Do You Plan to Vote?

[KYTOP]

For all of you in the US... Do you plan to vote in the mid-term elections? I have voted in every election and primary since I turned 18, except once when I got called out of town at the last minute.

There has been much talk about the enthusiasm gap this year this year between Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, whites and minorities. Commentators seem to think the enthusiasm gap will favor the Republicans.

I plan to vote as I always have because I feel it is my duty as a citizen.

Most people I know say they plan to vote but I must say I am surprised by some of their comments. The most surprising was from my best friend. He is gay, a Democrat, and Catholic and has always voted Democrat to my knowledge from our past conversations, unlike me who has a tendency to vote for people in both parties. Over dinner the other night we were talking about the US Senate race here in our state, between the young moderate Democrat State Attorney General and a physican Republican that is a big Tea Party candidate with libertarian views. I have been leaning toward the Democrat all year and my Democrat friend shocked the crap out of me when he said he was going to vote for the Tea Party Republican. He said he was tired of all the crap in Washington and feels things need to be shaken up. He said he felt there was no better way for things to be shaken up than by voting for the Republican. He looks at it as sort of his protest vote. My mother also surprised me. She is a life long Republcan back from the Eisenhower days and she had told me she thought she might actually vote for the Democrat this year. I'm really scratching my head here. Then last week the Democrat starting running a negative ad questioning the Republican's religion from something that may or may not have happened 30 years ago. Pissed my mom off so bad she now is also going to vote for the Republcan as is my oldest sister who had been a strong supporter of the Democrat. She thought he was cute, lol , known worse reasons why people had voted for a person. Looks like the Democrat's ad back fired at least with my family.

As for me, and there is still time to change my mind, I plan to vote for the Democrat for Senate (even if he is cute, lol), the Republican running against my Democrat Congressman (I never liked the guy and I've met him twice), plus a Republican for Mayor. Our local government has been contolled by Democrats since the 60's and it is time for a change there. So again I will split my vote.

So do you plan to vote or sit this one out?

[MsGuy]

No choice here. My kinfolks are involved in local politics. If I haven't shown up at the polls by 1:00 PM or so, I start getting phone calls.

And yes I'll vote Democrat.

[TampaYankee]

I'll vote without much enthusiasm. I voted in every Presidential election since 1972 with the exception of 2000. Neither candidate was worth the effort, I thought mistakenly. I learned better within 2 short years. I don't recall ever missing an off-year election.

There is no way I would vote Republican this year and after what they have done to the country in the last ten years and how they have put Party before Country, I can't imagine ever voting for them in the remainder of this lifetime. Ten years ago I would have never imagined I'd take that stance.

[RA1]

Politics are tough. It is very easy to offend some of your very best friends over politics. However, I have to say that I am very disappointed in both parties and am now very much a proponent of a third party. During all of my formative and growing up years I never thought I would think this. I have always assumed that the US had resolved the issues involving more than 2 parties and it would evermore be thus. Now, I don't think so. Both parties have abandoned us, the "little" voters. I hope for, and will in the future, expect more.

We need less government, less interference in our daily lives and fewer restriction upon our personal freedoms. We are under attack folks and it is up to us to react.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest glutes]

We need less government, less interference in our daily lives and fewer restriction upon our personal freedoms. We are under attack folks and it is up to us to react.

Best regards,

RA1

Capt. RA1, are you advocating gay marriage and freedom of expression from gays in the military?

[KYTOP]

As for me, and there is still time to change my mind, I plan to vote for the Democrat for Senate (even if he is cute, lol),So do you plan to vote or sit this one out?

Arrrrrgh, now I must rethink my vote for the Democrat even if I don't like the Republican tea party guy. Today the state's largest newspaper, which is very liberal and almost always endorses Democrats, printed a story they've been investigating for some time. It seems our Democrat Attorney General that is running for the Senate, tipped his brother off that he was under investigation for possibly dealing drugs. Then told his brother to seek an attorney and then met with the brother and the attorney at the AG's home a few days later.

