Election Day and other random thoughts

It's Election Day. Finally.

I voted this morning as one of several things I had to do this morning. The polling place, which is just about half a block up the street from me, was busy but not crowded, and so I only had to wait for a couple of minutes before I could check in and get my ballot. I was in the polling place, from walking in the door to feeding my ballot into the machine and thanking the poll workers for their service, for maybe fifteen minutes total. Probably less. I'm sure things will pick up as the day progresses.

I'm now avoiding watching or listening to the news. I'm nervous about the outcome of the election, not only in the presidential race, but for a couple of statewide propositions and the local proposition that would ensure continuing funding at present levels for the county's libraries. I love libraries, and worry about reports that if the proposition doesn't pass, up to half the branches countywide will be closed and hours at the remaining branches will be cut drastically. I'm trying not to worry too much about it; the same proposition has been passed twice in a row.

I'm also avoiding the news because I really don't want to hear any more news about a workplace shooting that happened at a processing plant this morning that is less than three miles from where I live. The latest report I saw said that there was one dead and three injured. In addition, the shooter shot himself, but reports are unclear about whether he is dead or alive.

There is also no indication yet about what prompted the shootings, but other workers at the plant have said that the shooter showed up for work about 5 a.m., acting "not himself". Then, about 8:30 a.m., according to reports, he pulled out a weapon and started shooting.

In most cases, this sort of things boils down to either a disgruntled employee or a domestic dispute. This might have been either or neither, but whatever it turns out to be, I cannot even begin to explain the depth of my inability to understand why so many people seem to think that getting angry about something entitles them to go out and start shooting people before they (often) shoot themselves. I really just don't understand.

Not everything today has been quite so dismal as this local shooting, though. Thank goodness.

On the way home from doing my errands, I stopped at the grocery store. As I was leaving, I saw a car with a political bumper sticker. This one was a sticker with a difference, though. It read, "Willie Nelson for President". Made me smile, although I'm pretty sure that Willie doesn't want the job. Goodness knows, I wouldn't want it.

But, I did do my duty and vote, and I hope that if you are eligible, you voted as well. And I hope the line you had to stand in wasn't too long.

Vote, damn it...

With nearly two weeks to go, I'm ready for the election to just be over, already. Between the incessant political ads on television and radio, more campaign signs seeming to pop up on the landscape every day, and people getting less and less civil on the campaign trail and on social media of all kinds, I Just. Want. It. To. Stop.

I thought it would be better after all the debates were over. But, no. If anything, it's worse. Dueling analysts, polls that contradict each other, certain candidates who act like they don't have an obligation to explain themselves, or even outline how they intend to do the things they say they are going to do if they are elected.

Get a clue, guys. You're engaged in an extended job interview. You wouldn't hire a job applicant who refused to answer your questions; why do you think we should hire you to be the leader of the free world when you won't even supply a few details about how you intend to up spending and cut taxes to the wealthy at the same time. You know who you are; I'm not going to name names.

And then there are the games that are still being played (by partisans on both sides, I'm ashamed to say), attempting to prevent people they think might not be voting for their candidates and issues from voting at all. Cut it out, guys. You don't deserve to call yourselves Americans if you support, much less engage in, this sort of voter suppression. Another clue: voter fraud is virtually non-existent, so quit acting like it's rampant on the landscape. You're just making yourselves look like goons.

I'll be out there voting on Election Day, and if you are eligible to vote, you should be, too. I don't care if you support the same candidates and issues that I do. You should vote regardless. And you should support the right of everyone to vote, not just the right to vote of the people who agree with you. That's the way they did it in the bad old Soviet Union.

You can even vote early in a lot of states. I'm not really sure how I feel about that. I was raised that you vote on Election Day, and unless your are incapacitated or know you will be away from home on the day, you go down to your local polling place and you vote on that day. But, the option for early voting is there. Use it, if you can, or if you think your boss won't let you off to vote on Election Day. They are legally obligated to do so, but many still don't.

Just vote.

There are some other things I would like to say, but I'm really trying to not contribute to the ridiculous amount of partisan rambling that has been going on leading up to the election. I also don't want my head to explode when I start thinking about some of the stupid things candidates have been saying this election cycle. You know who you are, too.

So, I'll just leave this here for you.

And, VOTE.