Are you registered?

With the primary season ongoing, I’ve noticed comments here and elsewhere about party affiliation and voter registration. It got me wondering: how many of the Glibertariat are registered with any party at all?


[yop_poll id=”1″]



Discuss!

Comments

270 responses to “Are you registered?”

  1. Mojeaux

    First.

    1st

    1. Tundra

      And best. Well done.

      1. Mojeaux

        *curtsies*

        May I get a dancing 1, Edit Fairy?

        1. Spudalicious

          You don’t want the flouncy, blonde anime?

          1. Mojeaux

            I AM the flouncy blonde anime.

          2. Count Potato

            Fjord or peroxide?

          3. Spudalicious

            Hawt!

          4. C. Anacreon

            How about the one where they slap #1 on the bare bottom of a porn star? I got that one once.

          5. Count Potato

            Your family must be proud of you.

          6. Chafed

            Who is it?

  2. Playa Manhattan

    Fuck off, slaver!

    1. Count Potato

      That needs more votes.

      1. Count Potato

        Damn it, FOS is less than 14%. It’s like I don’t even know you people.

        1. Rhywun

          Also, our Canadian friends don’t seem to be participating.

          1. Rhywun

            Also also, who’s the Democrat? Don’t be shy.

          2. I surprised that 7/8th of you people actually vote.

          3. Gustave Lytton

            I think one of the regulars mentioned living in a deep blue district and was registered D so they could monkey wrench.

          4. Rhywun

            He better not monkey it up.

          5. Count Potato

            You’re only saying that because he’s black.

          6. robc

            I was from 1987 to 2007. Switched to R to vote for Paul Sr in the 2008 primary.

          7. Rhywun

            Meh, I was too during roughly the same time. Sort of by default.

          8. Gustave Lytton

            I was registed as a LP since I first registered, but did the switch to R for Ron Paul, then went to no party after the election.

        2. Spudalicious

          Fuck off slaver!!! Did I do that right?

          1. C. Anacreon

            Did you say
            “Lip up, fatty?”

  3. I’m a registered Republican because in the small town I live in, the Republican town caucus was effectively the primary. Never bothered to change to unaffiliated. Don’t think I can register Libertarian in NY since they never get the 50K votes for Governor.

    1. New York has some kind of rule that you have to be registered WELLLL in advance of the primary elections if I recall correctly. Between 6 and 12 months?

    2. Whiskeyjack

      Back in the day in AL my parents always voted in the Democratic primary because most of the local elections were won there. Then voted Republican in the primary where there was a choice.

      Even Roy Moore was a Democrat back in the 80s when he was running for local judges and such.

  4. DEG

    If NH purges the rolls, I’ve probably been purged by now.

    1. C. Anacreon

      Yes, you were probably purged by religious zealots.

  5. Rhywun

    Fu– aw.

    1. Fu–
      I-O.

      1. Tres Cool

        HEY!

        1. I’ve got a nice leather bound diploma form tOSU in a box in a closet somewhere and I agree with Ted. The OH-IO thing is possibly the most asinine college pride cheer ever, and as for the four people taking a picture while doing the OHIO arm thing, what is the German word for being embarrassed for the stupid thing someone else does?

          1. Tundra

            Hitler?

          2. “diploma form” good god, I should really demand a rebate.

          3. I figured it was like a jello mold.

            That is what diploma mills use, right?

          4. Fremdscham, and the verb fremdschämen.

          5. C. Anacreon

            Nice declension.

          6. Rhywun

            Das ist was sie gesagt hat!

          7. robc

            I have always wondered why buckeyes do a cheer for the Bobcats.

  6. Tundra

    General national election, my vote means shit. General elections in my city – yes.

    1. Sad to say that in my case my vote doesn’t mean squat at any level. I live in a blue ward in a blue city in a blue part of the county in a blue state. Republicans might win some parts of Maryland, but not America’s Sailing Capital, and any third party doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance.

      1. Tacit Rainbow

        That’s why I go DINO. A bunch of us vote as a block and make sure shitshows like Manning seem “plausible” enough that the machine has to spend money they otherwise wouldn’t.

      2. Sensei

        It’s is where I learned to sail and foul crabpots.

        I live in a similarly blue place in NJ..

      3. Certified Public Asshat

        Fun fact, I lived in Carroll my whole life before relocating to the Eastern shore this year…I am in the same district.

  7. Sean

    I stopped voting in my twenties and started again in my thirties. I regret my apathy.

    OT: I pick up my new car tomorrow. Woohoo!

    1. Tundra

      Porsche?

      1. Sean

        GTI.
        ?
        Autobahn.
        ?
        Dark iron blue.
        ?

        1. Tundra

          Dude. That’s even better.

          I am so happy for you.

          New new?

          1. Sean

            New new.
            /happy

          2. Tundra

            Congrats!

            My first new new car was also a VW. A 1998 Passat. Black on black, manual, no sunroof. Upgraded rims/tires. It was the first year they made them on the A6 platform. So fucking pretty.

            I’ve bought a bunch of new cars since, but that one is still my favorite.

            Post some pics.

          3. Count Potato

            Congrats

        2. DEG

          Nice!

          1. Sean

            I’d rather listen to kmfdm…
            And I’m not a fan.

          2. Count Potato

            Kraftwerk was great. Neither Depeche Mode nor KMFDM would have existed without them.

        3. Sensei

          Enjoy!

