has the same mayor, NJ has a new governor.. lets see if things will change for the better.. i dont really know..