What’s a voter to do?
Posted: November 1, 2010 Filed under: Elections, New Orleans | Tags: Caroline Fayard, Cedric Richmond, Charlie Melancon, David Vitter, midterm elections 2010 52 Comments
This year seems to be just one bad choice after another for mid term voting. I have a blue dawg Democrat–Charlie Melancon–running for Senate that appalled me last week by saying this was a “Christian nation” and that he hoped it remained so in the televised debate with David Vitter. David Vitter came off as more reasonable with his answer and I thought that was an impossibility. I closed my check book on that one and am looking at the Green Party Candidate now. What a Hobson’s choice!
I can’t vote for the Democratic Congressman for reasons I wrote about earlier. So, that’s almost a Sophie’s choice. I wanted to like you Cedric, but you’ve just had too many ethics lapses that they’ve caught you on! That makes me wonder what lurks uncaught.
Bostonboomer linked this morning to a post over at Corrente by Valhalla on how the Democratic Party is no longer the beneficiary of a gender gap. No wonder. With this odd assortment of blue dawgs, Jane-Crow-adherents-of-Stupakistan, and fall-in-line to pass anything cowards, where’s a vote to go these days?
I cannot divorce my vote from the issues or the fact I live in New Orleans which is still reeling from Hurricane Katrina and now the BP oil spill and a horrid governor. I do not believe that putting in whacko tea party candidates is going to do one’s state or municipality any good during a tough recovery. I also think if a critical mass go with Speaker of the House Agent Orange–Snookie of the Radical Right Prudes–we’re going to lose ground in a big way. This election season is the original rock and a hard place. I only hope and pray for a few years of gridlock at this rate!
Anway, I just wanted to let you know that we’ll have live links and live blogging tomorrow so you can bring you voices, votes, and on-the-ground poll stories to every one here. Again, we’re a sharing place so I expect they’ll be an assortment of choices and varying levels of anger and disappointment.
Maybe one of us will have a few bright spots in an otherwise bleak elections season. I have one candidate that I’m strongly voting for and that’s Caroline Fayard who is running for Lt. Governor. I’d like a liberal woman in there to offset the horrible Bobby Jindal whose policy has been like the thing from Honey Island Swamp. She’s worth rooting for.
Every thing else appears to be choice-gone-bad.
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
I have no bright spot to offer. All I have is Eric Cantor and he will win here. No doubt about it.
yeah, I think all the people for whom I’m voting will actually lose which I got very used to when I lived in Nebraska.
I voted early (NC) and was happy to vote for a female U.S. Senate (D) candidate against Sen. Burr. Don’t think she will win however.
I have seen several articles about the high number of Democrats voting early. Given that this is the South I don’t know why they have assumed that the Ds are turning out to vote D.
As for U.S. House and state offices – left ’em blank. We do have a whole bunch of judges on the ballot and I went down the line and voted for the women, otherwise left blanks.
Tomorrow night will be a blood bath for Democrats. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will trigger the beginning of a thorough examination of what went so wrong.
One thing I will predict as a reaction to the loss of female voters – they will look around and try to find a female head for the DNC.
Any suggestions?
Even without any sense of enthusiasm, I will be going to the polls tomorrow because it is simply the right thing to do. Regardless of how I feel, whatever the outcome, wherever this election cycle may take us after November 2nd, the least I can do for myself and my country is to add my voice, however small, to the business of this nation in which we are so privileged to reside.
Faced with the possibility of a return to Right Wing policies that lead us nowhere in the end, ignoring the one thing that so far entitles us to choose our own governance is wrong. Even as we recognize the uphill batter to oppose the corporate structure that permeates our electorate, by remaining silent we give assent. The danger of “indifference” is much stronger than any campaign slogan or commercial aimed at misleading.
