November 4th. November 4th. That date's important for some reason. It's my friend's birthday... but no that's not it.... there's something else...
Oh yeah! The fate of the world is being decided today. In the USA.
I know that sounds a bit OTT but let's face it it's true. Whatever the voters in the US decide today has huge and far-reaching effects on the rest of us.
On November 6th 2000 I went to sleep thinking I'd had a good birthday. The candidate I most wanted to win, Al Gore, had won and the world had been saved from George W Bush. I slept well that night. I was more than a little suprised the next morning to discover that nobody knew what was going on.
What would have happened if those Florida voters had been permitted to vote - if those dodgy ballots with their hanging chads were capable of being read?…All the exit polls said Gore. In the end it came down to just over 500 votes and we got Bush. Maybe I'm naive but I'm sure that post 9/11 the Iraqi preemptive invasion would not have taken place. The world may have looked very different today.
So I'd just like to encourage those of you who can, to exercise your right to vote. Because every vote counts and polls can be wrong. I wouldn't presume to tell you how to vote just please, if it is your right to do so, then please do.
6 comments:
I, too, can't help thinking that Gore would have made a better pig's breakfast of it than Bush. 9/11 (or something like it) might not have been preventable but I'd like to think the aftermath would have been neater. Certainly, green issues would have moved further up the agenda a little earlier.
Maybe.
But then — would we have fared any better in the UK if Kinnock had won in 1992? I woke up on April 10that year having spent the whole of election night in bed. Why? (a) I was lazy and (b) It seemed Kinnock was going to win. As things turned out, he'd almost certainly have had a rougheer ride than Brown and maybe held sway over a single term unpopular Labour government. And who might have replaced Major? Portillo? Yipes.
Intersting mind games, but one thing's for certain — whoever wins will be Prez for the next few years.
Intersting mind games, but one thing's for certain — whoever wins will be Prez for the next few years.
That's what William Henry Harrison thought.
Jane, you're the only "go vote no matter what your affiliation" I believe today. For my part, I think people should only go vote if they agree with me. Otherwise, they should stay home.
pdj: "That's what William Henry Harrison thought."
lol. :)
Anyway, good stuff Janey. It's unfortunate, but many Americans don't really consider what kind of global impact that a certain presidential candidate will make. But it's SO important.
Well, I voted. And I strongly believe that the guy I voted for will be so so so much better at that than the other guy.
I even voted absentee this year knowing I would be out of state.
It will be interesting to see what the turnout this year is, considering the results of the last election. Hopefully more Americans are taking their voting rights seriously this time around!
I am a ____ girl this year! :) Bush has run our country in the ground and we need a change! HaHa thought I would tell you who I voted for? Not a chance! lol but yea everyone should vote becuz anything is better than Bush!
Whirl I expect that 9/11 would still have happened as would the bombing of Afghanistan but Iraq? Not a chance - that, as far as I'm concerned was Dubya finishing what Daddy started - making a mess of the Middle East at the cost of the rest of the world.
As for Kinnock - I have no idea! I expect that Labour would still be socialist and we'd still have a conservative Government. I wish here was an inspiring character like Obama in British politics. It would be nice to actually believe in someone wouldn't it?
Pete I'm an Obama girl al the way. I genuinely believe that he benefits by a strong turnout across the board. I think that his election is all the more impressive because there was such a high turn out from both camps.
LOL on William Henry Harrison - 30 days eh! That's a good lesson to candidates to make sure your running mate is up to the job!
Renee I can't tell you how important this election is to the rest of the world. It's a heck of responsibility on you guys. It's been an historic evening.
MIS Looks like the US took their responsibilities very seriously. And I for one am very grateful.
Sabrae First of all you are very welcome to the blog. Always good to meet new people. Whoever you voted for - I hope that you are smiling this morning. I think it's been an amazing night.
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