Venal Scene

Friday, October 29, 2004

Guest Star Day V

Generation Whatever at 30
by guest-blogger Matthew Subotnick

Today's topic: If you don't vote, shut up!

Sorry for that, but there's the extent of my political vitriol. Considering that we all have to pay taxes, and there's literally nothing in our lives not affected in some way by the government on a federal, state, and municipal level, I say, that unless you've taken the time to mark a little piece of paper, or push a punch machine, or tap a computer screen, you have absolutely no right whatsoever to complain about how little or how much money you make or have, about whether or not there's grant money out there, about the cost of tuition or even the price of milk, or gasoline.

There was a neat quote from some government official in India in their last election, that went something like this:

We just had a comprehensive, wholesale regime change yesterday. No one was martyred. No shots were fired. There were no riots or bloodshed. Isn't it beautiful?

Here in Oregon, I'm faced with a number of challenges, many profound: we will decide if we want to change our constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman, making gay marriage and any derivative thereof unconstitutional. We will decide the fate of our state-run workers compensation board, of medical malpractice insurance and access to health care, of a third or our state's forests. We will decide whether or not we choose to fund our schools, who will represent us in Washington, as well as our mayor and city councilors.

I get to have my one little say in what I think should be done, and who I think should do it. It's a powerful thing.

Of course, if the people or measures I don't support carry the day, I then have the right to complain about it, because I at least registered my desires in the opposite direction.

And if I really want things to be a certain way, I can actually spend time or money helping those causes or individuals I support.

Anyhow, Tuesday is going to be a big day. And based on 2000, it will take some time for the dust to settle.

But when it does I will know I've done my part to be heard.

posted by Dan 9:53 PM
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Friday, October 29, 2004

Guest Star Day V

Generation Whatever at 30 by guest-blogger Matthew Subotnick

Generation Whatever at 30
by guest-blogger Matthew Subotnick