Porch Poll
In New York, The polling places always are set up where the voters identify themselves, sign a book, and then step into the voting machine.
The voting machine looks like a smaller version of that place where the Wizard of Oz was standing when he said the infamous phrase, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"
Anyhow, you step into this voting booth and pull the lever to the right. This mechanically closes a curtain behind you.
It is there where you see several rows of nominees and labels that identify what they are running for.
Unfortunately for me and many others, it is often the first time I've ever seen any of these names, except for those running for the big positions.
Unfortunately, it is also there that I realize who is linked up with what other parties.
For instance, I didn't know Pat Buchanan was also listed as the candidate for the Right To Life Party.
The Libertarian Party had a nominee that I never heard of.
I'm sure he was a nice guy or a smart guy, with lots of good ideas.
Still didn't know much about him.
The Green Party enticed me.
I thought, perhaps I should vote along that line for the simple reason that perhaps a third choice in the future would be nice. (If they get enough votes perhaps the party will grow stronger.)
Although, with the way money rules the game, it's unlikely.
Yet, the part of me that cheers for the underdog made me thing perhaps this would be the best place for me to put my vote.
But then I began to feel the pressure of taking too much time in the voting booth.
Afterall, I should not be pondering who to vote for.
I should have already done that for each and every category listed.
I then quickly clicked off my choices by moving these little levers down and then pulling the large lever to cast my votes and open up the curtain.
It was pretty simple and again the biggest problem was deciding who to vote for, instead of figuring out "How" to vote.
I'm surprised that in this day and age, the entire country does not have the same set of standards to follow in the voting process.
I saw on the news the various pieces of paper that many folks have to vote with.
And then they have to be stuffed into an actual ballot box.
In this day and age of sending billions of terrabytes across glass fibers and then routing them all across the world, there are still people punching holes in paper and then putting them into a box to be counted.
Geesh!
I'm looking forward to the day where they do a retinal scan and finger print and then have us vote online by staring at a picture of the candidate and then clicking on him/her, or place your finger on them, or simply saying yes or no...
Anyhow, I'm wondering who many of you had to fill out pieces of paper and how many of you used an actual machine?
How many of you are satisfied with the current system?
How many of you saw a name you didn't recognize?
Am I the only one?
-ElPollster |
