Facebook has become a war zone for me this election. With a large extended family dotted across the county, I've been getting updates from all over the place about one person's support for Obama, another's love of Romney, and everything in between. Friends and family want to make clear their views on abortion and gay rights at the click of a "like" button. I'm being pestered about Prop 30 and Prop 37, badgered about the economy and inundated with Romney and Obama memes.
It's enough to cause a family feud. I agree that it probably shouldn't be — after all, it's just social media. But it's still sometimes hard to believe your loved ones could take such a different political perspective from you, considering that they share the same bloodline and perhaps a very similar upbringing.
My family seems to have been split in two ways: firstly, there are those on the "conservative" side of things and there are those on the "liberal" side of things. But the second split has been between those who are willing to argue about it, and those who aren't. For those who have argued, there may never be full resolution, and the scars will remain long after the ballots are counted. For those who chose not to argue, there may be a new sense of distrust toward the family members who have shown that their true political colors are of a very different hue.
I tried to stick to the rule of speaking only when spoken to — unless I deemed the need to be dire, which I did, on three occasions —and letting it go if I feel that the other person is not receiving my opinions with an open mind and an honest curiosity to understand both sides of the debate. But it has been hard, and I'll be thankful when election season is over so that the wounds can start to heal, aided by the warm, loving glow of the holiday season ahead.
How has your family been affected by this election? Share your trials and triumphs in the comments below.
Perhaps people posting comments and political cartoons that are downright mean instead of factual are doing so because they are frustrated or just because they think they are funny. Because I have people I love and respect who are on the opposite side of the political fence I am reminded that those I don't know are also likely loved and respected by their friends and family too. I think this is crucial for us all to remember. After this election we will be challenged as a country to come together again despite our differences.
Imagine that we elected presidents by popular vote and a major storm or earthquake hit a very blue state right before the election. What do you think would happen? Would that be preferable to the current system? Imagine that the vote were a virtual tie, within 0.05%. Would we see red jurisdictions competing with blue jurisdictions nationwide to see who could generate the largest number of fraudulent votes? No thanks. I'd rather keep it the way it is. The electoral college better manages disruptive events, either eliminating their partisan effect (natural disasters) or corralling their effect into a single state.
With no campaign money he is at a disadvantage... vote for the underdog as he can not be worse than what we have.
i really wish this state would switch to where the electoral college votes are done based on the percentage of popular voting rather than a winner take all as we have now. the current system makes our state totally irrelevant in a national election since the dems have the majority in the bag...so we get no attention, and basically neither party cares about this state. i think that's a shame, regardless of your party affiliation. the powers that be have no incentive to empower the voters since it would mean that the state's electoral college votes would be up for grabs rather than be in the bag before the election even started. we deserve better.
There is a clear majority of votes concentrated into about a half dozen major metropolitan areas in the country. To win a popular vote, a candidate would only need to strategize among these few big city population centers. over 90% of the land mass in the USA would be essentially unimportant and irrelevant politically if we went to a popular vote. Live in Kentucky? Who cares. Nevada? What's that? With the electoral college, any state that is not an absolute lock (like Texas, New York, California, Illinois, etc.) can become a potential swing state. Ohio, Nevada and Pennsylvania are very sought-after states right now by both parties. They would be throw-away flyover states in a popular vote system. It's nice to be a populous region like we are in a popular-vote tally. Or...maybe not. Can you imagine how much more sick to death we would be of political ads if California was in play? Spare me!
Going to a popular vote from an electoral college for president would essentially end any hope for Republicans to ever elect a president, as the urban centers where the highest concentration of votes are always go Democrat. The flyover states would be screwed. New York, Boston, L.A., San Francisco, Chicago and the like would rule over the rest of the country. Quickest way to a civil war I can think of. That's why I am for the electoral college. Yes, it adds one more layer of representatives into our representative government, but the avoidance of disenfranchisement it brings is very stabilizing and absolutely worth it. Chris, you are just dead wrong on this.
So it would be about the same either way. But even so, with the current system our votes are not part of the equation, so I still wonder why we vote for president. If you are pro electoral college, or against it, still the same thing. The popular vote means nothing. So again, why bother to vote for President? I would either do away with the popular vote or do away with the Electoral College system. Having both is an insult to my intelligence. Only one matters, and it is not our votes. And many still think their vote for president matters. It does not in the least. Look it up if you do not believe me.
Combined with violations of our civil rights I am ashamed to be southern. I'm off face bok for food and being a hermit sounds great. Hey, being middles and a woman to icologiat and microbiologist I am radioactive here. They are mostly nuts and I long to return where none of this matters. Mostly, I'm disappointed in select members of my family especially the ones who voted like me
Combined with violations of our civil rights I am ashamed to be southern. I'm off face bok for food and being a hermit sounds great. Hey, being middles and a woman to icologiat and microbiologist I am radioactive here. They are mostly nuts and I long to return where none of this matters. Mostly, I'm disappointed in select members of my family especially the ones who voted like me