Uncle and his votes
On the poll about how I would vote, here are the results so far:
Gay marriage ban:
No 21%
Yes 19%
Hell no 60%
Seriously, do 19% of you even read this site? I will be voting No.
Special privileges for old people:
No 38%
Yes 25%
Hell No 36%
I will be voting No, though I don’t think I’ve discussed it here.
Senate:
Bob Corker 43%
Harold Ford, Jr. 41%
Bo Heyward 8%
Big Stupid Tommy 8%
Ford is simply out of the question. The choice becomes do I vote for Corker because I think Ford may win? Or do I express my displeasure with Republicans by voting for the real conservative. Or do I express my displeasure about the whole thing and write in Big Stupid Tommy? I still don’t know.
Governor:
Phil Bredesen 60%
Jim Bryson 40%
I should vote for Bredesen. I voted for him the first time (actually, I voted against Hilleary). He’s done a decent job. He’s solidly pro-gun. But I just dread the lame-duck governor and a push for income taxes. Won’t matter though as this race isn’t even going to be close. Heck, even I don’t know this one. As I said, Bredesen deserves my vote but I fear his lame-duckness.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:08 am
Ford is simply out of the question. The choice becomes do I vote for Corker because I think Ford may win? Or do I express my displeasure with Republicans by voting for the real conservative. Or do I express my displeasure about the whole thing and write in Big Stupid Tommy? I still don’t know.
I like how you have expressed the dilemma. Not voting is neutral. A protest vote is neutral. But what if the race is 50/50. A vote for Corker is a plus one vote over neutral.
In the beginning I was going to very reluctantly vote for Corker and take a barf bag with me just in case I can’t keep my breakfast down. After Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam joined the Bloomberg anti-defense brigade I thought seriously about voting for Ford. A protest vote against Haslamville.
The shrill of the Ford supporters crying racism at every turn quickly soured the idea of voting for Ford. It was a protest vote anyway. I was more reluctant to vote for Ford than Corker.
Then I thought about watching the polls and if my one vote is not needed I could write in someone of vote for Bo.
It is an issue of responsibility. If the race is so close that one vote may matter, do I carry the burden of putting Harold Ford in an office he may occupy for thirty years? Does East Tennessee need a Kennedy like dynasty in Memphis?
My newest thought is this. When you have two equally unappealing candidates with equally dubious resumes, isn’t the smart move to vote for the one that lives closer to you? Won’t Knoxville get more love from Corker than from Mr. Memphis Harold Ford?
As a public service, you can get your barf bag here.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Here’s a true story.
Just over a year ago, I purchased my first house. I was living in Millington at the time, and early voting was going on. The big race on everybody’s mind was Ophelia Ford and Terry Roland.
I’m not a fan of any Ford, so I would have voted for Roland. But, I was moving out of that district and wouldn’t have a dog in that hunt, so I decided not to vote.
As you may remember, Ford won by 13 votes. In the ensuing calamity that is Shelby County, it was found that 12 of Ford’s votes were invalid.
In my mind, had I voted, the race would have been a virtual tie and Ford wouldn’t have a claim to the victory.
It got all tossed out anyway, but that’s my story on why you should vote, and why you should make it count.
November 2nd, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Heh. I misread it and answered the questions according to how I was going to vote.
(Then I accidentally voted for Pat Buchanan…)
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:54 pm
Realizing that I could have voted for somebody named Bo makes me regret my trip to the early voting station earlier this week. If only I’d been better informed.
November 3rd, 2006 at 3:30 pm
As I said, Bredesen deserves my vote but I fear his lame-duckness.
so vote for him. He’s going to win no matter what and he’s going to be a lame duck no matter what..but he deserves your vote, so vote for him.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:00 am
[…] Governor: Phil Bredesen. Despite past reservations about a lame duck governor, I think he did a good job. […]