It was a closed primary and the dead line to lock in your party affiliation was months ago. The results reflect the true core of the parties which is why they look so awful.
@MrGlass Interesting, not sure why I thought that was a universal thing…
I always vote early, and nobody who sees me on voting day would have seen my 'I voted early' sticker, so I tend to get hassled a lot. Point being - we have a variety of stickers!
Again (and actually even more sincerely this time), I won't get specific or mention reasons, but I've never been more excited or more hopeful or felt more just generally motherfucking positive about a primary vote than this one (Texas' was on Super Tuesday). I don't mean this to be an obnoxious hint (I know it is, but that's not my point, honestly, goddamnit), but the character, integrity and alignment of values are exceptionally strong with my presidential choice this year.
And even with that aside, I'm one of those guys that gets a little emotional and feels excited about voting (and other ways of participating in the republic) anyway. Like I sometimes cry about that shit, because I think it matters and I think it's cool, no matter how fucked up things get. Really, politics is a lot like everything else human, when you stop to think about it.
So, yeah, "meh" is not something I'm generally inclined to wear to the voting booth. And, no offense, but I find it a little sad and cliche (which is not to say that I don't at some level get it). 90% of what I wear out of the house that isn't semi-professional (for work and other occasions where I should have a collar at least) is meh branded, so I've had to be careful to not just default to that without thinking when I've gone to rallies and organizing meetings or where I knew I'd be represent my candidate.
All of that said, if the wrong person gets the nomination on my side, I will absolutely wear something meh, because that's how I'll feel--similarly, at a whole new level. Or I might just wear this:
Did you say you were excited to vote for someone worthy in a primary in TEXAS?
Ok, i know, sometimes hopers gotta hope. And you should have that at least.
Uh....does the phrase "Ballot Box 13" mean anything to you?
Before you start to say things have changed, go drinking at least once with an Austin lobbyist. (They know a lot about the national scene too.)
Nowadays politics is quite a bit less crude than in the old days; they figured out various ways to make it mostly all pretty and legal.
The long, multi-character, multi-generational version of this story is worth it, but perhaps only the great Robert Caro can tell it in full. I would screw up a summary.
Oh yeah, we know about Ballot Box 13 in Texas. Was LBJ a crook? Sure. But he accomplished some things too. We've done worse; we're likely headed for worse now, I'm sad to say. Hell, I'd take Dick Nixon over a lot of today's politicians. True story: Tricky Dick is literally my favorite Republican president since Ford (Ford was okay for a Republican, and he did give us Justice Stevens, who wasn't such a bad guy).
I know that there have always been various forms of corruption. What I think is worse these days is that in a climate of increasing tolerance and diversity generally we have high profile people who have taken explicit and emphatic stands in favor of bigotry and regressivism and what basically amounts to feudalism.
I also think the degree of inactivity and obstruction in Congress is exceptional (there's your fucking "American Exceptionalism" right there).
I've actually got a certain respect for wheeling and dealing and bargains hammered out in back rooms. Hell, in those days, at least they dealt and didn't just oppose and abdicate. I'm all for the idealistic win-win when it can be achieved, but a good old-fashioned compromise can be a beautiful thing--especially as opposed to what our current Congress does.
And the plutocracy--not since the robber barons have things been so bad. In some ways we're worse off now than then, and it seems like there are many who would willingly turn back the clock on the progress that has been made, progress that folks literally lost their lives to achieve.
Don't get me started. No, seriously, this isn't even the warmup.
@joelmw Damn i agree with a buncha that. And yes, Nixon does compare favorably to many politicians today. So does LBJ.
Tries get get Missouri news this am, had to turn off Fox and CNN this am, OMG just shut up.
And it's sick. And if you know the kinda contest that Kennedy and Goldwater informally agreed would happen in 1964, it's beyond sick.
Now we have politics by bare-faced lie and slap-a-label, and my labels are perfect, and the labels i apply to you prove you're worse than Lucifer.
And a political culture of "let's fake an issue or twist one beyond reason if it will generate perpetual outrage. And throw in some fake facts".
The US was in some ways a better country in the sense of the two parties having a bit of honor and dignity and working to solve problems in the face of a possible WWIII or a nuclear strike.
Re Ballot Box 13. Many or most people in Texas know the short version of the story. The longer, years-in-the-making version with some humorous, unintended and ironic consequences is worth the reading.
@f00l can't remember how I got hooked on that damn Brian Lamb and his C-SPAN Washington Journal and then C-SPAN2 and a weekend of non-fiction book discussion. Just know it is the best tv we have in the USA, imho.
Oh, this is going to be good. I'll just watch the festivities.
@mfladd it doesnt always have to be a show...
Edit...what the heck, pass that bucket of corn
@jaybird never say I don't share...
@mfladd Where's MJ?
@Mehrocco_Mole
@nadroj
@Mehrocco_Mole
You are awesome.
@f00l Awww... I blush. I wish my ex wives thought that way.
Did anyone give you the secret hand signal?
@thismyusername sadly no :(
@thismyusername Hello! It's secret!!!
@Mehrocco_Mole, HA! They totally just pasted 'Trump' over Sanders there. Too lazy to even redo a meme correctly o.O
@haydesigner I'm even lazier than that. I linked it from the internet.
I wanted Tony to win!
It was a closed primary and the dead line to lock in your party affiliation was months ago. The results reflect the true core of the parties which is why they look so awful.
All I'll say is that I've always favored socialist Jews. And I'm feelin' it.
