Election Night

First, I want to say that the voting process in NC was very different this time around. I played some part in that, but to be honest, I gave up at some point because I felt I was banging my head against a wall. FORTUNATELY, my friends did not give up. And we now have a paper-trail ballot that was easy and quick and counted by an optical scan machine. 75% of the state has optical scan machines, 25% still have electronic, but they still have a paper trail in the machines (they are just about impossible to read however). Also, we chased Diebold out of the state.

We also had early voting for two weeks. I have worked the early voting polls on three Friday afternoons. I also worked at a poll this afternoon and evening. I found most people had already decided who to vote for in the US House race and the NC House and NC Senate races. But they did not know who to vote for in the non-partisan races, like judges, school board, and water and soil board. So, the information I handed out was useful.

Tonight there is a party in downtown Asheville for the Democrats. I left because I am just too tired. Shuler was pulling ahead, but it is close. I did not vote for either Shuler or Taylor – NEITHER are peace candidates, and I will not vote for anyone who is not ever again. No exceptions.

I was working to promote Doug Jones for NC House. I still don’t know if he will win, but I do hope he does. He is young, a school teacher, a father of two small children. He is a great guy and would be great in the NC House or any elected position. I am hoping that he (when he wins) will join with Susan Fisher (also running for the NC House) and file articles of impeachment against Bush.

That’s my hope and plan. I also expect that the US House and US Senate will go to the Democrats tonight!

I am so glad the elections are over. I've been working on them quite a bit, and it is darn hard to spend that much time outside just standing around in the cold. Most people around here are receptive and polite, but some of those die-hard Republicans are nasty.

Hey, Clear Channel is still very nasty too, I found out tonight! I was at the party and I was telling the Clear Channel guys (One who’s name – I think – was “Mo”) that I hate Clear Channel for how they vilified any anti-war voices prior to the Iraq invasion and I hate them for how they trashed the Dixie Chicks. I said at one point "I will hate Clear Channel until I die." and Mo said "And that can't come soon enough" and walked away. Now, I might get upset if someone said they would hate my employer until they die, but I won't wish them dead!

I wonder if Mo will ever reflect on why someone who used to listen to Clear Channel (country radio) years ago now feels so strongly against the radio conglomerate that she goes around saying she hates them. I wonder if he will ever realize that the attitude he exhibited is exactly what’s wrong with Clear Channel – that you cannot hold an opinion that they don’t like. It is just not acceptable to them, and they will wish you dead if you do. Or else they will try to suppress you (read the FCC comes to Asheville post where the local Clear Channel radio host interrupted me during my 2 minute speech) or just plain vilify you (see “Dixie Chicks”).

Well, we can’t thank the corporate media, like Clear Channel, enough for the current mess we are in.

UPDATE: Shuler takes it (I had predicted he would lose, I was WRONG.) and Doug Jones loses by a slim margin. Also, Kissell, in the eastern part of the state, has lost by a very slim margin, but a count of provisional and absentee ballots could change that. The rest of my candidates won. The Democrats have taken the US House, not sure about the US Senate, but it isn’t looking too good.