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Posts Tagged ‘democracy’

We Matter

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , , , on November 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

It’s finally election week! That’s right, tomorrow is Election Day in the US, and if you haven’t already voted, it’s time to make your voice heard. 

To find your voting and drop-off locations: 

I Will Vote

For my fellow Pennsylvania voters, here’s how to find your polling place, what to expect if you are a first-time voter, and more info.

(I’ve already voted absentee because I’m out of the country, but if you are in line tomorrow, I hope the Pizza to the Polls people find you!)

Do I think it’s ridiculous that voting takes place on a Tuesday and / or that it isn’t already a national holiday? I do! Still, it could be more complicated.

Do Astronauts Actually Vote from Space? Election Officials Explain

Astronauts do not have to miss out on voting just because they are on a mission on Election Day—they can do it from space! It happens with the help of a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system….

Believe it or not, voting from space has been a thing for nearly three decades. According to NASA, “astronauts have voted in U.S. elections since 1997, when the Texas Legislature passed a bill that allowed NASA astronauts to cast ballots from orbit.”

My absentee ballot was also a bit of a to-do, but hassle or not, it is an honor and privilege to share this democracy with you.

We matter. Vote!

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.” 

— Larry Sabato

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Photo by Leif Christoph Gottwald on Unsplash

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Voting Day!

Posted in Likes, Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

One realization I had after studying a bit of history is how little say most people have in it. Traditionally, a limited number of people have been in charge of most things, usually to the detriment of the rest. (We remember the pyramids, for example, but what about those conscripted to build them?)

There’s a reason democracies attract people. 

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” 

― Winston S. Churchill (often quoted, still true)

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Today is voting day in the United States. Not sure where you need to go or what to bring with you? These sites can help.

Get to the Polls

How to Vote

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Yes, there are a lot of forces trying to pull us apart, and there are many aspects of our economic and social lives that could be improved. 

There are also many elements we agree on. Consider health, safety, education, holding doors for the elderly, giving up a seat for the pregnant, and of course, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The devil’s in the details, of course, and as anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the news or social media can tell you, we are flooded with examples of what’s broken on a daily basis. But that’s not all that’s happening, or all that is possible.*

There are a lot of ways to live and I happen to think that democracy is one of the best. (Just ask those pyramid builders.) That doesn’t mean the system can’t improve.

How can we make our voices heard? Vote.

How do we build a world that works? Together.

* For a break from doom and gloom, I recommend a visit to David Byrne’s Reasons to be Cheerful.

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Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

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To Democracy

Posted in Likes, Other, tagged , , , , , on September 10, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Today, I voted. What a wonderful thing.

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Photo by Lewis Parsons on Unsplash

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Just Freaking Vote.

Posted in Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , on November 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

My goal for today was to write an inspiring piece about the democratic process and the powerful privilege U.S. citizens have to, in the face of most of human history, be governed by the people, for the people.

No, it’s not perfect (“more perfect union” remember?:). And I’m so ready for this election to be over. I spend a significant amount of my day-job online, and the onslaught of election-related crazy takes a toll. It’s also cutting into my writing time (and I’m not the only one).

So, no deep-think piece about the historical moment in which we find ourselves, or my hope that we the people will remember that the tides of change can move backward as well as forward.

Just freaking vote.

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We don’t have to agree on specific candidates or issues to share the belief that democracy is a good and precious thing. Voting is always, always, always important, and not just at the executive level.

Want a place to start to learn more about specific issues? Need help voting? Need information on where to vote?

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Or perhaps you need more inspiration, possibly in the form of humor and high-profile actors? (In the midst of this nutzo election? Yes, please!)

Check out this new video by Joss Whedon’s Save the Day get-out-the-vote campaign. Their latest short stars Chris Pine as Congress, you know, If Congress Was Your Co-Worker.

 

Enjoy, and for the next week remember the best advice ever given to any hitchhiker from Planet Earth:
Don’t Panic!

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