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Posted on 11/06/2002 7:22:05 AM PST by Billie
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A new day dawns for America
In memory of CW2 Henry J. Vad -- KIA; Binh Duong, South Vietnam.
SCOUTS OUT!
I saw Howard Fineman on the Today show, and he pronounced the END of the Clinton/Gore era!!! Wonderful!!!!
Through you, I have been able to keep a finger on the pulse of the state of my birth - one where I have two sons.
How many polls have we pushed in the years, and in general agonized over progress - or lack thereof?!
You are so dedicated, and your enthusiasm is a pleasing and reassuring thing!
You typify the heart of Free Republic.
FINALLY! Our President can get something done. Oh, thank you, Voters, thank you!!!!
I am so happy for Missouri, for Minnesota, for Florida, for America!!!!
I remembered the election as my first thought upon waking this morning, smiling even before opening my eyes.
What a great day yesterday was and today is.
I hardly dared hope, and certainly dared not predict, the GOP sweep.
Phew, whatta wonderful life it is.
Watching Mondale lose is such a joy!
Watching Daschle be repudiated is such a joy.
Watching the xlinton/mcawful criminal enterprise be rejected by the voters is just so tasty I'm ready to explode with joy!
God bless Dubya, conqueror of all enemies, foreign and domestic.
God bless America and all Freepers.
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE!!
(I'm bummed that Davis is still the guv, but...I can cope...he makes a most excellent scapegoat.)
JulieRNR21, thanks for your hard work and sharing your adventure with us. Bless you. I hope you get to relax a bit and nurse those tootsies today, and keep those ants away.
I am so jubilant....I even made it to the polls last night. My flight was delayed and I did not get to my polling place till two minutes before they closed at 8 pm. Just in time...Right after I got in line and signed up, one of the poll workers went outside and announced "The Polls are Closed" and took down the flag and signs. I had never seen a poll closing before. Usually I open up the polling place, lol.....
She opened the poll at five minutes before seven but I let that slide.
I was standing behind the election clerks to see how they were going to operate and she came over and told me that I couldn't stand there.
She said, "Get a chair and sit someplace out of the way!"
I told her that I wasn't there to stay out of the way, and that I'd find a chair when I got tired.
Then her husband, an election clerk, came over to me and told me that I would have to abide by their rules for poll watchers.
I told him that I abided by the laws of Texas and that was all.
There was one election judge, an alternate judge and six election clerks - all women except the election judge's husband and ALL black.
The precinct I was in is nearly 100% black and, according to the lawyer for the Republican Party, it's 98% Democrat!
I figured I was in for one hell of a day!
One of the first people who came in asked for help with that stupid electronic machine, and I noticed one of the clerks rush over and start pushing buttons for her.
I told the election judge that would either stop or I'd challenge every vote made that way.
She called her clerks over and told them they could not operate the machines for the voters.
Then I noticed that before the voters even asked for help, a clerk was there to instruct them.
It's impossible to tell whether the clerk is helping with the machine or telling them how to vote, so I told the judge that wasn't going to work, either.
She called the clerks over and told them that unless the voters rang the help button twice, no one was supposed to go over.
That's the law in Texas, but she wasn't going to do it until I told her.
Not that it made a lot of difference.
EVERY screen I saw on the voting machines as I walked around was straight Democratic ticket.
At any rate after I established my presence, we started to get along.
By mid-morning we had become friends.
By lunch time I was invited to eat bar-b-que with them, and by mid-afternoon we were all talking and laughing about the stupid voting machines, which are a big pain in the ass!
These women have worked many elections together.
They know their stuff!
I guarantee that someone with a halo around their head and sandals on their feet and calling themselves Jesus Christ was not going to vote yesterday if they couldn't prove their identity!
I saw them turn away about thirty people, and it was certain they would have voted Democratic.
I developed a respect for these women and the way they were trying to be fair and just.
It wasn't because I was there.
I could tell that's the way they always do it.
I also developed a respect for the black people who came to vote.
We had at last total 543 votes yesterday, and all were black.
About 50% of those were lower-middle working class black men in overalls and workboots.
These weren't the welfare group.
These people worked for a living and felt strong enough about their convictions that they took off long enough to come by and vote.
I gained some insight yesterday that I sorely needed.
I've been painting the black Democrats with a brush much too broad.
I don't know what their reasoning is for voting Democratic, but it's not for more welfare or government give-aways.
All in all, I had a blast yesterday.
It was a looooooong day, but I had a lot of fun with the women.
We cut up and laughed a LOT!
The black voters who came in were very friendly and courteous.
One man came in with a cap that said, "WW II and Korean Vet".
I went up to him and asked him if I could shake his hand.
He stuck out his hand and I said, "I just wanted to thank you for your service, sir!"
I could see the tears well up in his eyes, and he said, "You know, a lot of people have died so that we could be doing what we're doing here today."
I said, "I know, and I want to thank you for your part."
He told me he appreciated the recognition, then left hurredly to keep the tears from showing.
Folks, if we have any chance to kill these voting machines, we need to do it!
At least eight out of ten people yesterday couldn't make it past entering their code number without help.
The turn-out in the next election is probably going to be heavier, and there is no way to keep election clerks who have to help with these machines from influencing or determining a voter's choice when they're having to scroll for the voter and tell them when to push "enter".
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