A quick thing about the political process

[jlh]

ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL

If you want to support Kerry, or Bush, or your state's Senator or your Congressman, why not be an adult and get out your checkbook? Do you only donate to public radio to get the umbrella or the tote bag? Do you only donate to the Red Cross to get the address labels? Full disclosure: I have donated $50 to Dean, and will likely do some local donations and possibly some cross-state donations where I think my money could make some difference.

If you don't have a lot of money, perhaps you should take your eyes away from the big national contest (true, more important for the whole war thing) and look to your representative to the state legislature. A small amount of money given to them really makes a difference, and you'll be making a big difference for things like gay marriage and other rights issues which tend to be decided on a state-by-state basis. Having Kerry as president isn't going to change the bills going through the Virginia state house, you know.

Also, if you aren't a US citizen, and you don't want to worry about the byzantine campaign finance laws, then maybe you should work out the difference between what my government is up to and what your government is up to and affect that. If you're against our policies, then vote for a government that won't just bend over to us. They exist; look at Spain and France and Germany.

Comments

[evil-erato.livejournal.com]

Having Kerry as president isn't going to change the bills going through the Virginia state house, you know.

No, it isn't. But neither is this November's election going to change the bills going through the General Assembly - none of them are up for re-election until next year at the earliest. Delegates come up for election next year, and State Senators don't come up until 2007. I don't mind the Senators so much, as I happen to like my State Senator, but my delegate needs to go on a long walk off a short pier. We *do* have 11 US Representatives up for election this year though, and one of them is in my district. Sadly, there is no one (as yet) who has put their hat in the ring to go up against the incumbent, who is an asshat in his own right. Here's hoping the Dems can find someone who is willing to try to unseat Davis. -.- And now I shall stop spamming you with VA politics. ;)

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Which is precisely why off-year elections are also so important. It bums me out the way that everyone cares so much about the presidential stuff when there are so many more things that happen locally that affect you. Grr!

Remind me of this issue in fall 2005, mmmkay?

[evil-erato.livejournal.com]

No problem. I daresay it'll be top of my mind anyway ;)

[ex-lunasparr180.livejournal.com]

My problem is that I'm just utterly cynical. I tend to think they're all just as bad as each other and already have too much of my money anyway.

I think I've picked up a lot of bad Aussie attitudes - LOL!