    2. I wear my sunglasses at night.

      1. Sean

        +1 Corey Hart

  8. one true athena

    “matter” in the sense of “being important” I say yes. If only the people who want gov’t bigger vote, then guess what happens? It may happen anyway, but people who want free shit are gonna vote for more of it. In terms of impacting the outcome? In CA, it’s basically a ‘protest’ vote all the time, so not really. But that said, I have voted even here for judges and the like where the outcome is only a few hundred votes, so it can make a difference.

    1. Rhywun

      people who want free shit are gonna vote for more of it

      And enthusiastically. It’s making me reluctantly consider joining the voting train again – I haven’t voted in ten years at least. I will always, always lose but I can get a little thrill out of that protest vote I suppose.

      1. Florida Man

        I voted against raising my property taxes. It passed with 83% approval.

        1. Rhywun

          WTF is wrong with people?

          1. Troy

            Thank you sir, may I have another?

          2. Tundra

            It’s always about the fucking schools. Me and the Pontiff got slammed with a monster ‘technology upgrade’ a few years ago. My neighbors were aghast that I voted no.

          3. Spudalicious

            “Don’t you care about the children?”

            Works every time.

          4. I care about them, which is why I don’t want to saddle them with a crushing tax burden.

          5. Pope Jimbo

            Yeah, the fucking schools are a huge money pit. And they are always coming back for more.

            The school bonding issues are always a point of contention between my wife and I. Not because she thinks they need more money, but because she knows that at some point I will get into it with some neighbors about the vote.

            I don’t go out looking for a fight, but some neighborhood dogooder will come to my house, bug me on my day off to sign some petition or to put a sign in my yard and then won’t respond well to being told to fuck off.

            My wife wants to keep the peace in the neighborhood, I sort of do, but when the assholes insist on “having a dialog” I don’t shut the fuck up either.

          6. Florida Man

            The question was worded in a way that pretty much forced people to vote yes. “Do you want to continue this really minor tax in exchange for amazing schools for the children?”

          7. Pope Jimbo

            “All the children in the next suburb over are learning Mandarin on their newest iPad, do you want to spend a little more to keep up with them? Or do you want your children to be consigned to be trash collectors?”

          8. Gustave Lytton

            Google translate sez:

            滚开, 奴隶老板

    2. Playa Manhattan

      No on everything.

      1. one true athena

        Ah, you’ll appreciate my Guide to California Propositions:

        It’s either a terrible idea, or a good idea terribly executed. vote no.

  9. Rhywun

    I’ve never voted in a primary. Even when I was a registered Democrat up until a dozen or so years ago, I was certainly not an active one. Now that I’m nothin’ I don’t get to vote in primaries.

  10. Yusef drives a Kia

    I’m registered Republican, But i live in Cali, so I Quit voting, it won’t help, this place is DOOMED!
    Tenth?

    1. I wonder if a scheme like ranked choice would be less of a fiasco than what Cali has. Should be interesting to see what happens in Maine over time.

    1. Playa Manhattan

      Order NOW

    2. Pope Jimbo

      One of my secret joys is refusing to take one of those stupid fucking I Voted stickers from the old timer working the polls. A lot of them get pretty worked up that I won’t wear the ribbon sticker.

      I think it might have been the 2000 election where I hated everyone and everything on the ballot so I got my ballot and walked directly to the counting machine to put it in. At least 4 of the coots there kept trying to tell me I had to go mark it in one of the booths. They were completely flummoxed at the idea that I would turn in a blank ballot.

      Now that I think of it, I am sure that was 2000 because I would laugh about it and wonder what would have happened had I cast that blank ballot in Florida and had it be subjected to the recount. Imagine the fights as both sides tried to come up with a reason to add it to their pile.

      1. I don’t know if the “ribbon bully” episode of Seinfeld could be made today.

    3. I have a friend who put up political yard signs with his name in red, white and blue that basically said:

      I’m SHAUN TAYLOR. Just wanted to say hi.

  11. Florida Man

    It’s funny, I was thinking about suggesting a weekly glib poll. I figured with this bunch most people would just try to screw with the results.

    1. Raphael

      That’s a nice idea in my opinion. It’d be nice to see everyone’s preferences and all that information.
      *is not an FBI informant at all*

      1. Florida Man

        I was thinking it would be neat to see demographics and preferences. Nothing too serious. I guess you could do policy questions too like pro/anti IP.

        1. Raphael

          I’m cool with that idea fwiw.

    2. Troy

      How about favorite cup size. I vote B and C.

      1. Troy

        Whatever is logistically big enough to wrap around your cock for titty fucking basically.

        1. Raphael

          Let’s double that, shall we?

          1. C. Anacreon

            I think he meant D Flat Major.

          2. C. Anacreon

            Or,
            Get D Max
            For D minimum
            At TJ Maxx.

          3. Raphael

            You’re only going to get a D with these jokes. *struggling not to laugh in the open office*

  12. Raphael

    Speaking of voting, I loved getting chewed out for voting third party during the 2016 Election and costing Hillary the election even though she won my county in a landslide anyways.

    1. Yusef drives a Kia

      Well you just Hate Roads! and all the things that government Gives us! Traitor!

      1. Raphael

        Probably also a foreign interferer/colluder too considering I sent in an absentee ballot from Asia. Thankfully they’re too busy looking at the Ruskies to notice me.

        1. Yusef drives a Kia

          EVULLLL!!!!!

    2. Sean

      You need to move.

      1. Raphael

        Don’t worry, already did the move a few years back. I’m just still registered with my old county/voting precinct.

