Election Day 2004

[Madison]

Originally Posted by CourtneyB

I voted today in my school. Its kinda like the real voting in a way lol When we'll we get to know who won presidencey? tonight?

Bill and others have been trying to secure federal funding for the FIRST program through legislative means for quite awhile now and the information that this thread can provide is, no doubt, important to those efforts.

With respect, if you didn't vote in the real election, please don't jeopardize the relevance of this data by joking around.

[Greg Ross]

I voted. Joe and Amy both voted absentee. If she hasn't already, my wife will have voted by the end of the day. Everybody is registered in California -- 35th congressional district.

Have fun crunching the numbers, Bill. (And if Joe responds separately, be sure you don't count him twice. )

[Koko Ed]

I voted today.
As an African-American I find voting to be not only a right but a privilidge and a duty. My grandfather fought down in Savannah, GA for African-Americans to have equal rights. His life was even threatened by the Klan but he kept on. For me not to do something as simple as voting would be a slap in the face of my grandfather and those who stood along side him in the civil rights movement. It's the least I can do.

I votedin my first of many elections at lunchtime today after my 3 hour lab, amazingly with no wait at all. It actually suprised me how many people couldn't figure out how to fill out the arrow ballot card. In fact, one lady filled in the arrow and wrote in a [different] candidate....

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by D.J. Fluck

I votedin my first of many elections at lunchtime today after my 3 hour lab, amazingly with no wait at all. It actually suprised me how many people couldn't figure out how to fill out the arrow ballot card. In fact, one lady filled in the arrow and wrote in a [different] candidate....

So, uh, how did you know that? I thought that voting was suppost to be a private thing?

(I voted absentee a month ago in 10th VA)

Wetzel

Originally Posted by Wetzel

So, uh, how did you know that? I thought that voting was suppost to be a private thing?

(I voted absentee a month ago in 10th VA)

Wetzel

She blatently said it out loud "Ahh I filled in the arrow and wrote in my candidates!! Why isnt this working?!"
while she freaked out when the machine wouldn't take her ballot

[Raven_Writer]

I didn't vote (9 months to young :'(). I did vote in my school, however.


The funny thing about this is that we could only vote for Bush or Kerry. I wonder what happened to the other 7 candidates??

I can't wait til next election though...it'll be very interesting.

[suneel112]

I couldn't vote this year. I was exactly 5 months too young. 5 is also the number of years I will have to wait until there is new leadership and a new direction in this country. I was honestly surprised about how unclose that was. I would be surprised in a different way if it was unclose to the challenger, but that is just my opinion. In the morning, CNN said it would be an easy win for Kerry, and that he would win both Florida and Ohio, but they were COMPLETELY wrong. I was also surprised by Andy Baker's comments about the UAW workers in Kokomo voting for Bush 2 to 1. I guess I should lose my stereotypes. I heard that there were two main reasons Kerry lost Ohio.
1. 40% of the voters were from rural Ohio, while the actual demographics is 77% Urban and 23% Rural (Journal and Courier)
2. The Gay Marriage vote attracted many conservatives and tipped the balance.
My teacher also said that the hurricane aid may have tipped Floridians toward Bush. I even heard (on 60 minutes) that there were 4 million Evangelicals (largely conservative) that didn't vote in 2000.
I still don't understand how Bush won by a 3.5 million margin.
On the up side, there is 2008, and it is never too early to make a difference.

[Andy Baker]

This election has been exciting to watch. I enjoyed watching the conventions and debates when I could. To me, it is much like watching a football game, where I find myself yelling at the TV at times and picking sides.

But... more importantly, I am excited to see that many of you students in FIRST are passionate and interested in politics. It is impressive that you know your issues and are willing to voice your opinions. Too many people are apathetic about politics, government, and voting, and it is good to see that the future leaders of our country, schools, and industry (aka: you students) have the ability and passion to voice your opinion.

Of course, no one agrees on all topics. Many of us disagree on broad political topics and sometimes debate issues. This is healthy, as long as we continue to respect each other. We all grow in this process. Another impressive thing is that while we do disagree, we can still get along in this little community here on the internet. This is a very cool thing, in my opinion.

