Tag Archives: voting

This and That

The voting is over, but the fireworks are just starting. 2024 should be interesting and that should go higher than a nuclear blast cloud. The past voting and the upcoming election should make everyone leery about paying a great amount of time viewing polls. This past election showed polls as being wrong because the polls had Republicans leading by, in most cases, a large margin and I see they mostly use anti-Biden polls. I, personally, am glad the polls were wrong, not only here in Virginia but across the United States. Although I am not female, I still have an opinion on abortion and I believe the woman should choose for herself, not someone telling her what she can or cannot do. That one issue influenced the election and made the polls wrong.

               Flipping to another political issue. Boebert. Did you hear about the congressional bill that was being debated and congresswoman Boebert objected to it because money was to go toward the illegal immigrants? The congressman that was presenting the bill had to explain to her in length that there was zero amount of money in the bill that is allocated toward immigrants. She still did not understand and then went on a rant about President Biden and what he was and was not doing. She consulted with a congressional aide and, low and behold, she only read a portion of the bill and assumed the rest. There are a few more like her and a couple that are worse.

               One of the largest issues that is on the burner are the two wars. This issue is so hot I really don’t want to touch it, but I must touch a small piece of it. I will only say what my feelings are and, I know, I will have people coming at me from both sides.

               I don’t like war (I’ve been there, done that) but there have always been wars. From the beginning until now. As for the Israel-Hamas War I believe Israel is justified for fighting after being attacked. I have a heavy heart for the hostages, but this is war. As far as destroying Gaza, my heart is twice as heavy, but the Palestinians are culpable. They do not want Israel to exist either, and they knew that tunnels were being dug underground (their homes, hospitals, and other buildings (on one television interview it could be heard) and they did not say or do anything about it. They can not cross the border for safety and that country is a semi-Arab country. Why? The Republicans are saying Biden is not doing enough especially by saying he wants a pause in the war, he did not say cease fire. Hamas does not respect either and they are very cruel. They cut off the head of women, children (including babies), and execute unarmed men/women. I must side with Israel. If someone hit me, why would people not expect me to hit back.

               The war in Ukraine has some of the same overtures. They were jumped and territory was occupied. Rumors are out about Putin being gravely ill and there are some saying he is dead; however, the war goes on. The Russians intentionally destroyed entire cities and targeted civilians and hospital. How many screamed about that? How many crowded protests were there? Why is there a call from the Republicans to defund them? Explain it to me as if I were a five-year-old.

               There is much, much more on my mind, not counting my personal problems. I don’t let much bother me because there isn’t much I can do about it except vote when the time comes.

Voter Suppression

During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s I was a member of the NAACP and SCLC. I not only walked in peace marches and sat during the sit ins but, as a teenager and a person too young to vote, I helped Black adults learn to properly vote. Non-White people voting was openly suppressed in Virginia and there were many obstacles. Among things done was the poll tax, counting jellybeans in a jar, outright threats and more. Blacks were afraid because a person could lose their life by simply letting the wrong White person know that they were going to vote. Contacting law enforcement and going through the judicial system was not the thing to do because it was extremely dangerous. The system was all White and, going through the system would put your name and address on file.

               Through the years, things were supposed to have gotten better and the law and judicial system was supposed to be equally dispensed. Not so. All that happened was the inequity became shrouded. This is only a small portion of the reasons why Blacks do not trust law enforcement and the judicial system. I, like many other Blacks, have worked in law enforcement, both the military and civilian, and have seen the inequities up close and personal and have heard the comments uttered by the Whites. Not one thing could be said because my life and the life of others would be in jeopardy.

               Now the Whites have removed the shroud from the inequities. Congressmen have started voter suppression. States are attempting to change the laws to make it harder to vote, especially by mail (the military vote by mail, what will happen to their votes?). The Klan and other groups are brazenly out in the open. There are too many of these people in the judicial system, law enforcement, military, Congress and state and local government. These people are there to fully take what they want and to do whatever they choose to do.

               There are too many in Congress that want to have a fair vote only if it goes their party’s way. If the vote is expected to not go their way, they want to filibuster until the bill goes away which means they won by suppression. So far all I see and hear is the suppressed saying they cannot vote and if they do their vote will not be counted plus some states want to make it exceedingly difficult to vote, yet they do nothing about it.

               Voting have been happening since the beginning of time. One of the most famous votes was when the crowd had a choice of saving Jesus or the thief. The people had a choice, voted and the government official did as the vote dictated. Why not today? We voted, elected officials to act in our behalf (to do as we the people want) and expected results from what we the people wanted. Yet the elected officials are only acting in their behalf, not ours.

               Going back in time to my days of battling voter suppression will not work today for a myriad number of reasons. Things are the same, yet things are different therefore the situation must be met differently. All that was accomplished in my day as a teenager can be done today to stop the outwardly voter suppression and make it go underground. I do not believe it can be wiped out, but it can be held at bay. Remember, the person you think is not doing wrong may need a second, very stern, look.  

Polls

The voting is over, and I am now waiting for the other shoe to drop. Trump is almost out of ammo and will shoot off his mouth for as long as he can. However, in this election Trump was not the problem. As in past elections, pollsters had it wrong. That is why I only half hear them when they are talking. I could never put trust in them because, in my mind, a pollster can be in the back pocket of anyone. I believe they only say what is paid for and that depends on which side of the aisle they are on.

               Thinking back to the olden days, I remember the television ratings. They would always announce that many telephones were called, and many people were talked to with many surveys filled out. But what I remember most is over the many years I was never called. I was never talked to. I never filled out a survey. I do not know anyone that can say they have. Who took those surveys? Are the ratings true? Where is the proof? I saw a large amount of television shows I did not like and, if I had my way, would not renew them for another season. It is the same today.

               The same thing can be said about the pollsters. Where do they get their information? Does anyone take a survey? I have never done neither and do not know anyone that have, and I know a lot of people think the way I think. If a pollster, before or after an election, talk to me I will stay as neutral as I can and say what they want to hear, whether it is true or false. I believe this is what have been happening and the pollsters are taking all of it as the truth and a news scoop.

               There are a lot of polling companies and I wonder how they stay in business. Where do they get their money? With so many errors in polling, why would a company or individual pay for a fifty-fifty chance of what the poll say is true. I can roll dice and have the same odds. For years, the polls have been wrong on almost everything yet almost everyone believe in them. I guess I am an oddball.

               Maybe Trump can blame everything that have happened of the poll and pollsters. Maybe that was part of his base. Maybe the pollsters can tell us what Trump is going to do. When they tell me, I will think the opposite and probably be correct. I do not trust anything the polls say and never will. Knowing the poll record, it is hard to believe anyone does.