Voting old draft

I found this in my draft box. It must be from last fall or something. decided I could put it out there as I just got a new local ballot today, to vote on the school district board new members. very controversial at the moment as they don't know quite how to balance the budget and are thinking of closing schools.


Mailed the ballots yesterday. Dropped them in the special ballot collection boxes stationed by our city center. Our old town had a drop box on the steps of the local mayor's office. It all seems very Mayberry; The old black and white TV show about the cute little town.with Andy Griffith as the sheriff.

 I do love that our state has mail in ballots. I used to order absentee ballots in College and kept to that format for most of my life. The convenience of not having to stand in line and being able to take my time in the comfort of my own home made the process so much less stressful.

In the years I was in Seattle, in the late 80's, my roommates and I would walk up to the voting location, near our home, and  go into one of those curtained boxes. There was never much of a line.  I would stand in front of the contraption used to punch the holes in the voting card.  It was a hastle to get a new card if you miss punched one hole. I liked to take my time. But there would be people waiting to vote by the time I came out. Voting at home is so much easier.

Tom doesn't like the voting at home. He sees the opportunity for too much fraud. People voting for their elderly relatives or friends or stealing the ballots out of boxes. That doesn't happen at our house. Tom and I don't even show each other how we voted. I may solicite an opinion from Tom but the final decision is mine on my ballot.

Riles asked how I voted. I told him it is a personal choice. I told him I could discuss issues with him or people, but I would not say how I filled in the little circle in the end, though from our discussions, he can surmise my choices. The boys are supposed to come to school having followed some of the issues. They will be discussing the elections this week. I have a feeling we might not know the results for a few days if even that soon.

I have a friend who only casts her vote based on women's issues, the right to abortion. That is her most important above all else choice. I didn't argue, but there are so many more issues to worry about. Abortion was not my main concern above all else. If I tried to put in order the list of issues, I would start with the economy. Break that topic down into subsections of the price of oil, the decline of coal power plants, the natural gas pipeline,  housing costs, the bail out debt, government taxes at all levels, the EPA interferance, mismanagement of National forest lands, not treating for the Japanese Beatles, or allowing for natural burns to occur causing massive fires due to the overgrown underbrush. The economy list of issues is long and overlaps the environmental issues and the EPA's overbearing fanatical approach, making it almost impossible for manufacturing to survive in this country with out doing something illegal.

Next issue might be education, health care, social security, welfare, the debt. So many other issues are as important if not more so than whether one woman can have an abortion. There is still the morning after pill, now available over the counter if you are over sixteen. Should tax payer dollars be spent on abortion? I can see preventative measures and health care for the poor as part of the health care package. I know someone who had six abortions. Now tell me the sanity in that. She had them all on tax payer money. Abortion was her birth control.

A civilized country, where people can afford to follow the rules, is a country of wealth and prosperity.  We give generously when there is the ability to give. Suck us dry and we have nothing to give. Suck us too dry and we take. Give free hand outs and who wouldn't take it.

Women's issues are only going to be important when we can afford to have just a "woman's issue". Every minority wants their own cut of the pie. Can't we just live our  lives in private? Do I have to vote on people's sex lives? Do I have to decide what decisions you and your doctor are allowed to make?  These issues should not even be in the public sector. You want to level the playing field? Take away the benifits of marriage so no one need fight over special rights someone may have over another. It is more of a marriage penalty anyway. Combined income knocks married couples into  a hire tax bracket. I am not on this earth to judge anyone's choices.    First and foremost I would like to have a job to help feed and house my family. A strong economy will help towards that goal.

Communities support each other only so far is their own homes and families can afford to help. Watching Sandy this week only emphasizes how important it is to have a strong vibrant economy and resources. We need  people who can think quickly and out of the box. Have a system in place that can leap to the aid as needed but stay out of the way. The concept of the National Guard is brilliant to me. Volunteers trained and ready to go when call upon. Red Cross has similar staff; people who are trained for the crisis and how to help, ready to go into hazard's way. The Red cross is a private sector sponsored program. Our taxes support the National Guard, but our free will supports the Red Cross.

If we could target directly  programs through our taxes, I wonder if we would be so frustrated with our government. I doubt we would fund the IRS, but we wouldn't need to if I could tell the government how I want every dollar of my tax dollars spent, what programs I want sponsored. If I  was strong on defence or the arts or planned parenthood, break down my taxes into the areas I want supported . Wouldn't it be great to take out all the graft. Someone abuses the funds and the next year I choose not to sent any money their way.  It irritates me that the only control I have is over the $1 that I can choose to send to the Presidential campaign. Why only that one program? Why are't there dozens of boxes to check to send multiple dollars the way I want my money spent.

Bad roads? check the box for transportation or infrastructure. Just like paying your telephone bill or the cable bill, the tax bill would be targeted. In this modern day of technology, you could log on to your tax account and specify what you feel are your priorities. Give us our choices back.