Monday, May 21, 2012

Does My Vote Even Matter?

I got to thinking about this since I seem to be getting endless calls from politicians and my facebook is being jumbled up with political comments... Let me say this and then I hope I don't or won't have to again... I hate reading all the comments that he said this and she said that... It bugs the crap out of me that people can't go look up the real facts instead of sharing comments and images that are just that, "crap"... Many of the images are photoshopped and the stories have been over dramatized... If people would use a little common sense, they would find out the truth before posting... But then you have the Donald Trumps out there that believe just about anything... 

But, back to my thought... I live in Utah and this is a state that is Republican... It doesn't matter what or who I vote for, it will go to the Republicans... Is that such a bad thing? Maybe not! But in my opinion and it doesn't really matter, I don't vote based on parties, I vote for the person... So If I wanted to vote for Obama, it wouldn't matter since it doesn't go by popular vote...If I lived in in Florida, the other states were: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia then maybe...

Then I hear about how it is our civic duty to vote and let our voice be heard... Why! If my vote isn't for a Republican, then it doesn't matter... If I don't vote the way the rest of the people do in Utah,  or those handling the electoral votes, it doesn't matter... Even when the popular vote outweighs anything, it doesn't matter.. So why would I want to vote? No matter who I vote for or not vote for Romney is going to win... Would I have voted for him to begin with? Maybe! But it doesn't matter?  The candidate with the most electoral votes will become president.

For a candidate to become president, he or she must win enough state elections to garner a majority of electoral votes. presidential campaigns, therefore, focus on winning states, not on winning a national majority... It also means that — at least in theory — electors can thwart the popular will and vote for a candidate not supported by the voters of their state...(quoted from learnnc.com) I'm not sure what I'm doing when it comes to voting, because no matter what, the state I live in will go to a Republican... Even if his name is Mickey Mouse... 

BusinessWeek magazine has an extremely important series of articles regarding the upcoming presidential election. In essence, the magazine contends that voters in only 17 so-called “battleground” states will actually determine who will occupy the White House next January. It should come as no surprise, of course, that Utah is not one of those battleground states. We are solidly “Red”, or Republican.

If you want to understand more of this, you can find more info on this site... Also for all of those who don't want to take the time to look up what is a hoax, lie or fabrication, I even included a page on Obama that you can find on Snopes... Urban Legends about President Obama...  There will be plenty for everyone to read... Here is another link to FactCheck.org... I'm making it easy for everyone so you don't have to go find the links.. 

Closing Thoughts:  The only place I think my vote counts at is when I'm voting for things within my state (i.e governor, councilmen, schools, judges, mayor, ect...) Then it counts... When it comes to who will be President, I don't think so unless I lived in one of the few states that are deciding states... 

So my conclusion is that in the presidential race, it doesn't matter... I would also like to say that if you are one of many and don't know the issues and you don't know who to vote for, then why vote, because it doesn't matter... I get a kick out of those who say they will vote for the lesser of the two evils... To me that sounds totally off the wall... Why vote if you feel they are both evil or wrong... For myself, I won't vote for none of them if I don't like none of them or I don't know what I'm voting for or against...   People can get all ticked off or think what they think, but since my thoughts are this and the matter to me and my vote doesn't matter, then this is the way I feel... 

I would find it interesting to find out what others feel on this without getting into a heated argument... Most of those I know and are friends are die-hard Republicans and for the most part I stay out of those conversations because I don't want to get into an argument unless it is fact based and not based on crap they found as a forward on facebook... Just the facts... Not the CRAP... It's almost like if you discuss politics it has to be heated or someone thinks the other is stupid... So I want JUST THE FACTS! 



6 comments:

RevSue said...

Your blog is interesting. And many people feel that way. Before I get ready to vote I will figure out the issues, decide on the person I want to vote for, and then I will vote. I hate all the infighting, I hate all the crap on the tv. Luckily I haven't had a bunch of calls. But bottom line is that I will vote. And yes, WI is a majority republican I think. But it doesn't matter. It's about what I think. Voting is a priviledge and I have taken it seriously since I was 18 and could vote for the first time. And I intend to do that until I can't physically do it. Does it matter that the person I vote for could possibly always be the one who will never win because it's the wrong party? Could be. But I have to vote with my heart and my theology. It's my duty. and like you, I will vote who I want to vote for. I do not claim to be any party.

RevSue said...

And while I'm at it, every vote does count! No one should ever be made to feel that their vote doesn't count. We live in a country that allows us that freedom. Sure, the people we vote for may not be the ones who make it into office. But my personal opinion is this: "if you don't exercise you right to vote then you have ground to bitch on when you don't like the outcome!"