The story might seem suspect coming out so soon to the election but it seems the paper was afraid that it would appear they were covering for the Democrat if they waited until after the election since they support him.

This is actually the second time the brother had been tipped off about an investigation of him for drugs. The first time was by a narcotics detective that was a friend of his. Giving a 2 day notice before they searched his house. Of course they found nothing.

Geesh, time to hold my nose but still vote.

Well there is one debate left Monday night, that should be interesting plus can't wait to see the new TV ads next week by the Republican on this with one week left before the election.

[MsGuy]

It seems our Democrat Attorney General that is running for the Senate, tipped his brother off that he was under investigation for possibly dealing drugs. Then told his brother to seek an attorney and then met with the brother and the attorney at the AG's home a few days later.

I don't know that I would have handled that situation any better, KYTOP. Clearly your AG's actions were not kosher but they were very human. What kind of cold blooded, abstaction obsessed guy would have stood silent and let the cops haul in his family on a serious felony? No way I could let someone lock up one of my brothers if I had the power to block it.

(OK, Lucky, you can let fire with both barrels but I'm just saying the truth the best as I can see it. No way, no how, ain't gonna happen. Ethics be screwed.)

[Lucky]

Gosh, MsGuy, you thought I'd read this thread? And then read this far? Well, I have another surprise for you. I understand perfectly why, if it indeed happened, the AG might tip a brother off about something he shouldn't do. It's called family, and even though he may know his duty is otherwise, he can't bear the thought of the brother getting in trouble. No doubt he works hard to straighten the guy out, assuming that he knew of the activity.

As for voting, I always have to hold my nose. Twice, really, as the bf defers to me on most votes. I don't want to vote for most Democrats running for state office here. Gavin Newsom has shown incredible incompetence and lack of integrity ( he screwed his best friend's wife) so I probably won't vote for him for Lt. Gov, and the Democrat candidate for Attorney General seems to be a hack, but do I really want the ultra-conservative Los Angeles DA to be AG?

On the other hand, I will gladly vote against Sonny Bono's widow, who inherited his Congress seat 12 years ago and has proven to be worthless, imho.

She is being opposed by a gay man, the mayor of Palm Springs.

[TampaYankee]

Arrrrrgh, now I must rethink my vote for the Democrat even if I don't like the Republican tea party guy. Today the state's largest newspaper, which is very liberal and almost always endorses Democrats, printed a story they've been investigating for some time. It seems our Democrat Attorney General that is running for the Senate, tipped his brother off that he was under investigation for possibly dealing drugs. Then told his brother to seek an attorney and then met with the brother and the attorney at the AG's home a few days later.

The story might seem suspect coming out so soon to the election but it seems the paper was afraid that it would appear they were covering for the Democrat if they waited until after the election since they support him.

I'm with Msguy on this one. I would be very disturbed if this had been done for a buiness partner, contributor or 'friend'.

I too would probably have alerted my brother if he were the object of an investigation for no other reason that he seek legal representation and advice in preparation. I wouldn'f find it sinister with regard to aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise, just alerting family that they are in harms way and should take notice.

I know a 'federal case' could be made out of this and will be in the commercials next week. I also know there are any number of people that would excoriate me for that stand. I also know that family is family and that I strongly believe they should have legal representation no matter what they might be suspected of.

[Lucky]

Well, duh, their is a twist here I was unaware of. The brother supposedly involved in narcotics is a prosecutor. Shouldn't he know better, without needing to be tipped off? And it looks like people were lining up to tip him off too, detectives included. they aren't family!

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2010310230027

Actually, it gets worse. The brother who was tipped off was given two days to clean up his house before it was searched, and he lied under oath in testimony on the subject. And, speaking of family, it appears that it was his ex-wife who dropped the dime on him!