    3. Mojeaux

      Yes, I very much enjoyed that, too.

    4. Same here. Maryland. There was never a scenario where Clinton wasn’t going to win Maryland, but apparently my vote for Johnson is why Trump was elected.

      1. Tundra

        I thought the same, but Hilldog barely beat The Donald here.

        Think about that. You are such a shitty candidate, you barely beat the Republican in MN!

    5. I voted for Gary Johnson too, and had no qualms since I knew Hillary was going to carry NY by 20 points or more. Not that I talk about my vote to much outside of Glibs.

    6. Playa Manhattan

      Your county? Do you own it?

      1. Raphael

        *polishes monocle*

        Why yes, yes I do. Or rather did.

      2. Florida Man

        There are ghost towns where you can buy the whole county, so maybe.

  13. Troy

    I don’t vote because I receive a VA voucher that got me out if sleeping in my Jeep. I don’t think I should be allowed to vote if I , or anyone, is getting public benefits.

    1. Tres Cool

      Ya know where just any veteran can get one of those?
      …asking for a friend

      1. Troy

        I went to the VA hospital here in Boise, for an ER visit, and they asked me a question about being homeless. I said, truthfully, yes. I got a call from a VA social worker and there was a process that filled out a bunch paperwork.

        Tl;DR. Call the closest VA hospital and I think there is a homeless veteran hotline.

        FWIW, I feel guilty sucking of Brett’s and others who have real jobs taxes. And I applying for jobs that pay enough. The whole law school thing was a big mistake. Im just not smart or clever enough. And opening my own business was even stupider, maybe the stupidadist thing I ever done since binge reading Warty’s Doomcock series.

    2. Mojeaux

      But you’re a vet, right? Didn’t you earn that voucher?

      1. Troy

        Well yes, I’m a vet, but I would still prefer to pay my own way. Having the law degree has been more if a detriment. When they see that you’ve gone from assistant attorney general to a dishwasher, they think you are broken. Maybe I am but I still show up to work on time and give my employer thier due.

        1. Mojeaux

          I think maybe if you don’t put that you have a law degree and that you were an assistant attorney general, you might find it easier to get a position where you can catch a toehold to go up.

          FWIW, we’re all broken. Some of us are better at hiding it than others. I think hiding your education and previous positions might benefit you.

          1. Sensei

            Sometimes that will come out during background checks.

            It depends on the job. But depending on the position I agree no need to volunteer it. It depends if you want to get ahead of the issue if you expect it to come up.

          2. Mojeaux

            Right, well, if you’re working fast food or whatever, that’s the first thing. Then you can settle yourself enough to apply for a job at a labor temp employment agency. THEN you can move up to a professional staffing agency. You’d pull out your schooling and the rest of your resume there, then explain to them what happened, and let them put you in a position that uses your expertise.

            Staffing agencies have contractor positions they can fill, and NEED to fill, so it’s in their best interest to keep some things to themselves. So you get a good position with a company that needs you to be there, and the people you’re actually going to work with may never find out any of it. And then you’ve put yourself on the head hunters’ radar.

          3. Troy

            Isee thanks for the advice.

          4. Mojeaux

            Well, you know. It’s worth what you pay for it. 🙂

          5. Troy

            Well when the application ask you the title of your position and it was assistant attorney general, what do you say? Or they ask you for your highest level of education? I don’t lie very well. Fucking Kant.

            Though now it is long ago enoigh, I can minimize my education without lying.

        2. straffinrun

          Whoa. I bet I’m not the only person that wants to hear the rest of this story.

          1. Mojeaux

            You are not.

          2. Tres Cool

            Love. That. Avatar.
            …in a totally non-gay way, NTTAWWT

          3. straffinrun

            Thanks. Made it myself.

          4. Raphael

            Same, that’s quite a transition there.

          5. Troy

            If that was aimed at me. Tl;Dr version is the crash of 2008. I didn’t work for 2 years. I drank shitty vodka while I watched everyone like General Motors and Chrysler get bailed out.

    3. Tres Cool

      Cute story- a friend of mine (also a veteran) works for our local VA hospital. I was there one day for my routine testing, and dropped in to say “hi”. She cut our visit short because, since it was election time, she had to let the Board of Elections people up to the (locked) psyche ward so the patients there could exercise their right to vote.
      Quite literally, psychiatric patients that weren’t allowed to leave the ward were given absentee ballots to fill out.

      1. Florida Man

        I don’t have a problem with that. I mean, if all it takes to strip a segment of voters of their rights is to declare them crazy, that’s a power that will be abused.

        1. Tres Cool

          Point taken. However, just as people have presented the ‘you should own property to be able to vote’ argument, I mention it as the obverse, and just who does get to vote.

          1. Florida Man

            I know there is room for philosophical differences, but my take is if you are effected by the laws you should get a vote. Example: if I don’t get a vote on property taxes, then I don’t have to pay the tax. If I pay property tax, I should get a vote on the rate.

          2. Rhywun

            I agree and IMHO that includes the portion of my rent that goes toward property taxes.

          3. Florida Man

            For sure, that was just a quick example.

          4. Troy

            I say fuck property taxes. Property taxes just means you rent it from a bully who can take it for any fucked up reason. See Kelo.

          5. Florida Man

            I’m more than happy not to vote on property taxes if I don’t have to pay them.

  14. Independent in general.

    Speaking of independents – I can’t stop rolling my eyes at the local soap opera.

