A longtime friend of this blog writes:
Every election, I hear people complaining that voting is on a Tuesday, that it should be on a weekend, that it should be a holiday. Of course, the people complaining also seem like the people who do find a way to get to the polls. And I always laugh at such a blatant example of how out of touch people like that really are.
For one, who is it that they believe can’t make it to the polls? I am guessing they envision people with minimum wage jobs who are afraid to speak up and actually take time to vote as is allowed by law, providing they are actually at work during voting hours.
But, how many of these minimum wage workers are also working on weekends, on holidays. Why is it that people think voting turn out would be any different? And we do have absentee voting as well as early voting now. Again, who is it that is not voting that would magically appear if voting day was a holiday or on a Saturday? Maybe the people who are not voting already understand that most of what happens in government screws them, insults them and says it’s for their own good. Why bother voting for that?
And on that note, happy voting day. I do know who I am voting for. But, I’m curious where to rank Nosemarie, Clu, and Puff this year for St Paul mayor?
I’ll be putting Clu at the top of my ballot. Nose and Puff have both left is in the past 18 months, so they are no probably registered as DFL voters.
I’m sad to admit that I’m one of the people who don’t vote in local elections. I’ve learned from years of experience that St. Paul elections (mayor, council, school board) are completely controlled by the Democrats. I see no point in voting for This Liberal Democrat over That Liberal Democrat, they’re cookie-cutter generic Liberals mouthing the same senseless platitudes, espousing the same idiotic proposals, catering to the same unwashed masses.
So, Bernie wants that to be a federal holiday. Hmmmm, what is another federal holiday right around that time frame? Veterans Day! And, who have the far left typically not been fans of? Oh yeah, Veterans.
If something like this were to go through, we’d have three federal holidays in November. Which is great if you work for the Federal Govt. However, I recall that there used to be a separate holiday for Washington and Lincoln, and now we just have President’s Day. And so, as there gets to be push back, the idea becomes that Veteran’s supported democracy, so by having Democracy Day, it’s also honoring them. And screw any historical rationale for Veterans Day being on the 11th day of the 11th month.
Also, just remember deer hunting opener is the weekend before that. Which is practically a holiday in MN. I can see many hunters taking that as a four day weekend, and not being around to vote in person. And, while not all conservatives are hunters, many hunters are conservative. So, here in MN, it’s a win/win for the DFL.
The saying “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity” may possibly be the case here. But, I don’t think so.
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I don’t know how it is in other places, but around here, the polls are open from 8 AM to 8 PM.
In order to be unable to vote because of work, you’d have to work a 10 or 11 hour shift and have a polling place that is located more than an hour’s journey away from both your home and your workplace.
Which, I suppose, is possible, but seems highly unlikely for any great number of people.
I don’t know how it is in other places, but around here, the polls are open from 8 AM to 8 PM.
In order to be unable to vote because of work, you’d have to work a 10 or 11 hour shift and have a polling place that is located more than an hour’s journey away from both your home and your workplace.
Which, I suppose, is possible, but seems highly unlikely for any great number of people.
Tch. Sorry for the double post.