We have shown ourselves and the world what is really possible
I’m still reeling. Not just from the historic election results, but from working a fifteen-hour day yesterday at the polls. From 5 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. when we certified the last of the election results and got the huge and bulky envelopes ready for the chief to take with him, we worked tirelessly (well, perhaps at the end, tiredly) voting over two thousand people in the small third ward in the gym at Glen Maury Park, in Staunton, Virginia.…
Article comments
26 - Lisa Solod Warren
Andy, that was just to me, one worker. Dozens of other workers I know have the same stories and that is only the ones I know. I haven't done a poll, but that at least proves it was true of some people. Give it up. Racism exists in this country and you are a silly man for denying it. As does prejudice against Jews, Muslims and lots of other "different" people. You can deny it all you like. It doesn't mean it isn't real.
27 - Andy
It most certainly does! But why is it only a problem when someone decides to vote against a person based only on their skin color? How many people voted FOR Barry based only on his skin color? And isn't that racist as well?
28 - Clavos
Ok, Clav, I'll bite, Why isn't it a crime to reveal a CIA agent's identity?
Got law?
29 - Lisa Solod Warren
Help me out here. I am not a lawyer. What was the point of revealing her identity? She was doing important work and her career was ruined. It seemed like a vendetta against her and her husband. From what I read and heard there was no good reason. If it wasn't against the law, then why was it done?
Don't be condescending, Clav. I am asking you a real question. Your favorite columnist make a huge deal out of this in the column you link to.... so, illuminate me here.
30 - Lisa Solod Warren
PS Clav, I just read the entire NRO piece and all the links and it still confuses me re the dates of everything: ie., mid 90s when Novack's piece was published in 1993....it isn't definitive to me. Sounds like arguing back and forth still.
Anyway, I am more informed. But I wonder:
WHY is this discussion on the thread for my article?
31 - Lisa Solod Warren
Andy
You are nuts. Staunton would never consider itself Northern Virginia. We are 3 hours from DC. Get a map.
Staunton is rural small town mountain life. Not even close. You need to get out more.
32 - Andy
I've looked at a map, where do you think I got the 200 mile number? You're over 200 miles northwest of VB. You might not be next to DC, but that's not the only part of VA that's north. Maybe you're the one that needs a map?
Let's see, draw an imaginary line east/west through the middle of the state, where do you suppose Staunton would fall, north or south? I'd say WAY north.
But you are right, I AM nuts!
33 - Baritone
Lisa,
As I have to continue to make a living, such as it is, I haven't read all the above comments and, so, may be repeating some things already stated.
Nevertheless, I first want to say nice job Lisa - in your efforts on behalf of our now President Elect, your work at the polls, and also for your writing. Nice article.
I, too, worked the polls here in Indy, but in a different capacity. I worked for the Obama campaign calling in numbers that corresponded to specific voters when they came in to vote. The campaign was keeping track of who had or had not voted throughout the day. Unfortunately, the phone link crashed about mid-morning and all the data had to be hand carried to a central location.
Our traffic flow was rather different than you described. We only had a total of about 600 people voting throughout the course of the day plus we received just over 200 absentee ballots late in the afternoon. We were busy for the first couple of hours, but then people just came in small waves the rest of the day. Whether it's significant or not, that particular precinct is heavily Republican. McCain votes ran about 2 to 1 over Obama.
I am very gratified, though that Indiana finally came through (if barely) for Obama. I know that a lot of money and man hours went into their effort in this state. It goes without saying that it is also great that Virginia came in for Obama as well.
My wife and I canvassed for Obama on a couple of occasions over the last few weeks. That, too, turned out to be more enjoyable than I feared. Frankly, I hate going door to door or even doing phone work. I couldn't sell water on the Sahara. My wife is much more at ease in those situations.
Now, it all seems somewhat anti-climactic, though. Life goes on. My business is still in the dumpers, and we are literally scraping money together to come up with our next mortgage payment. I'm sure that things will loosen up in time. I just hope we can hold on until that happens.
(Say Barack Baby, ya got any jobs for a grizzled old fart - a Hoosier neighbor? I have decent typing skills, I'm good with people, and I'm definitely a self-starter. My kid went to Northwestern and afterwards worked at the Ravinia Music Festival. During that period we pumped a lot of moolah into the Chicago area economy. I'm a good guy who bathes fairly regularly and have recently joined a fatness - er - fitness club to get rid of this paunch. I'll have "washtub" abs any day now. I'd be one hell of a hire for your administration. They'll talk about it for days in the media.)
B
34 - Lisa Solod Warren
Thanks Baritone,
We, too, are having a very tough time financially...
Trying to hang on:) I wish you the best as I am also married to a grizzled old fart. A very nice one, though, like you seem.
35 - Baritone
Well, I try. :)
B
36 - Glenn Contrarian
Clavos, Lisa -
It IS against the law to reveal a CIA agent's identity IF that agent's identity is confidential. At that point it becomes a breach of security. If proper authority declassifies the agent's name, then it is not a crime.
