The Civic Duty Post

As I often lament; I can’t vote. Not that I really do a very good job of keeping up with anything political, or that I feel that my opinions are valid enough to really have any right to make any political statements. It doesn’t usually bother me to be honest. Though it is the ONE thing I can’t do in this country that all you with your fancy-shamnsy citizenship can, and the appeal of wanting something I cant have stings a little. I have to say though voting impotency is a nice card to pull as a back up after I say something politically boneheaded; “Well I cant vote anyways, so you win” always ends the awkwardness pretty quickly after I mix up left and right-wing or say liberal when I mean conservative. (Don’t even pretend that stuff isn’t confusing at times!).

Anyway this election I have been following the primaries relatively closely and actually feel like I have a vested interest in seeing this one though more than elections past. While I lean both ways as far as being a donkey or an elephant* on different issues (I want my stemcells researched whilst keeping my money to myself thank you very much) I find the war in Iraq being my main issue of interest this time around. I wont even present to have a complete understanding on what’s going on there at this point, but all I know is I have a little brother with sand blowing in his face and the potential to bring him home sooner than originally anticipated. After looking at who’s left in the scrum I have to say I would like to see Barac come out on top. Being that I can’t vote for the guy I decided to make a donation to his campaign instead. While this is pennies to the overall cost of these political machines I feel that I am doing my part in voicing my opinion, possibly even more directly than a ballot check does. In all honesty the money I send their way is probably just going to be enough to employ the person who ends up sending me junk mail all the way up to election day… but whatever. I did my civic duty. Or at least I’m going to tell people I did. Now I need to find one of those ‘I voted’ stickers…

*If I ran the country these lame animal icons would have to go. They would promptly be replaced with an acid-breathing robot dragon and a 50-ft gorilla with a cannon for a head.