@joelmw right with ya brother!
Dammit! We didn't think to wear our "Meh" shirts!
I'd pledge to do the same thing, but they don't give out i voted stickers near me
@MrGlass Interesting, not sure why I thought that was a universal thing…
I always vote early, and nobody who sees me on voting day would have seen my 'I voted early' sticker, so I tend to get hassled a lot. Point being - we have a variety of stickers!
@brhfl I was surprised as well. My wife is a teacher & we wanted the I voted sticker to show her kindergarden students, but they never have any.
Do they have an 'I voted often' sticker?
@MrGlass Hah! I hope not, though considering how many of our machines they had to take out of service during the last election… never know…
@brhfl Duval County had a problem with the software used to ID voters. We were shocked, shocked.
@brhfl apropos?
@nadroj That's both hilarious and scary.
Again (and actually even more sincerely this time), I won't get specific or mention reasons, but I've never been more excited or more hopeful or felt more just generally motherfucking positive about a primary vote than this one (Texas' was on Super Tuesday). I don't mean this to be an obnoxious hint (I know it is, but that's not my point, honestly, goddamnit), but the character, integrity and alignment of values are exceptionally strong with my presidential choice this year.
And even with that aside, I'm one of those guys that gets a little emotional and feels excited about voting (and other ways of participating in the republic) anyway. Like I sometimes cry about that shit, because I think it matters and I think it's cool, no matter how fucked up things get. Really, politics is a lot like everything else human, when you stop to think about it.
So, yeah, "meh" is not something I'm generally inclined to wear to the voting booth. And, no offense, but I find it a little sad and cliche (which is not to say that I don't at some level get it). 90% of what I wear out of the house that isn't semi-professional (for work and other occasions where I should have a collar at least) is meh branded, so I've had to be careful to not just default to that without thinking when I've gone to rallies and organizing meetings or where I knew I'd be represent my candidate.
All of that said, if the wrong person gets the nomination on my side, I will absolutely wear something meh, because that's how I'll feel--similarly, at a whole new level. Or I might just wear this:
@joelmw I. Want. The. Irk. Shirt.
@OldCatLady https://meh.com/deals/irk-shirt
@joelmw
Without mentioning candidates....
Did you say you were excited to vote for someone worthy in a primary in TEXAS?
Ok, i know, sometimes hopers gotta hope. And you should have that at least.
Uh....does the phrase "Ballot Box 13" mean anything to you?
Before you start to say things have changed, go drinking at least once with an Austin lobbyist. (They know a lot about the national scene too.)
Nowadays politics is quite a bit less crude than in the old days; they figured out various ways to make it mostly all pretty and legal.
The long, multi-character, multi-generational version of this story is worth it, but perhaps only the great Robert Caro can tell it in full. I would screw up a summary.
@f00l
The person I speak of is in a national contest.
Oh yeah, we know about Ballot Box 13 in Texas. Was LBJ a crook? Sure. But he accomplished some things too. We've done worse; we're likely headed for worse now, I'm sad to say. Hell, I'd take Dick Nixon over a lot of today's politicians. True story: Tricky Dick is literally my favorite Republican president since Ford (Ford was okay for a Republican, and he did give us Justice Stevens, who wasn't such a bad guy).
I know that there have always been various forms of corruption. What I think is worse these days is that in a climate of increasing tolerance and diversity generally we have high profile people who have taken explicit and emphatic stands in favor of bigotry and regressivism and what basically amounts to feudalism.
I also think the degree of inactivity and obstruction in Congress is exceptional (there's your fucking "American Exceptionalism" right there).
I've actually got a certain respect for wheeling and dealing and bargains hammered out in back rooms. Hell, in those days, at least they dealt and didn't just oppose and abdicate. I'm all for the idealistic win-win when it can be achieved, but a good old-fashioned compromise can be a beautiful thing--especially as opposed to what our current Congress does.
And the plutocracy--not since the robber barons have things been so bad. In some ways we're worse off now than then, and it seems like there are many who would willingly turn back the clock on the progress that has been made, progress that folks literally lost their lives to achieve.
Don't get me started. No, seriously, this isn't even the warmup.
@joelmw
Damn i agree with a buncha that. And yes, Nixon does compare favorably to many politicians today. So does LBJ.
Tries get get Missouri news this am, had to turn off Fox and CNN this am, OMG just shut up.
And it's sick. And if you know the kinda contest that Kennedy and Goldwater informally agreed would happen in 1964, it's beyond sick.
Now we have politics by bare-faced lie and slap-a-label, and my labels are perfect, and the labels i apply to you prove you're worse than Lucifer.
And a political culture of "let's fake an issue or twist one beyond reason if it will generate perpetual outrage. And throw in some fake facts".
The US was in some ways a better country in the sense of the two parties having a bit of honor and dignity and working to solve problems in the face of a possible WWIII or a nuclear strike.
Re Ballot Box 13. Many or most people in Texas know the short version of the story. The longer, years-in-the-making version with some humorous, unintended and ironic consequences is worth the reading.
http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Caros-Years-Lyndon-Johnson/dp/038535147X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1458235396&sr=8-6&keywords=Robert+caro
@f00l I'm intrigued. Thanks for the link. And rock on.
@nadroj I didn't want the Irk shirt then. I want it now.
@f00l can't remember how I got hooked on that damn Brian Lamb and his C-SPAN Washington Journal and then C-SPAN2 and a weekend of non-fiction book discussion. Just know it is the best tv we have in the USA, imho.