Whatever “message” is sent, however it is framed, it will not change much of the toxicity that surrounds us day by day. Seniors, women, children, gays, the unemployed, the sick and the suffering, all stand to lose more ground than ever in the face of the “movement” that started as early as February 2009. The desire to “take back” the country is aimed at those as well who feel the sting of these policies along with a party who failed to stand tall in defense.
Be assured that Obama will get the “message”. Be assured as well that those who ran on the notion of destroying and dismantling any form of progress will get that message as well. That in electing them the American people have handed over the reigns and expect from them the same as the “hope and change” crowd that never occurred.
But we need to bear in mind that where one mantra failed, the other may very well succeed. And we will be far less better off than we ever were in removing that stain.
An enthusiam gap doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings at this point. I will vote because my grandmother fought to get me that right when she was young. I feel like it will be one very small drop in a bucket.
I worry about what kind of a country my children are inheriting.
Oh noes! How did we get here?
This is how Brad Delong concludes one of his posts today:
Wow, ultimate take down of one of the more juicey rationalizations
Nailed it.
MaBlue2,
Did you see the European paper covering Obama campaigning and saying he lost his cool and appeal?
I have 3 Dems (men) I plan to vote for: 2 because Bill Clinton campaigned for them, and I want the Clintons to have those chits in case they win, and a local state senator because he’s a good guy who actually goes out to meet his constituents.
I’m voting for women on the rest, NOTA if they are all men.
Well, I’m sitting in the secretary’s desk trying to finish stuff up I can’t do on a deceased hard drive. I just realized that the former Chancellor of the Univeresity now has my old office and my old job. This feels surreal. What hell realm hath Bobby Jindal wrought?
I should add, that he’s got better pay and title than I did … obviously
It looks like Bobby Jindal is just wrecking anything that has a social connotation. That’s probably how you earn your GOP cred these days.
I just heard a conversation between the former chancellor and our college faculty senate rep. Oy ….
And they probably put in another window in that office for him.
Sorry to hear that dak. 😦
Oh, I’m so, so sorry to hear that Kat! And of course he’s got better pay and title … Jissis, have we come a long way or what!
The stupidity and short-sightedness of so many of our elected officials just makes me want to scream. Has it always been like this?
Jindal is a disgrace. He should be run out on rails. Along with all those politicians here in WA who want teachers to get merit pay and teach to the test and all that crap. Yeesh.
We had our annual Boat Show here in Lauderdale over the weekend. It was the most poorly attended I can remember although it still was busy. Everybody talked Politics though. Sales Reps, lookers, buyers, everybody! I was so sick of it but there was a theme. It was the theme of the unknown. Whats gonna happen? When will the economy turn around? Many salespeople were actually discouraging lookers by talking about the “downturn”. Thats not exactly good salesmanship and it kinda surprised me.
I guess they are hurting too although they sell luxury items to people you wouldn’t think are being effected. Is that trickle down economics?
I’m thinking nothing trickles any where these days. All we have is the dam break that’s gushing wealth to richest 2%.
But the economy has turned around, don’t they know? At least that’s what I’ve been told by half a dozen different, experts, professors, correspondents, pundits, what have you in the last couple of days.
O yea. I am casting 1 vote for our govenorship. Alex Sink, Florida’s elected CFO, running against Rick Scott who made his fortune in the healthcare biz bilking medicare and medicaid of millions. FRAUD. He plead the 5th 75 times, his company was fined millions and of course, nobody went to jail. He’s finaced his own campaign spending over $50 million. They are running neck and neck. Cannn’t believe it except we are Florida, Jeb Bush is still in charge and everybody in office except for Sink is a Republican. Don’t get me started on this Rubio phoney. He’s cute with a boyish, chubby face. He’ll probably run for President and be elected 2012.
I have but one congress critter to vote for and, as much as Frank Wolf helped me out with the monstrosity that is the credit reporting industry, I just can’t vote for someone who is so adamantly anti-choice. And, since this is Virginia, I only have men to choose from. If a Green were on the ballot I’d have someone to vote for. But no go. So I’m sitting this one out.