HOWEVER, if the release of an agent's identity compromises the identities of OTHER agents AND thus jeopardized their missions - which the release of Plame's identification DID - THEN the ones who declassified and released the agent's name are at best guilty of gross negligence and at worst guilty of treason. The only question would be whether the 'proper authority' was aware of the possible consequences of the declassification of the agent's name.
I don't have a background in civilian law, but I served as assistant legal officer, chief master-at-arms, and chief investigator at various times during my career in the military, and I kept my security clearance for several years after I retired. My opinion above could be wrong...but I'm certainly not far off the mark.
In any case, Cheney should have been impeached for this if nothing else. One can only imagine the Republican outrage if a Democratic administration had committed the same crime.
37 - Mark Schannon
Lisa, I'm late to the party, but well done, indeed. As a fellow Virginian, albeit from that liberal northern area that isn't the real Virginia, I was elated that our red state went blue.
It was an amazing night. The next day, I played golf with a friend who's black. I asked him how he felt, and he just gave me a huge smile and said he didn't have any words at all. And this from a guy who usually can't shut up.
This'll drive the conservatives up the wall, but I've never been prouder of my country. While ol' Jug Ears faces problems the likes of which we haven't seen in a generation, he (and we Americans through electing him) have caused the rest of the world to rediscover the extraordinary greatness of the American people.
Hell, even the Busher is going well out of his way to make the transition smooth.
It's enough to make me give up my self-bestowed title of...
Curmudgeon-At-Large
In Jameson Veritas
38 - Cindy D
A translation of Ann:
Can I make an observation that isn't a koolaid one?
Can I disagree with you Obama koolaid drinkers.
What we have actually demonstrated is that our elections can be bought and that you don't have to be qualified for anything in order to be elected.
Self-explanatory.
Now if that's considered a personal attack...
Saying Obama is unqualified and bought the election.
, it will just illustrate to that, like Mr. Schumer, you consider free speech to be pornographic.
Then, like Senator Schumer*, you probably think pornography holds any credibility as free speech.
*Schumer who supports the fairness doctrine also supports limiting pornography on the air. But says to anti-fairness doctrine folks who want the FCC to limit pornography--you can't have it both ways. You can't say hands off here but not there.
Hrmmm, I thought it might be interesting to try my hand at a foreign language. It wasn't.
39 - Cindy D
Personally Ann, I support the fairness doctrine and I oppose pornography.
40 - Dave Nalle
And there we have the essence of the self-righteous left who would impose their values on others in violation of their most fundamental rights if given half an opportunity.
What really scares me is that the Obama election may give people like Cindy a voice in government and a chance to take away my rights.
Dave
41 - Jordan "Boss" Richardson
If anybody tampers with our rights to fairness in pornography, Dave, I say we storm Washington. I'll be driving the van shaped like a penis.
42 - Cindy D
ROFLOL @ Jordan
43 - Cindy D
...self-righteous left who would impose their values on others in violation of their most fundamental rights to degrade women and rob teenage boys of the chance to have a wholesome sexuality.
I'd also say even if people agree to work in a sweat shop...I'm still against them.
44 - Dave Nalle
Against the workers, Cindy? You'd prefer forced labor for the government, I suppose? Perhaps a workhouse or some sort of reeducation camp like William Ayres proposes?
Dave
45 - Les Slater
Sexuality, and all other human relations for that matter, will remain distorted as long the market rules.
46 - Dave Nalle
Les, sex is just another commodity. Set it free.
Dave
47 - Les Slater
See, just what I'm talking about.
48 - STM
Legalise it, so that it can be taxed and regulated. Better to have some of that money going back into the hands of ordinary Americans than all of it into the pockets of organised crime figures.
Then America's cops could be out catching the real crims.
49 - bliffle
Who has done most to take away our rights in recent years?
Could it be the guy who has thrown us into a burden of trillions of dollars of debt?
Could it be the guy who has committed us to two unending wars in distant lands?
The guy who taps our phones without warrants?
The guy who negated habeus corpus?
Authorized torture?
Imprisoned people without charges?
Who was that guy?
Was it Obama?
50 - Cindy D
Against the workers, Cindy?
LOL. No Dave. Against sweat shops.
You'd prefer forced labor for the government, I suppose?
Those are my options Dave? I have to take sweatshops or forced government labor? LOL
Perhaps a workhouse or some sort of reeducation camp like William Ayres proposes?
That's just sill Dave.
51 - Cindy D
silly
52 - Baritone
Dave wrote an article a few months back extolling the virtures of workhouses. Now they are the stuff of Willy Ayers. Hmmm.
B
53 - Ms. Know
It is another day, and we can not mourn, I agree. We have to hope that the left-wing illuminati will think some of the things they said they would do thoroughly through before implementing them.