Thoughts From a Wandering Soul, Now in the Charm City

Monday, January 28, 2008

I would try to vote, but it wouldn’t matter!

I am from Michigan, but moved to Florida. I have residency in FL. In either state my vote would not have counted! As usual Dave Barry puts it into words that express how people truly feel.

Dave Barry: Every vote matters, unless you're from Florida


By Dave Barry
Miami Herald
01/27/2008

On Tuesday, millions of Florida voters will head for the polls. Being Floridians, many of them will become confused and drive into buildings, canals, cemeteries, other Floridians, etc. But some will actually make it to the polls, where they will cast ballots that will play a crucial role in the presidential election. Or, in the case of Democrats, not.

It turns out that the 2008 Florida Democratic primary doesn't count. Florida will be sending the same number of delegates to the 2008 Democratic convention as Uzbekistan.

This may seem unfair, but there's a simple, logical explanation: The whole primary system is insane. Consider the process so far:

First Iowa held "caucuses," in which Iowans gathered in small groups at night and engaged in some mysterious Iowan ritual that for all we know involves having intimate relations with corn. Right after that Wyoming had a primary, but it was only for Republicans, because Wyoming Democrats (apparently there are at least two) will hold their primary March 8. Most of the candidates ignored Wyoming and focused on the New Hampshire primary, except Rudy Giuliani, who's following a shrewd strategy, originally developed by the Miami Dolphins, of not entering the race until he has been mathematically eliminated. After New Hampshire came Michigan, where the ballot listed all the Republicans, but only certain Democrats, including Chris Dodd, who had already dropped out if the race, but NOT including Barack Obama or John Edwards.

After Michigan came the Nevada caucuses, in which Hillary Clinton got more votes, but Obama got more delegates. (If you don't understand how that could happen, then you have never been to a casino.) Then came the South Carolina Republican primary, which of course was not held on the same day as the South Carolina Democratic primary. Then comes Florida, in which Republican voters will elect some delegates, although the total will only be half the number Florida was originally supposed to get.

Meanwhile, Florida Democrats, as I mentioned, will have the same impact on their party's nomination as if they fed their ballots to ducks.

I am not making any of this up: This is our actual primary system, except (I hope) the part about the corn. We're selecting candidates for the most important job in the world via a process that's less rational than the one used to choose Miss Kumquat of Pasco County.

How did we end up with this ridiculous system? We got it through endless petty squabbling, in both parties, over the issue of which states get to go first. That's right:

When confronted with what should be a minor procedural problem, the leaders of our major political parties can't even work intelligently with THEIR OWN ALLIES let alone their opponents. This is why, no matter who wins in November, I am optimistic about the future of the nation. (I'm referring to Uzbekistan.)

Anyway, for those of you who plan to vote Tuesday, here's a quick overview of the political situation:

THE REPUBLICAN RACE: It's still wide open. Mitt "Mitt" Romney holds a slight edge in delegates, plus a heifer he got for winning Wyoming. Right behind him are John McCain, Chuck Norris and the late Ronald Reagan. Bringing up the rear is Rudy, who needs a win and has been frantically courting Florida voters. He's mowing their lawns right now.

THE DEMOCRATIC RACE: It's down to Obama vs. Clinton, and it's getting nasty. They hate each other, with the kind of passionate hatred that you see only between two people who hold essentially the same positions on everything. Edwards is still running, but at this point they don't even bother to put a microphone on him for the debates. He just waves his arms to indicate how he's going to take on the big corporations.

So that's the situation. Also, Rudy, if you're reading this: My hedge needs trimming.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Trip to Honky Tonk Land

I have done a bit of traveling during my time here in beautiful Augusta, GA. This weekend I went to day goodbye to one of my best friends from high school. I met her at one of the dorky Debate/Model UN functions that I participated in during high school. Sarah is not from my hometown, but from a city about 30 minutes to the east. Now her mother lives in a suburb of Nashville, TN.


Sarah and I have different opinions on a lot of subjects, but our friendship shows how opposites can get along and even become great friends. My grandmother said that the true friends you have are the ones that when you have not seen them for a while, when you do see them again you can pick up right were you left off. This is the kind of relationship that Sarah and I have. Sarah has been in France for most of the last year, and I have been in different Army schools, so needless to say we have not had a chance to see each other. Last weekend was the only chance that my schedule and her schedule would allow for a meeting prior to her departure to Cameroon, West Africa. She will be there for 2 years. So I decided to drive up to Tennessee to see her and her mother.


We talked and went for a walk at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. It was beautiful. There were 3 huge gardens under a glass roof. After that we got take out and rented a movie. We sat and looked at my wedding photos (so far we have over 1500 photos). Then we watched Patriot Games.


I am going to miss her. I was sad that she could not be a part of my wedding. She has been there for most of the significant events in my life. I feel like our paths are diverging in a significant way. I will be in Korea for at least the next year (maybe the next two) and she will be in Africa.


I wish her the best of luck on her new endeavor. She is a PA and she will be working at a mission hospital in Cameroon.

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