9th Congressional District in Michigan here. Will be voting for Gary Peters (congress) and Tim Burns (County Commissioner) and for a Library tax.
Rest will be Democratic only because the Republcans offer people who are snarky or down right misrepresenting the facts. I contend that the losses tomorrow will be because of poor Democratic record and the exptreemly weak and incompetent leadership from the president.
Yesterday Huffington had a poll saying 50% of Dems think Obama should have a primary contest. Who? I think Hillary will only respond to a draft. Chuck Todd floated the rumor that if Feingold looses in Wisconsin, that the Obama White House is very nervous about a loose cannon Feingold in Iowa.
I say let that long live the idea of the loose cannon. I can’t see Hillary in there except if she’s called as a white knight. Justwould worry about the poison pills.
Whatever happened to the happy chant from a couple of days ago, that it actually would be a good thing – for Obama – to lose The House?
Delong’s “master of zero-dimensional chess” remark — how far the mask has fallen!
I was flipping channels and heard about two seconds of Brit Hume earlier this evening saying O, like Bill Clinton, is governing from the left…*eyeroll*
I have some intrade odds up at my blog if anyone’s interested in that kind of thing. Just click on my handle at the top to get there.
I still don’t get how o get the leftist label.
flotus is giving a good speech at Penn. Some one finally got the theme right.
When I clixk on Wonk’s name, it takes me to tinuurl.com? Is it me?
I’m not sure because I’m on wordpress for BlackBerry but if you look at the links list her Blog is Let them Listen.
Sorry, missed the link on that page. Now I see it.
I’d just like to say that I too wish for a return to the decorum and dignity of past times!
No link to your site from TC? Boo.
I was reworking my links and sidebars when my hard drive crashed. A lot of the old ones I had were defunct so I just eliminated them all and started from scratch
Guess that just makes the job easier when the I get the computer back up on Thursday.
maybe need to do an I am not a witch commercial.
Interesting – another Dee.
Which Dee is Dee?
Yes, TC’s link to Sky Dancing is gone. Bad on them. You are still in About Us and as far as I can tell all of your posts except the last one are still up. You probably know this already. Taking down all of your posts would impoverish their archives by quite a bit, IMO.
“Taking down all of your posts would impoverish their archives by quite a bit, IMO.” Yeesh, heck yea. Talk about cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.
That saddens me, that they took dak off the blogroll.
Someone said in a previous thread that it’s like watching parents divorce — I agree. It’s painful for me as a reader & admirer of both blogs.
😦
It feels like horrible timing too for dak because it sounds like she is going through a tough time at work…
Branjor – the old Dee is me. Red /white thingie.
Me – feminist, liberal, lesbian, senior and found my way to TC on day one.
Note: TC is no longer one of my tabs – don’t want to give her the hits.
Who-i might add – we love.
Thanks, Dee. Will remember – red and white.
One would think after years of faithful posting, TC would grant you the common courtesy of linking to your page here. I hope that other front pagers there see the handwriting on the wall regarding that. There is no loyalty for TC expatriots. If you leave because you disagree, they will treat you as badly as anyone was treated at DailyKOS.
I agree about being tired of rehashing the primaries over, and over, and over again. I don’t mean to say we should forget or cut a pass, but ranting all the time about it isn’t helping. Maybe such rants should be saved for 2012, when people need to be reminded about things. Talking about them now is just noise. Regardless, some people over there (hint, ones who consider themselves and their children geniuses (and they know who they are)), need to learn to self-edit when they post rants and other things. The 2000+ word postings are completely unreadable for me.
Regarding voting, I feel at this point, my only recourse for Democrats’ behavior over the last 2 years is to refuse to vote for them. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for the Republicans who were running (and we have a top-two primary system) so I mailed my ballot today with NOTA firmly written in for both the senate and house candidates.
