Literally overnight I have been thrust into the thicket of the presidential election.
The mere act of emerging from a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Florida has transported me from a land where the citizens worry about how “they” will vote out yonder in the hinterlands, to a fervent hotbed of activity where every single vote- the vote of people we pass in the street!- counts and the candidates not only hold debates (President Obama and Mitt Romney, tonight, right down the road in Boca Raton), but linger on afterwards to rally us, not just for our money, but for our actual votes! Our votes! They are not taken for granted.
Ray Ban nederland Nike Air Max 1 Heren zwart They are not “gestures.” They matter! We matter!
This is not a theoretical epicenter, either. Mens Air Jordan 5 adidas stan smith dziecięce Julio Jones Alabama Football Jerseys This is Boca Raton – home of 2000’s infamous “Butterfly Ballot,” the vastly confusing, ill-conceived monstrosity that caused thousands of elderly Jews to inadvertently and tragically cast their vote for Pat Buchanan rather than Al Gore – hence costing Gore the Presidency. Nike Air Max 2016 Heren wit asics gel lyte 3 mujer negras nike air max 2016 goedkoop
The first sign I was somewhere different was – signs! They’re everywhere – lawns, windows, along the side of the highway. Asics Gel lyte 3 Heren Air Max 2016 Goedkoop Many of them say, “Romney,” but who cares? Who has ever been persuaded to vote by a “sign?” But that’s beside the point. Soldes Nike Pour Homme New Balance 247 męskie In the Bay Area virtually the only signs one sees are for down-ticket offices: comptroller, councilman – and for propositions. adidas gazelle uomo rosse
No one bothers to post an “Obama/Biden” sign, because it’s assumed that’s who you’re voting for, and a “Romney” side would only invite derision and perhaps mild vandalism. Canotte Milwaukee Bucks Not to mention it being an act of futility. nike air maxschoenen ray ban homme pas cher
But here, in Florida, there are endless ugly signs besmirching the landscape – and they’re beautiful! Reminders that there is a very real war, beyond the pundits on Fox and MSNBC – for the hearts and minds of flesh and blood Americans, who will help chart the future course of our nation.
Here, in Florida, one’s participation naturally goes beyond checking fivethirtyeight.com hourly. adidas y3 damskie A mere few hours after arriving, I found myself in a coffee shop, eavesdropping on a middle-aged honest-to-God “undecided voter,” recounting to his friend on the phone how he didn’t like Romney, but Obamacare calls for the mandatory implanting of computer chips in children to keep track of their medical histories, and I engaged him! Told him that what he was talking about was nonsense, the latest scare version of “death panels.” He assured me I was mistaken and referred me to the Affordable Care Act – it’s buried in the fine print, he insisted. goedkope Nike Air Max 90 cheap adidas uk for sale Even if I turned out to be wrong, it wouldn’t matter, of course. new balance 247 femme Goedkoop Nike Air Max Romney’s too flawed – no matter which Romney showed up January 20 to run the country if elected, to ever win my vote. Nike Air Icarus new balance uomo trovaprezzi Canotte Minnesota Timberwolves
So I continued to engage him – because it mattered! – and who knows? – maybe I helped push him in Obama’s direction. adidas nmd schoenen new balance 993 outlet That’s two votes I’d be responsible for – one less for Mitt and one more for Barack – and it’s only my first day here!
I could now be engaged in a 16 day campaign whereby I single-handedly change the world. air max 2017 goedkoop The next two weeks will tell.
Syndicate this site using RSS