I voted yesterday!!

[Gigli2008 70]

I voted yesterday (on my way to work) in Mansfield, TX. I was so excited since it was my first time since Naturalization in Feb this year. However, when I got to work, thinking that was the beginning of a wonderful day, it started going very badly (emotionally) for me.

I called a friend of mine who was also going to be a first time voter. She told me how she and her boyfriend had a huge fight the night before. She's from Laos and came in through Thailand as a Refugee and her boyfriend is a natural born AA. He belittled her and made a huge fuss about how naive she was because she was going to vote. He said "you think your little vote is going to count?" He went on and on about how this country is the worst country in the world and how when he got enough money he was moving to the Caribean. (This from a person who does not take advantage of 401K, no savings account, spends more than he can afford). Can you imagine how my friend suffered in the Refugee camp in Thailand for 5 years trying to come to the US and this bafoon takes the American life for granted!! The way he went so negative on America made be think of the word that flew around last week of "Anti-America".

Then, same morning, I went to pick up a package at the reception and asked the receptionist if she had voted. She said no and she was not going to. Her reason - she is not registered to vote. The reason for not getting registered - She thinks all politicians are liars so whats the point. She is 22 or so years old. She said people should live without Government. I asked her if she knows what the 2 sides' positions are and she had no clue. I asked her if she cashed the last stimulus check this year - answer - yes. Asked her if when she gets laid off from her job, she would get unemployment benefits, answer - yes. I am aware she was brought up by her grandparents. Asked her if her grandparents draw Social Security or Medicare, answer - yes. Asked her if she would like the police, fireman and ambulance to show up at her house if she calls 911, answer - yes. Asked her if she still thought people should live without Government. By this time she was getting my point. She said she had not thought of it that way.

I asked her if she pays income or property tax, she said both. I told her that Government plays a big part of our everyday lives and they do so because we pay them through out taxed property and incomes. It is our duty and constitutional right to demand that our tax dollars serve us well. You do that by voting one way or another to serve your own interest.

She regrets about not voting. And my biggest regret is that I had not talked to her before it was too late. That would have been one extra vote for whoever she believed in.

[Sister Fracas 5]

errr...see my reply in the other thread...

[Gigli2008 70]

Sorry I double posted above and in another forum. Tried to remove one and was unable to.

Gigli

[Sister Fracas 5]

hehe... congrats on voting

[LuckyDucky 0]

At the very least, I'm glad that you are excited about voting! A lot of people are disenchanted about voting, and it really is sad.

While your friend's boyfriend has every right to vent his opinion about America, (which is, in my opinion, one of the reasons I feel lucky to live here, you can even complain about the government openly and not get thrown in jail) I obviously disagree with him. If he ever becomes a little more worldly, he may realize there are a lot of places that are much worse to live.

I do wish the electoral college process was revamped, though. Breaking the electoral votes up like they do in Maine and Nebraska would help align the popular vote with the electoral vote. Since I'm from California, it is almost guaranteed that all our electoral votes will go for the Democratic party. The last time California voted Republican was for Ronald Regan. I noticed you're from Texas and they almost always vote Republican with the last exception in 1976 for Jimmy Carter.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I asked her if she pays income or property tax, she said both. I told her that Government plays a big part of our everyday lives and they do so because we pay them through out taxed property and incomes. It is our duty and constitutional right to demand that our tax dollars serve us well. You do that by voting one way or another to serve your own interest.

Well aren't you a busybody

[IAMX 3,055]

She thinks all politicians are liars so whats the point.

This is true, however, it is the voting population who perpetuate this by voting back in the liars and swindlers. This should be more motivation to be an individual and vote your conscience without the feeling of entrapment in the two party system that largely screws the voting population and favors an oligopolistic, oligarchic system of economy and government alike.

She is 22 or so years old. She said people should live without Government. I asked her if she knows what the 2 sides' positions are and she had no clue.

Here's the problem. Yes people can't live without the government, but it's especially true (people just seem to not have it stuck in their heads nowadays) that the government cannot live without them. There aren't just two sides, either.