IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED YET, DO SO
My Ballot
So-called comedian Bill Maher allegedly.said that people of color know whom the Romney voters are and will exact their vengeance if the Pied Piper of Failed Liberalism loses tonight. Anyone who is a familiar with this blog knows I've been fair towards Obama, part of the loyal opposition with constructive solutions. I disdain red meat politics.
But Obama has been abysmally bad; I'n not being a partisan here. It would have cost Obama very little political capital to offer the GOP some concessions, even a modest year over year spending cut. He didn't have to take on class warfare tax hikes. He could have cut business taxes early; he didn't need to do health reform when the vast majority of people were satisfied with their private sector plans (if it ain't broke, don't fix it...) With regulations costing businesses over $1.5T a year, the last thing you do in a struggling economy is add to the burden. With federal revenues down about 40% earlier. the last thing you do is go on a spending spree. If he had governed as a centrist, Obama would not have lost the mid-terms so badly, and he would not be now fighting for his political life.
President: Mitt Romney
Senate: Dan Bogino
Congress: Frank Mirabile
Maryland Questions: yes 1-4, no 5-7
I should note I got GOP-style mailers against 4 (MD version of the Dream Act) and for 7 (expansion of state-sponsored casinos, etc.) Question 6 is the referendum on "gay marriage".
Some Reflections
I spent maybe 45 minutes in a wrapped around line to my precinct; this may be my last in-person election. My domestic business prospects are dismal {yes, with a PhD in MIS and 18 years as a DBA and former employee of Oracle and IBM), I'm now negotiating over overseas assignments. I think it's absolutely ludicrous someone would settle for inferior candidates (would you settle for an inexperienced, less intelligent surgeon if your health or eyesight depended on it?), but this is the reality of the Obama economy. The good thing about having to work overseas is Obama, if he wins, won't be able to steal yet more of my money to redistribute to others.
So there was a nostalgic feel. In Maryland, my votes are easily canceled out. Probably a third to a half of the people in line were of color ( I was confused why a black lady wearing an "I voted" sticker got back in line). Still, there's something endearing about seeing moms and/or dads bringing their adorable little kids to witness them doing their civic duty.
Some Good Election-Related Videos from Learn Liberty
Some academics I respect, e.g., Don Boudreaux of Cafe Hayek, seem to proudly point out that they don't vote. This is not a burger chain, I can't order Romney, double the spending cuts, hold the China and interventionist foreign policy. As a problem solver, I know what it takes to overcome organizational inertia. I see those qualities in Romney (look at how he passed RomneyCare), absolutely none in Obama. As I have previously said, I'm looking more for administrative experience, proactive leadership and intelligence; policy is teachable. I'm not running for office; I know I would be a 10 times better President than Obama. Could I get elected? Absolutely not. I've written some strong opinions. But Reagan had strong opinions and was able to work with Democratic legislatures.
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Groups
The Carpenters, "It's Going to Take Some Time"