    A couple gems in these articles (both from last week’s paper – comes out every Wed).

    http://www.c-ville.com/anti-racists-instruct/#.W4c2WrgnaM8

    Trickier for the panelists was how to prevent hate speech from having First Amendment protections.

    “I’m hesitant to give more tools to the government to restrict speech,” said Rolla.

    “There’s no reason the KKK should be a legal organization in the United States,” said Doherty. “It’s a terrorist group.” He said the government outlawed the Black Panthers through FBI surveillance and infiltration.

    Attorney Lloyd Snook was in the audience, and he says that infiltrating the Black Panthers was not the same as passing a law, “Two of the three panelists don’t know their First Amendment history very well.”

    The decisions that came out of the Warren U.S. Supreme Court were to protect civil rights organizers, union organizers and Communists, he says. “Later on the KKK and Nazis latched on to that.”

    (least there’s a modicum of sanity)

    http://www.c-ville.com/council-listens-citizens-unhappy-heavy-police-presence-downtown-lockdown/#.W4c2U7gnaM8

    Several people complained about the presence of K9 dogs. “That’s a Bull Connor visual,” said Carpenter.

    Civil rights attorney Jeff Fogel excoriated the limited access to the mall and the searches to enter. “You could be stopped on the streets of your city without probable cause,” he said, calling that the “hallmark of an authoritarian” government.

    “And then to play that game of calling it consensual,” he said, a reference to police Chief RaShall Brackney, who said the day before that all the searches of bags before coming onto the mall were “consensual.”

    Fogel and others questioned the declaration of a state of emergency without a factual basis of a threat.

    “What intelligence did the city have to shut this city down?” asked Katrina Turner, a member of the newly formed Police Civilian Review Board. “Was it shut down because of antifa?”

    One speaker castigated Vice-Mayor Heather Hill for thanking police, although Councilor Wes Bellamy said he appreciated Hill’s attempt to help with negotiations when officers refused to let mourners enter the mall at Fourth Street.

    Of the 30 plus speakers, only one said he was glad police were there, although an unexpected defender was Mayor Nikuyah Walker. “The police were rather calm,” she said. “I did not see police officers as aggressive as what I’ve seen my entire life.”

    And she said, “If we had similar people show up as last year, I’d want police to be there.”

    1. Trickier for the panelists was how to prevent hate speech from having First Amendment protections.

      Fuck off, slaver.

      1. Troy

        Truly… Suck my fucking cock and choke on it

    2. Grumbletarian

      Panelists prefaced the discussion by giving their preferred pronouns and tracing their paths to activism.

      Jesus Fucking Christ.

      I’m not swearing, just giving you all my preferred pronoun.

    3. Raphael

      Doherty does know that FBI also infiltrated and surveilled the KKK too, right?

    4. I see wood chippers

      Fogel and others questioned the declaration of a state of emergency without a factual basis of a threat.

      Fuck you, Fogel. A factual basis of a threat isn’t justification for a state of emergency either. If people are scared to go to the mall, they should stay home.

    5. TBF if a single thing had actually happened and the cops didn’t respond in force (particularly after the “stand-down” fiasco last year) you know the usual suspects would be screaming.

      They really didn’t have a way to win this time around – but that’s because they didn’t do their job last year. (Why the fuck those roads weren’t completely blocked off to traffic….just blows my mind).

    6. Frenchie

      Looks like Charlottesville is as full of itself as ever. They don’t call it the Berkeley of the Blue Ridge for nothing.

  15. Rebel Scum

    Are you registered?

    Yes, of course.

    OT: I’m convinced that my acquaintances from grade-school are either functionally retarded, or fully propagandized in the ways of the collectivist. From recent conversation I have discovered that holding principles is “silly” because, “zomg, the current system is so complex and sh!t.” Also, private businesses are “publicly supported institutions” that need to do w/e the collectivists feel is “right & just” by their employees. And employment is totally “not voluntary” even though it, by definition, is absolutely voluntary. And being entitled to the labor of one’s fellow man is “helping” one’s fellow man, while working under conditions voluntarily negotiated with the employer is total slavery. I despise my peers, present company excluded.

    1. Raphael

      That’s disappointing. I don’t know how I’d feel if my closest childhood friends went full slavers.

    2. Troy

      And employment is totally “not voluntary” even though it, by definition, is absolutely voluntary.

      I respectfully disagree. Do you like to eat? Do you like a roof over your head? Yes? Yes? Is eating voluntary? Is food free?

      Well unless you ate your way into a soicial security disability payment, the only way to get the $$$$ is a job. And the idea that you vs, say Amazon, Walmart, or mom n Pop shop are on the same level of bargining power is just insane.

      Having said that,. I think your aquaintances deserve a Fuck You Slaver. Like Ronald Reagan said, the best Anti-poverty program is a good job.

      1. Playa Manhattan

        Or, you could grow your own food. My grandparents seemed to have done well on farms.

      2. Rebel Scum

        Yes those are the “arguments” they make. I have tried to stress that socialized systems are coercive (and, therefor immoral) because of the entitlement to the labor of others that is required but I am not getting through.

        1. Troy

          I can’t get people to understand that taxes are economic redistribution backed by the threat of (and actual) violence. So I always ask, is this tax or program worth sticking a gun In your face? I usually answer no

      3. Tres Cool

        Or, if you owe say, child support, employment becomes compulsory.

      4. Employment is voluntary, because I can choose not to hire someone. Work is voluntary, because I can choose not to do it. Eating is voluntary, too; just because you have to eat to survive doesn’t mean that you are forced to eat. You’re just presented with a bit of Hobson’s choice, which is to say that you can eat or not eat, but if you don’t eat you’ll eventually die. But necessary isn’t the same as compulsory.

