Politics2024-03-28T17:39:17Zhttps://d.moonfire.us/tags/politics/D. MoonfireCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalAbsentee ballots2011-10-31T05:00:00Zhttps://d.moonfire.us/blog/2011/10/31/absentee-ballots/<p>I vote and I'm damn proud of the fact. Now, I wasn't always a voter until I first registered in my twenties. Before then, I watched politics go by with the same apathy as most of the other people in my age group.</p>
<p>I registered because I finally understood it was a privilege and something that needed to be earned. Plus, I couldn't complain about any law, politician, or anything else going on if I didn't vote. If I choose not to have a say in the matter, then I didn't have a right to complain about it.</p>
<p>When I moved to Iowa, I realized I could do absentee ballots. Since I occasionally had a problem with getting the polling place on time, plus waiting an hour in line, and listening to people ranting about the "other people", I thought doing an absentee would be a good alternative.</p>
<p>And it was. My political position is contrary in general, we'll leave it at that. But, I'm also interested in other parties that don't get news coverage: Libertarians, Green, Constitution, etc. In a lot of cases, there are a *lot* of other people on the ballot that I didn't know about until I started voting. Likewise, there were referendums and other issues for vote that also surprised me.</p>
<p>Getting the absentee ballot let me actually research the individual people and figure out where they stand. I refuse to vote along a party line. I pick people based on their stands, not their party. And research is great for that.</p>
<p>I can't keep track of everything going on. I wish I could, I really do, but I can't always. So, I'd rather have a chance to figure what is going on before I got to the ballot.</p>
<p>That said, I just mailed my absentee ballot out this morning.</p>
To the volunteer political helpers2008-10-17T05:00:00Zhttps://d.moonfire.us/blog/2008/10/17/to-the-volunteer-political-helpers/<p>I highly respect your decision to make a choice in picking a candidate. That part is great because I truly respect people who actually vote and make a decision instead of being apathetic about the entire process. I also know that you, as someone willing to get into a call center and call a ton of people to ask them their political affiliation must be a mind-numbing task and probably a miserable one since you really are going to get "yeah, I already agree" or "rot in hell" response, since most people already made up their minds.</p>
<p>But, as a program, I view a list as options. And when you give me this:</p>
<ol>
<li>Are you going to vote for Obama?</li>
<li>Are you going to vote for McCain?</li>
<li>Are you not going to vote?</li>
</ol>
<p>... realize that I, as a programmer and who I am, will probably take offense at all three of your questions. I also know that I'm violating your script, but when I say the "fourth choice", please do not be hostile about it? Also, while I'm in the middle of explaining that Iowa does have a <a href="http://www.lp.org/">Libertarian</a> and <a href="http://www.gp.org/index.php">Green</a> party both on the presidential ballot, please don't make a disgusted noise and hang up in the middle. If you are going to call me to give me a lecture if I don't agree with your party choice, you better damn well be willing to get a lecture in return about your unwillingness to acknowledge more than two parties.</p>
Silence2008-03-14T05:00:00Zhttps://d.moonfire.us/blog/2008/03/14/silence/<p>Today's thoughts brought to you by <a href="http://xkcd.com/">xkcd</a>:</p>
<p><img src="/assets/the_ring.png" /></p>
<p>I was (obsessively) reading my RSS feed when I found this <a href="http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/">very intelligent</a> discussion on thinking people's deadly sins. It's related to the Catholic Church adding seven more sins, of which I don't agree with their presentation or contents entirely. But, this article does point out some really interesting things.</p>
<p>The one that really struck me was #7: Silence. Some (good number of) years ago, I didn't bother voting but I also didn't really care what happened. Then, one day, I realized that I suddenly cared. But, before I opened my mouth, I remembered one thing that I have believed in: if you say something sucks, the next thing out of your mouth better be how to improve it. Also, I didn't have the right to complain if I didn't vote. So, the next week, I registered to vote. And I did. I haven't complained about any politician from before that point because I never felt the right.</p>
<p>Two years ago, I realized I had to do more than just vote for my beliefs. So, my other byline, the one that I can't shut up about, grew to start talking about that. Decisions and comments on laws, actions by our politicans, etc. I talk about things, I refuse to be silent and I write to my representatives fairly often. And, surprise surprise, I don't always use the form letters EFF or ACLU suggests. I read the proposed laws and write an entirely different letter based on my opinions and my reading.</p>
<p>There are days when I'm afraid to speak out. There are times when I know that I'm not arguing on the popular side of things. I saw what I feel is right, even if it isn't politically correct. Yeah, I keep it separate from here, but I happen to believe that certain politics, regardless of what side they argue for, don't belong in certain professional circles. </p>
<p>Of course, when I look at the smart person's seven deadly sins, does that mean I think I'm a smart person? :)</p>
Register to Vote!2006-10-04T05:00:00Zhttps://d.moonfire.us/blog/2006/10/04/register-to-vote/<p>I don't normally view my political views on the blog (or haven't yet), but I really think it is important that everyone who can... votes. I don't care if you vote Republican, Democrate, Cheesemongers, just vote! If you don't vote, you really deserve everything you have and lose the right to even complain about whoever was elected.</p>