There are too many places in this world where people don't have the true right to vote. Use your priviledge, don't abuse it. Make your own decisions. And never let anyone tell you that what you have to say doesn't matter. It's ok of you're not in the majority!

Sandie said...

I agree about voting being a privilege and that it is something we should take serious... I wonder how many people vote strictly GOP or strictly Dem no matter who the person is or what is on their agenda... It bothers me that the backbiting is more important than the issues at hand... And all the things that are said without thinking... Geeze, I'm great at not thinking and I can even research to see what is true and not true... I like what Jack Webb said in Dragnet, "Just the Facts"... :)

Anonymous said...

REMEMBER THE GOOD O’DAYS!

I recall a time was when the phone range you listened to hear how many rings you got before you knew the call was for you or someone else down the road, they were called party lines and I didn’t mean political parties! Two shorts and a long was for our home and two longs was for the neighbor! However now no matter where you go you hear songs and rings beeps and twangs and bells from everywhere! You hear it from everywhere carrying their phones in their pockets! Progress isn’t wonderful? Hmmm isn’t it?
A week ago while rushing to the hospital to care for a family member who we were contacted by a church member to rush to see him because he was at deaths door! While reaching for the door to the hospital the phone in my pocket rang! With great concern and frightened for our family members life we quickly answered the phone in worry about new news about our loved one! However the call was another one of those political calls just wanting to conduct a political survey! Both at home and on the cell we have gotten as many as 2 such calls in less than an hour!
At that point my rational reaction for folks to use the phone for marketing the views of any political group was far from our hearts and minds! Only our care for our family member was all we cared about! Later that day after seeing our loved one as we left the hospital while others were still in the room with him! As we left the hospital to go home and pray for him the phone rang again this time it was a recorded message from Lamar Smith’s office giving out another us another political message! Again out of fear it was new news over our loved one all politics did was to aggravate a horrible situation! The blessing of having such phone technology is not for advertising anyone or thing! But to be able to communicate for our needs and the needs of a marketer in public or private business! Such use be used by such people only takes away the good Godly blessing of good technology!
Now is the time for these political people to give the public a reason to vote them in office and do something beyond their political philosophies, which solve nothing. I suggest we stick to our basic Christian philosophy of love thy neighbor as much as we do ourselves! I suggest we remember when our Lord kicked over the tables of the merchants and told us we had turned our house of prayer into a den of thieves and what that truly meant! Remember it was the political groups of the Sanhedrin and the Romans who stuck to their own political and/or religious philosophy, that crucified the innocent!
Remember the Good Old Days when we only got an occasional call from someone selling and you could tell them not to call back and they would? Remember when calls came in from just those in our family and from those in businesses, that had a reason to call us? And a time when politicians held meetings in the court yard for all to hear or if we didn’t like what they said we could simply walk away! And we’d just read about them in the paper or on the radio or TV? When sales people walked the streets and knocked on your door and you could invite them in or tell them where to go or just say no! You see these folks don’t love you they just love themselves. For if they truly loved they wouldn’t kick down your door to make you har them or interfere with your necessities and your needs of life. Or try to flimflam you by cloaking your needs as being something you need too! Yes sir re doesn’t make any difference if you’re a conservative or liberal. The nation is in a mess because we have turned into world wants rather than needs!


Now is the time to ban the use of the phones for any form of marketing including survey’s, politics, and so called charities! Remember what we were taught, faith, hope, and love! For if we truly love our Lord Charity just comes along naturally! Remember the good old days? The days when a vote counted and wasn't purchased by marketing dollars of big industry?

David M. Schare
Kerrville

Anonymous said...

Yep you see, votes don't count like they use to because your thoughts are set in motion by who sold you the best goods and convinced you into believing in the stuff of this world that you don't need or want and I don't means bad health care that before Obama got in office he changed a thing! It's all a political sales job on both sides! The logic is when your going broke money isn't the root of evil it only something that can rot and be choak out by bad weeds and when our Lord returns and we stop listening to politicans and listen only to God and give all we can to help the sick and the poor then we are sharing and giving only love! As asked by our Lord!

Yep it's old Pappy

Sandie said...

Pappy, I just love your reply to this... I remember the party lines... And you are right about cell phones... Wow, I wonder how we all survived? I'm posting your one comment to party lines as a blog entry for tomorrow... Loved it...

And to your second comment, you are right on... We need to be listening to God... He is the only one that knows what is best for us and doesn't care about money...