        1. Tres Cool

          Or, as Troy pointed out, if the state feels you owe them something, plan to look at the end of a gun potentially. Or get used to living in a cage.

    3. straffinrun

      Wish I had the money to make a new Sixth Sense. “I see power structures.” That’s all they see. Ever.

      1. Tres Cool

        +1 They Live

      2. Florida Man

        Hey Straffin, I saw you only read the classics. Is Dante’s inferno worth the read?

        1. Raphael

          I am not Staffin, but Dante’s Inferno is a great read. I don’t recall which version I read off the top of my head, but it had a lot of foot-notes and sub-indexes that went into who Dante was literally roasting.

          1. Big fan of Ciardi’s translation – captures the odd rhyme scheme amazingly well (he has the whole trilogy completed). Also has maps/illustrations and a LOT of footnotes.

          2. Florida Man

            I’ve only ever heard anyone talk about inferno. Is the rest worth the time?

          3. Well….it’s a continuous thematic story/trip – not as “interesting” but stays relevant – worth it on the whole if you have time, but I’d probably just revisit Inferno more often.

            Alternatively another Dante piece focusing on Beatrice is Charles Williams translation/profile “The Figure of Beatrice”

          4. Florida Man

            Thanks. I added Ciardi’s inferno to my kindle.

          5. YW. Hopefully the graphics and footnotes work smoothly.

          6. Florida Man

            Cool thanks.

        2. straffinrun

          Thanks for reminding me to reread that. Haven’t read that in over 25 years. It’s a great read, but don’t quote it comment sections. Preet is a hater.

          1. Florida Man

            I’m rollin’, he hatin’

          2. You only read classics? why?

          3. straffinrun

            Not exactly what I said. When I was in my 20’s, a friend tried to hand me some beach novel and that’s what I told him. At the time I just wanted to get a base in the classics. Over the years I’ve changed, but still focus mostly on all the great works I haven’t read yet. I’m going to need more lives.

        3. Spudalicious

          I prefer the Larry Niven/Jerry Purnelle version.

          1. Timeloose

            +1 muscle car driving through hell.

      3. Raphael

        First feature film by Glib Productions?

  16. Trials and Trippelations

    I will vote in the general bc NC has some good amendments on the ballot. Doubt I’ll vote fir any people I live in a super deep blue county, so my vote won’t matter for any of the seats

  17. mikey

    Last time I voted was for Scott Brown. Scratch that. I voted against that fucking witch Martha Coakly. That’s the only vote I’ve ever really felt good about.

    1. blighted_non_millenial

      Hate voting is still voting or something.

    2. Not an Economist

      I’m thinking of voting this year so I can vote against the former director of the CPFB.

  18. Grumbletarian

    I live in a low population swing state, so my vote probably mattered. (TW: Slate)

    1. Yusef drives a Kia

      Yeah? well Fuck You ShitLord! How dare you exercise your god Given rights! Vote the Collective! Early and Often!

      1. Grumbletarian

        Funny enough, a right-of-Limbaugh friend of mine convinced me to vote for Bob Barr in ’08 instead of McCain, then four years later snarkily told me I helped re-elect Obama by voting for GayJay instead of Mittens.

        1. Florida Man

          For a minute I regretted voting Barr, then I saw what POS McCain was and never looked back.

          1. Spudalicious

            I voted for Bob Barr and never lost a second’s sleep.

          2. Same.

            I also don’t regret my hilarious Badnarik vote. That guy and his Hyundai were primo stuff.

          3. Gustave Lytton

            I miss Harry Browne.

          4. Harry Browne is why I’m not registered and will never vote, avoid as much contact with any governmental institution you can, that’s one small part of how to find freedom in an unfree world.

          5. Count Potato

            I voted for Obama because he was black.

          6. Spudalicious

            Racist.

        2. God damn, speaking of 2012 there was this douchebag right wing talk radio host out of the North Shore named Jay Severin. He used to characterise himself as a libertine-libertarian, but he was so enormously pathetic that his mouth was wrapped around Mittens’ cock from day 1 and he would trash or ignore any other clearly more liberty-friendly candidate in the field (i.e. Ron Paul.)

          This cockroach was clearly hoping to get into Mittens’ administration if he won the election. I’m so glad he lost his radio programme.

    2. mikey

      Actually, in NH you can go into a town and say you’ll be moving there by the time of the election, but you’d like to vote now. No one ever checks. Enough Massholes did that the swing the election.

      1. Grumbletarian

        Must not be everywhere, because I specifically waited during the last presidential election for the poll worker to ask for my ID before I showed it to her. She asked.

        1. Florida Man

          They swipe my DL and it prints my ballot for where I live.

        2. mikey

          I likely over-simplified. I think the deal was the town would give you an ID on the promise you were moving there. Didn’t mean you had to or that you still couldn’t vote in MA.

        3. Pope Jimbo

          Required to show ID? ::runs for fainting couch::

          How can our great country still countenance such rabid racial discrimination!

    3. The field of Democratic candidates are super extra hard left this year. It seems every god damn Congressional frontrunner candidate on that side is in favour of Universal Healthcare and has a gun ban agenda. I hope this is ultimately overreach.

      1. Rhywun

        Prepare to be disappointed, at least if you live in a blue area.

        1. Pope Jimbo

          This is my slim ray of hope.

