Just So You Know.

I did go and vote today, despite the fact that my vote is mathematically meaningless.

In and out in twenty minutes - I live in a precinct that, for whatever reason *coughjobscough* historically has low turnout early in the morning. Since I don't go in to my office on Tuesdays, I just go early and I'm usually in and out pretty fast. There were other precincts voting in the same polling place that had a line which was an hour or more long at 7 AM.

Illinois is an all-or-nothing Electoral College state, and Obama and Jackson couldn't lose here if God Almighty opened up the skies and yelled down, "I will personally throw anybody who votes for a Democrat into the Lake of Fire ten seconds later, you got Me?" Similarly, machine politicians will win all the races I'm allowed to vote in. More than half of the races, the incumbent was running unopposed. I won't vote in a race with only one candidate, and I expected to get an undervote warning when they scanned my ballot, but there wasn't one. Apparently it's okay not to vote when it makes no difference.

I'm not saying I want all Democrats or lose or that I necessarily feel the elections are "rigged." I live in a place that is overwhelmingly Democrat. A vote for a non-Democratic candidate "doesn't count," because Democrats always win. Increasing turnout would just increase Democratic vote counts. That's life. I'm not mad about it, but I do find it irritating when zillions of holier-than-thou types say that voting is your duty, and if you don't vote you can't complain, and similar nonsense. My vote, in every possible sense, makes absolutely no difference. Why I should be castigated for recognizing reality, I'm sure I don't know.

M More after the jump - click here!

Why I Hope I'm Wrong.

Wrong about the subconscious racist sentiments of a lot of people, that is. This is why:

I see the following scenario as completely feasible although I assign it a low probability of occurance:

1) Pre-election Obama poll numbers swollen by voters refusing to admit subconscious racist sentiments;

2) Enough voters vote against the way they claim to be planning to vote to throw battleground states to McCain;

3) Obama wins popular vote but McCain wins Electoral College;

4) Claims of "stolen election" cause widespread conspiracy allegations;

5) Mass hysteria causes civil disorder, widespread lack of faith in Federal Government;

6) Subconscious racist feelings of voters in #2 "proven" by civil disorder, etc;

7) Markets collapse under weight of uncertainty, US economy stops working, millions jobless and widespread shortages caused by disorder and disruption of transport systems;

8) Authorities come under pressure from Bush/nascent McCain administration to repress disorder;

9) Civil War II erupts.

Now THAT'S a cynical projection. Like I said, I hope I'm wrong.

Incidentally, Scott Adams also predicts some sort of zombie problem.

M More after the jump - click here!