Sunday, September 14, 2008

My Vote Doesn't Count

I'm pretty ticked off. I've spent countless hours reading, analyzing and debating who we should vote for to lead the nation; it's all for naught. I live in California. Thus, my vote to elect the President simply doesn't matter.

What? Well, just check out the campaigns' actions themselves. Have you heard about any candidates tromping through California delivering electrifying speeches, declaring that they are going to change politics as usual in Washington while their opponent is such a clueless yutz? No, you haven't. That's because each party knows that, no matter what they do or say, the vote will be decisively for Obama. The Democrats could have nominated Atilla the Hun and he would carry the state. The same situation applies in other solidly blue states like New York, Oregon, Washington or Illinois.

Similarly, the Republicans could have nominated Karl Marx. He would prevail in the solidly red states like Texas, Oklahoma and the rest of what is fondly called by their residents the heartland, and by the people residing on the East and West Coasts, the dustbowl.

The only states that matter are the battleground states. The cruel fact is that, in this election, the electoral college voting system gives the power to determine the leader of the free world to the good people who have chosen to reside in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida.

I guess I wouldn't be so annoyed about this system if I felt that these residents had the intelligence and deep insights that many of us other blue and red state voters lack. Unfortunately, the mere fact that they don't live in California, where the weather is infinitely better, lends me to believe that they don't possess these admirable traits.

So, I'll continue to have fun following the most interesting presidential election that I can recall, but I'll pine for the right to participate in its outcome. Maybe some day we'll scrap the electoral college system and turn our country into a true democracy in which everyone's vote counts equally.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would like to think that if I take the time to go to the voting booth that my one vote will count for something. It might not be the deciding one, but maybe it could tip the election one way or another. As far as your being smart enough to live in California, keep in mind that you are experiencing mudslides, earthquakes and forest fires. One day your state may separate from the rest of the USA.

Anonymous said...

All states should be abolished (except Nevada).

Anonymous said...

The Electoral College has some curious quirks. In some states, such as Maine and Washington I believe, the delegates can vote proportionally to the states vote tally. Also, I find it amazing that in some states a delegate can vote the other way, but may face a fine. I think there have been some historical cases of that. But, check my facts.