          In my dream world, the Blue Wave comes through in every state but Minnesoda. In Minnesoda, the GOP does well because Brother Keith torpedoed everyone’s chances. I doubt that the DFL even then would muster the guts to call out Ellison in public.

        2. NH is generally more complicated. My congressional district, for example, was passed between the same progressive Dem and conservative Rep for the past 4 cycles.

  19. Playa Manhattan

    I don’t vote for things. I vote against things.

    1. Tres Cool

      ^^^^THIS

      1. Yusef drives a Kia

        Sup Tres!
        /Tall Cans?

        1. Tres Cool

          HEY YUFUS!
          <3.5g carbs Tall Cans….16 oz Milwaukee's Diet Beast!

          1. Yusef drives a Kia

            COOL! All beer is Good…

    2. Pope Jimbo

      During our last primary, I dragged the middle altar boy down to do his civic duty (and to get registered). I was on my soap box telling him and his sister that it is OK to leave races unmarked if you can’t vote for someone. “I only vote for a candidate. Never against someone.”

      Then on the way home, they asked me how I voted and I said I only voted in two races. I voted for my buddy in one race and I voted against our current sheriff Rich Stanek because he is a raging authoritarian asshole. My kids mocked me for breaking my own rule.

      I pointed out to them that I had taught them a valuable lesson in politics. Namely that everyone is a self-important liar.

      1. You can’t cast write-in votes?

  20. I see wood chippers

    When people ask me if I’m voting, I say “no, it only encourages them”. I think telling people that I don’t vote has a greater positive impact than voting.

    1. Tres Cool

      “The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
      -Stalin
      (see also: Al Franken, et al)

  21. Ownbestenemy

    I think primaries are the more important vote than the general election…that said. Fuckoff slaver!

    1. Pope Jimbo

      A very good friend of mine from high school is running for Gov of Minnesoda (Jeff Johnson). I have gone to several GOP caucuses in the past to help him win the nomination/endorsement for various offices he has sought. It is amazing at how few people show up for those and how much influence they can have.

      The year Ron Paul was running, he easily won our straw poll. His organization had 10 volunteers running around working rubes like me who showed up as a lark. But it totally helped.

      1. kinnath

        My wife and I caucused for Paul in 2012. The Paulites basically took over the Iowa delegation that year and most of the top offices in the state party apparatus. The national party fucked over the state and would not let the state enter their votes for Paul.

        Another valuable life lesson.

        Unfortunately, libertarians aren’t smart enough to take over enough local and state offices to have any impact at the national level.

      2. Raphael

        The exposure and word-of-mouth helps too. One of my acquaintainces from college was a volunteer for Ron Paul and he was one of the first influences I had from being neo-con republican to glibertarian.

        1. Raphael

          to make me go from* not I had

  22. Used to be registered L. Got pissed at them. Switched to R so I can vote in the primaries.

    My parents (both with similar views as me) are registered D in NM just so they can vote in primaries since the general is usually a foregone conclusion.

  23. “If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.”

    -Mark Twain

    1. straffinrun

      That’s also what it’s like living with a wife and daughter.

    2. Florida Man

      MT was OG pimp.

    3. Tres Cool

      A mis-attribution to MT. I was gonna use that, but I like the commie one better.

  24. Suthenboy

    Not long ago someone asked me “You are a conservative, aren’t you?”

    “No. I would have to move way left to be considered a conservative”

    He didn’t get it. *sigh*

    I live in a parish with 15K people. My vote counts. A lot. Elections here are won by double and even single digits.

    1. Tres Cool

      Try what I do, and say “Rush Limbaugh is too liberal for my tastes”.

      1. Raphael

        I’m gonna steal that.

      2. Suthenboy

        That’s a good one. I am gonna use it.

  25. trshmnstr

    I haven’t voted since 2012. I got sick of the “most important election evar” bullshit and the “they’re the devil incarnate” bullshit. You want my vote? Convince me to get off my lazy ass, register, and go stand in line for 2 hours to vote for you. Inspire me any less than that and I’ll spend voting day on my fat ass.

    1. Count Potato

      Two hours?

      1. trshmnstr

        I dunno, I made something up.

    2. What’s the fuck with voting systems that everybody has to wait two hours to do it? In my small town, I’m in and out in 10 minutes.

  26. Tres Cool

    YouTube had a Jordan Peterson clip in my side-bar. I clicked it.
    Never having seen Jordan Peterson, after watching, I feel like either I dropped 20 IQ points or this cheap beer is stronger than I thought.

    1. Yusef drives a Kia

      Around these parts, He’s just preaching to the Choir

  27. straffinrun

    Donald J. Trump

    @realDonaldTrump
    @realDonaldTrump

    CNN is being torn apart from within based on their being caught in a major lie and refusing to admit the mistake. Sloppy @carlbernstein, a man who lives in the past and thinks like a degenerate fool, making up story after story, is being laughed at all over the country! Fake News

    Sloppy @carlbernstein.

  28. Actual question on the CNN Lanny Davis thing. As I understand it Lanny (Cohen’s lawyer) told CNN that Cohen was going to rat out Trump, CNN reports that sources close to Cohen say Cohen is going to rat out Trump, Lanny then admits to telling CNN that but says he screwed up and wasn’t being honest. How is CNN caught in a major lie? somebody close to the story told them X and that’s what they reported that someone close to the story told them X. If anyone’s the asshole here it’s Lanny Davis. I don’t get the vitriol at CNN, in this particular case.

