Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Election Day--Go Dems!

So, we voted! Just in time. Right around 7 p.m., the polls closed at 8 p.m. We had to vote at a new spot, at the high school. We used to vote down the street at the firehouse, which I loved. It is a historic little firehouse and so cute. Plus, never a line. Tonight, we had to wait in line about 15 minutes, I think.

I had a hard day. See why below.

Vent One: Who takes their kids to go vote? I mean, most kids, fine. But an infant that screams every 30 seconds? Make it stop! People are trying to concentrate. My friends who have kids would never, and I mean never, take their kids to VOTE. Especially when they are young like that. Argh.

Vent Two: Today, work was difficult. I think clients really don't get that every call I answer, is less work I am getting done. Kurt was out most of the day, at court and mediation, and I was in the office alone. So besides trying to draft paperwork, I was answering calls, talking to people stopping in, etc. Ugh. And almost every call, was someone calling to "see again" if Kurt was in the office. Please, please, please, I beg you...LEAVE one message and wait for us to call you back. We are very good at answering calls and will do so. But, there are only so many hours in the day.

Vent Three: It is KILLING me that I don't have my bar number or card yet. I sent in my stuff last Tuesday afternoon. My friend, Kellie, sent hers in on Wednesday. She has had a bar number since Friday. I STILL DON'T HAVE ONE. They are supposed to be processed "in the order received". I called yesterday and was told they had mine, and it would be processed yesterday. Still, nothing. It is exasperating because I need it to go to court. Many of the attys getting their numbers don't even go to court. They should process those apps of people who go to court first. The others don't need their number. Can you tell this is totally exasperating me?

Vent Four: How there are no winners with the outcome of Prop 2. Affirmative action good, or bad? There are arguments to both sides. Kurt and I voted in opposite ways, but I think we both have valid arguments for the side we support, as follows:

1. Here is Kurt's: "poor boy, from Pinconning. (Kurt is referring to himself here). Does awesome in high school, but gets NO assistance with college and turned down from colleges like U of M,, while others he knows who had worse grades, who are minorities or female, get in AND get financial aid. They get this because of affirmative action. How is this fair?"

2. Here is mine, which refers to nobody in specfic: "If affirmative action is eliminated, it allows others TO discriminate, for NO reason. For example, I apply for a job at a large corporation. I am more educated, more experienced, than the other candidates. I lose out because the person who runs the corp is sexist. How is this fair?"

Both arguments make sense. How do we make this right? We don't. We would need everyone to overlook color, and sex, and I truly don't think it will happen in our lifetime, and that makes me sad. It looks like the proposal will pass, which in essence will take back many of the strides women and people of color have made in this state, and that makes me sad for my friends' future daughters, for MY future daughters'.

On a positive note, as of right now, it looks like the Democrats are doing AWESOME in this election. So, that is incredible. Kurt cannot tear himself away from the election coverage......

4 comments:

Rebecca said...

I can see Kurts point, and I can see yours as well...but it's a shame.

Lori Anne Haskell said...

Yes, it truly is (if it is fact passes). But, I guess we have to wait and see! They say it's too close to call, but I have a bad feeling.....

RachelSW said...

You know I have always been FOR affirmative action but I would be terrrible at debating the issue, because I seriously understand what the other side is saying. Unfortunately though, if you look at the statistics of how much women make as compared to men, how many individuals from various ethnic groups have a higher unemployment rate and get paid less...then I truly see a need for this to continue in our country. Okay, looong comment.

Julia said...

I'm torn on affirmative action and always have been. When it comes time to vote, I usually vote against it though. Shocking, I know, but here's why:
I feel like it's putting a teeny tiny band-aide on a huge gaping wound. Affirmative action seems necessary in short because white men have most of the good jobs, and are more likely to get into college (actually now, it's women that are attending college, but the idea of affirmative action started when women were still in the minority of college students). If that's because of discrimination, than affirmative action *would* be necessary. But the problem is *sooooo* much bigger than that. There's a huge difference in social and economic status between majorities and minorities. What we really need to do to fix the problem is change the social structure of our society so people are adequately prepared for the jobs/positions they will be seeking. Hiring incompetent people isn't going to solve the problem. I agree that we need to have equal opportunity, but I don't think affirmative action is a good long-term solution.

I'm completely giddy about the election results though! I'm disappointed that 7 states voted for a ban on gay marriages, but Arizona was able to defeat that proposition - way to go AZ!! As for the rest of it . . . all good news to me! I stayed up until 3 am last night watching the news and then woke up at 7 and turned on NPR - which I listened to all day except for the 1 hour that I had to lecture! LOL