It is a tough time right now, certainly, to say the least.
I wish I could write NOTA in my particular part of the woods. But Georgia you can’t even write in someone you choose to vote for…cause it will not even be counted. Unless they were “qualified” by the SOS. And any candidates that ran during the primaries, and lost, are SOL.
http://www.times-herald.com/opinion/Georgia-law-restricts-write-in-candidates-for-General-Election-1347262
So that means that if I wrote in NOTA, it would not even be counted…which I would have loved to see exactly how many NOTAs were cast. It is all too discouraging. My plan is to sit this one out and then work on the next one in 2012. What else can I do. The thought of voting for any of the bums on my ballot makes me want to puke.
Ah, but at least if I write my comment about not voting today, it will not be removed. I realize it is my civic duty to vote, but when your hands are tied and you are forced to accept one of the idiots that are on the ballot, why even bother.
What a big foul on TC’s part. Kat was amazingly prolific – so disappointing to see such treatment for all her hard work. Reminds me in a way of BO. There was truly amazing synergism there with little to no effort by the hostess.
I don’t post much anymore – so frustrated and so many people say what I am feeling better than I can. But I read everyday.
So glad you’re here Dak. The site is beautiful and crisp – like you. Thank you – I’ve not said that enough.
Your welcome. Bostonboomer held up so much for so long to… Four morning posts a week when so many people just up and disappeared with not a peep. The kind words are really appreciated.
Where did BB link from? I can’t seem to find her at TC or here…
Also wonk’s link to her site goes to tinyurl. So I don’t know where she is either..
Good job I bookmarked here b4 you were removed from TC’s blogroll….
That tinyurl page has the link to Wonk’s site. Guess alot of us are rearranging. I’m not gonna get into details but, I’m very disappointed at a blog that has become self-centered and profane. http://www.answers.com/topic/elitism
Swearing is really a turn-off to me and swearing, calling people names hurts my head. Maybe it was always that way and I never really read that person’s posts much. I was really taken aback witnessing some of the attacks directed at comments. Is that what happened? I missed Dakinikat’s missing post. Now, if the blogroll has changed, there’s really some damage and its become kinda personal to me. Skydancing is now a permanent link at the top of my page – my first stop of the day. Please keep posting and watch this community grow. Thanks Dakinikat for blogging.
Got thru to Wonk-she’s got a really nice page up 😉
Yes. Her Blog is worth bookmarking and reading. She gives me hope for our daughters.
Wonk’s blog is fantastic, always has been.
Were I still living in Louisiana, I’d probably vote for Melancon or “conversely” a Constitution Party candidate if there was one. I probably voted for Vitter when he was first elected – I don’t remember – but over the years I’ve just come to dislike him.
I have two friends who’re conservative who feel similarly. One voting for Melancon and the other Constitution – if available.
Here in Missouri I refused to vote for Blunt. He will win against Robin Carnahan (and I’m glad she’ll lose), but I’m for principles before political pragmatism.
The Republicans and Democrats tell us all that it’s an A/B political system paradigm. Baloney. Vote your conscience. Vote for the candidate that aligns most closely with your ideologies.
I am a conservative, and I think liberalism and Democrats are utterly wrong, but I don’t care about the game. There are greater things of importance than politics. People on both sides of the political ideological spectrum are making idols out of politics, politicians (Obama) and this nation.
There’s heavy voter turnout in Missouri, but it depends upon where. In 2008 my street was packed with cars on both sides all day because I live right across the street from a polling place. Today it is effectively empty. My polling place was pretty busy too in 2008, and today it was steady but not packed. I live in a fairly Democrat and largely minority demographic area. Conversely, areas that are predominately “Red” are reporting big turnouts today in the region.
Too bad I don’t think it’ll be enough to unseat liberal Democrat dynastic politician Lacy Clay; but, it will be fun seeing how badly the Democrats and liberals will get slapped across the nation.