    1. Count Potato

      The vitriol against CNN is that they are standing by their story from a bullshit source.

      1. The story that someone told them X? That someone has admitted to telling them X. What do they have to not stand by?

        1. straffinrun

          If Cohen’s own lawyer admits that he was wrong about Cohen planning on testifying that Trump knew about the meeting, how did they corroborate the story? They got TWO bogus sources? There comes a point when CNN can’t blame their anonymous sources and need to take responsibility for their lack of judgement. That assumes that it was an honest mistake on CNN’s part. Sorry, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt on that.

          1. Count Potato

            “I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt on that.”

            don’t

          2. straffinrun

            Thx. We’re supposed to believe Cohen’s personal lawyer doesn’t know what his own client plans on doing, but another anonymous source does. It’s crazy.

          3. Thanks, I must have missed the corroboration angle, everything I read/heard kept repeating that Lanny admitted to lying to CNN so they are obviously liars for printing what Lanny said. I didn’t know they were standing by the Cohen’s going to rat out Trump charge, in fact I never thought they made it, only that Lanny told them that, if they are claiming another source I can kinda see the point.

          4. straffinrun

            It’s the problem with anonymous sources. CNN has really screwed their credibility by accepting Davis’ word at face value. Now they either have to reveal the other sources or retract the story completely. They can’t do either, however. They’re fucked.

          5. Oh, no, they’re just fine. I spent two hours listening to my wife watch that Cuomo idiot on CNN in the other room talking about how the Republican primary winner in the Florida race said “monkey” and described a black person as articulate. Seriously, 120 minutes.

            I still can’t get over that “articulate” is a secret racist code-word. I describe people who speak well as articulate, meaning that they have an extensive vocabulary and use it to clearly and effectively communicate. I know plenty of people from all ethnic backgrounds who are not especially articulate.

          6. CPRM

            Funny thing is, articulate as coded racism started in the Democratic primaries when it was used to ‘slur’ Obama. So yeah, nobody can mention primates or grammar in conjunction with people of other races anymore.

        2. Count Potato

          X, because it turned out false.

    2. Pope Jimbo

      Isn’t the hate more because CNN won’t retract their original story? I think people will give them some slack for being lied to, but even after Davis admitted to lying they stuck with their original story.

      I could be wrong, but that was the vibe I thought I sort of read earlier.

    3. Spudalicious

      Because CNN says they have “other sources” that confirm the story when in fact, every other news outlet has retracted the story. If CNN was telling the truth, they wouldn’t be the only outlet to make that claim.

    4. RAHeinlein

      CNN now knows that their story is false, but will not retract.

    5. Playa Manhattan

      I agree with Hyperbole. CNN is awesome.

    6. straffinrun

      They claimed that they corroborated their anonymous source. Lanny Davis admits that he is the source and that it wasn’t true. CNN needs to show how they corroborated the source because it looks like they couldn’t have corroborated it if Davis was the original source in the first place. CNN won’t do that, so (whether you call that a “lie” is one thing) they are coming under fire. It’s scuzzy journalism at a minimum.

      1. commodious spittoon

        It’s scuzzy journalism at a minimum.

        Which isn’t a crime, and isn’t even that big a sin. It’s their rabid insistence that they be taken seriously, and that anyone who doesn’t is dumping on journalism per se, and by extension, free speech (because journalists enjoy Extra Super Secret First Amendment Plus privileges), that makes them a laughingstock.

    7. one true athena

      Everyone else has part of it, but the other integrity problem is that in the original story of a “source says Trump knew about the Tower meeting ahead of time!!!!’ CNN also says, flat out, that Lanny Davis declined to comment. This is a clear lie, because he’s the one WHO TOLD THEM THE STORY. He is the source, he admits he was the source. Whether they had another source (lol they don’t), or not, claiming he “declined to comment’ is complete bullshit. It should never have been in a story where he’s the source, and it’s only purpose MUST have been to deflect from speculation that he was the source of the info.

      1. I’ve heard this, I’m not so sure it’s the slam dunk some make it out to be. If you are going to have anonymous sources and on the record /off the record conversations, then there are going to be times where a Lanny Davis the anonymous source is going to say X and a Lanny Davis the actual Lanny Davis may have to decline to answer or even say Y. You may not like it and it may be scuzzy reporting but it is what investigative reporting is sometimes going to come down to.

        Me to Reporter: You didn’t hear it from me but The Hyperbole gets more ass than a toilet seat.
        Reporter to Me: Hey! The Hyperbole you getting any?
        Me: No Comment!

        Is it a lie If the news is that sources say The Hyperbole is a ladykiller but that The Hyperbole declined to comment?

        1. I guess it at a certain point it comes down to sourcing important stories adequately. If you’re running with a story about the POTUS having colluded with the Russian government to rig the election and your source is a lawyer with a reputation for playing fast and loose with the truth, maybe think about not running the story until you can corroborate. And, subjectively, that CNN’s response was, “Yeah, well, maybe you just don’t know how many other sources we have, pal!” doesn’t do much for me. Lanny Davis would’ve been the most reliable source as he’d be the one in the best position to know whether or not his client intended to offer testimony. Who’s the other source? Is there a Mrs. Davis who was listening in on the phone conversation or something?

          1. straffinrun

            As you say, his lawyer would know if anyone, besides Cohen himself, would know. *Light bulb flickers*. That’s it! Cohen is CNN’s other source.