Let's all hold hands and hum.

hmmmmmm.



Koom by-yah,
Andy B.

[Jack Jones]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

This election has been exciting to watch. I enjoyed watching the conventions and debates when I could. To me, it is much like watching a football game, where I find myself yelling at the TV at times and picking sides.

But... more importantly, I am excited to see that many of you students in FIRST are passionate and interested in politics. It is impressive that you know your issues and are willing to voice your opinions. Too many people are apathetic about politics, government, and voting, and it is good to see that the future leaders of our country, schools, and industry (aka: you students) have the ability and passion to voice your opinion.

Of course, no one agrees on all topics. Many of us disagree on broad political topics and sometimes debate issues. This is healthy, as long as we continue to respect each other. We all grow in this process. Another impressive thing is that while we do disagree, we can still get along in this little community here on the internet. This is a very cool thing, in my opinion.

Let's all hold hands and hum.

hmmmmmm.



Koom by-yah,
Andy B.

True true, Andy. I plead the case here, and the FIRSTers didn’t let me down. They truly rose above the kinds of rancor that gets threads closed.

It’s true that we all can’t agree on every issue; but we should agree we’re all in this together. Imagine how we’d feel if a regional or the Nats were canceled for fear of terrorist attack. Much worse yet, imagine us wishing that one would have been. Either man would have done his very best to protect the freedoms we enjoy. It’s up to us to unite behind the one who got the job.

Let’s all hold hands and sing – Dubya. [Open Bill throws up] [Close Bill throws up]

ON TOPIC:
My wife and I voted. My son gets to vote mid-term.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Jack Jones

Imagine how we’d feel if a regional or the Nats were canceled for fear of terrorist attack.

Unfortunately some schools canceled their team's chances at regionals or even The Championship event due to the threat of terrorism.

Some good teams like the 2001 Nationals winner Team 69 were not allowed to compete Nationally in 2002 for fear of the color coded alert system.

In 2002 we almost were not allowed to go to NYC Regional for fear of the same system. The weekend we went to NYC from CT, the war in Iraq officially started - and continues to this day despite what you have been told by the government.

My team had to stay an hour away in NJ for fear of another terrorist attack in NYC during that time of uncertainty. Myself and a few Alumni of my team stayed right in Harlem, and had a great time. We took the subway each day and even though an attack was in the back of our minds (especially that Saturday when the protesters started to gather around Grand Central) we had a good time in the biggest, and busiest city in America.

In the end, no matter who you voted for, you can't plan on another terrorist attack. But you can plan to choose the right person to handle the Nations affairs, and even when your candidate doesn't win, I guess we all have to grin and bear it and support whoever runs the country whether or not you agree with everything that your government does for you, or on your behalf..

You can always move to Canada. I mean, hey.. There are FIRST teams up there to you could join - or better yet area's of Canada that haven't even heard of FIRST that you can start a team in.

On a side note, I always hated politics and steered clear of it. I have no idea why this recent election has affected me the way it has. Oh well.. only 4 more years till we vote again. Unless you move to Canada.

[Greg Ross]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

You can always move to Canada.

Well, maybe. A story on NPR's Day to Day today mentions that it may not be so easy. They say it may take more than two years to immigrate (legally) to Canada.

They mention a Skilled Worker Self-Assessment test you can take on-line to see if you qualify for immigration.

[Joe3]

I voted a few weeks ago in DE, in the 23rd district, via absentee ballot. My parents both voted today.

[Elgin Clock]

Crazy people waiting hours to cast a vote. I voted today and was in and out in 5 minutes flat.


Well maybe a little longer staring at the outdated machine and just shaking my head for a while.. Where are these touch screens I heard about? Darn it!!! I want touch screens. People use em at the ATM and them old folks use em at the casino. Why not use 'em to vote?

But.. I did get a free sticker from the government.. w00t!


Oh, and Joe3, no political ads allowed in your signature man.

[ebmonon36]

I voted a couple weeks ago via absentee ballots..US district 7 in Indiana
Eric