            Seriously though, a longtime team blue hack gives you damning info on Trump, you’re a hardcore anti Trump network and you’ve had anonymous source scandals piling up in the past? Add to that list that these “mistakes” always go against Trump, and you end up having to call BS on this story. Totality of circs, Man.

  29. The Bearded Hobbit

    I have finally conceded this point:

    deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

    If I vote in the federal election then I am consenting to their governance. I do not consider the Federal government to be legitimate in any of the branches. I’ll vote for the local races but fuck the feds.

    … Hobbit

    1. Ownbestenemy

      Yep and they consider a vote against is still consent because you participated. That’s why a “no choice” on a ballot is just as bad and choosing between a bag of shit and a bag of shit.

  30. mikey

    So, this thread got me thinking and I went to the Montana Libertarian party web page. Doesn’t look like it’s been touched since the special election last year. *Sigh*

    1. commodious spittoon

      We have the Rio Grande Foundation here, which is a pretty solid bunch, I think. Keeping lit the torch for liberty and free markets. Thankfully, we’re too poor and too dependent on federal cash for any of that to matter. Yay!

  31. Chipping Pioneer

    Why in the fuck do yous have to “register” as a member of a party? That’s fucked up, right there.

    1. Rhywun

      In most places, so you can vote in their primary.

      1. Pope Jimbo

        But why do you have to register? In Minnesoda you can request a ballot for the Dem or the GOP primary when you get there. Now that I think of it, I wonder if I could have asked for a libertarian ballot.

        Now I’m also wondering if they noted who took what ballot for a pseudo registration.

  32. KSuellington

    I would love to see a Monty Brewster type fellow with a ton of money get a “none of the above” movement going. It really should be an option,, instead of having to vote for a no-chancer.

  33. SP

    When I was young and still had one non-cynical mm3 left in my soul, I ventured forth to volunteer to be an “election inspector” at the polls on election day. I was promptly told that only persons who were registered as either Democrat or Republican could volunteer. Independents and third parties were not welcome.

    Pretty sure the bureaucrat informing me thus could hear the *pop* as that last mm3 burst.

    1. Pope Jimbo

      And as you sat there crying in the rain, an inconspicuous van pulled up and a nice man asked you what was wrong……

      1. SP

        Oh, so you’ve heard our “how we met” story already.

  34. straffinrun

    Nothing that we don’t already know, but fun little talk on libertarians.

  35. F. Stupidity Jr.

    I had either forgotten, or didn’t know in the first place, that the YouTube channel American Renaissance belonged to Jared Taylor. I clicked on his video on John McCain and aw, shit, there he is. An old huwhite guy.

    Anyway, all the platforms should censor him is what I’m saying. Hate speech has no place anywhere. What if some kid accidentally clicks his video too? Then fascism wins.

    1. straffinrun

      I’ll give Taylor this: He doesn’t advocate violence any more than the other statists out there. BTW, I thought AR was put in limited space. Did you look it up or did it pop up in the recommended video list?

      1. F. Stupidity Jr.

        It just popped up in recommended.

  36. Plinker762

    I’m registered and I had to inform the neighborhood about it.

    WA is vote by mail but I still just throw out most of the ballots. I suppose I will vote this fall, primarily against the latest billionaire gun control initiative.

  37. CPRM

    Wisconsin is an open system, so you don’t have to be a member of a party to vote in the primary. I live in a small town (call out to old posts) when I showed up for my first election I brought all the stuff you need, but they were like ‘Oh, Hi CPRM, sign here and go vote’ made me question the system. It was no secret where I lived, but I was actually living in a different voting district than where I voted, but that wasn’t straitened out until voter ID laws passed in Wisconsin. Woopsie. When I showed up to vote that first time they were like ‘oh, you’re voting in the wrong township, we’ll straighten that out for you.’ And it was all done automagically, but none of the votes I’d cast years previous were changed. BUT VOTER FRAUD IS A LIE!!!

    1. I sometimes wonder if elections are basically just statistical surveys, and as long as an adequate sample group is obtained they don’t really care about accuracy. Sure, votes go missing, or happen twice, or people vote in the wrong district, but as long as you hit that p-value it’s good enough for government work. Not that I’m becoming extremely cynical in my middle age or anything.

      1. CPRM

        That ‘sometimes’ makes you less cynical in your middle age than I am in slightly less than that. But the whole stupid ‘I live in X, which always votes Y so I don’t vote’ sounds stupid to me.(If the votes cast represent ballots cast) A silent majority could be overtaken by loud majority very easily.

        1. Yusef drives a Kia

          Adios Glibs, argue at your Liesoure

          1. straffinrun

            自動販売機. He pronounced it correctly, too. Impressive.

  38. Vacuous Insight

    The first general election I would have been old enough to vote was in 2016. I have never voted and I hope I never vote in the future.

    1. straffinrun

      1988 for me. I’ve voted twice in my life. It’s all kabuki.

    2. Get off my lawn!

  39. Ownbestenemy

    Where is politifacts stand on the CNN story? or are they silent?

  40. I am a registered Republican in such a deep blue district that the last primary I voted in the poll workers were confused and had to search for the the ‘Pub ballot sheets. That was 2016, when the contest was actually still going on by the time New York voted.

  41. I’m way late. But I’d just like to note that I don’t vote in primaries based on a principled stance. Political parties are private entities. As such, the taxpayer funded primaries that they use to pick candidates really piss me off. I don’t want to fund what should be something that they should fund privately. If they want election to determine their candidates, they should pay for their elections. Forcing me to pay for parties I disapprove of should not be my concern,