Hm. How to Register...

[IBCoupe]

I'm currently not registered to vote, and I'm kicking myself for it. I foolishly forgot about voting when I moved last year, and now I'm having to pay the consequence: I don't get to vote in this election where I'd like to do nothing more. But, now I'm starting to see it as a kind of opportunity. I had previously been registered as an Independent, and I'm not sure I want to go that way. With an eye towards an eventual career somewhere in Washington, D.C., it might behoove me to pick a side.

But which side to pick? If we all agree to ignore the dead-ends that are third parties, I'm sure a bunch of you would say that I'm a sure thing for the Democratic Party, and you may be right. The Democratic Party is a glorious mess of uncoordination and discombobulation that just about anybody can be a sure thing for the Democratic Party. Additionally, I don't work well with others, and I've never taken kindly to marching orders, and so an organization as rigid and organized as the Republican Party might not be the right place for me. Plus, I can pass Democratic litmus tests a lot better than I can pass Republican litmus tests, but it's not a perfect fit on either side.

On the other hand, the Republican Party, being far more organized, has a lot more potential for consistent control. And where I do disagree with them on policy matters, I can't imagine a better place to do so constructively than from within their own ranks. After all, if the NRA has a million members, gun rights advocates need only show up to their next meeting with two million.

One downside to being an independent in CT was that I had no say in either of the major primaries. So choosing one party would allow me to help choose which candidates get nominated to election. Do I want to pick my Democratic candidate and hope that Republicans come up with something not-crazy? Do I want to pick a Republican candidate in the hopes that they're not crazy in order to give myself more than one option come November?

I don't know. I've got another two years to figure this out, so I'm in no rush to decide today. If you guys had the opportunity to re-choose your party affiliation (technically you can change it any time, but I feel like suddenly being without a registration is a special motivator to choose), what would figure into your thought process?

[96Qowner]

If you're going to be a lawyer, believe me, your life will be a lot easier if you're a Democrat. Lawyers are Democrats.

[IBCoupe]

Hate to break it to you, but lawyers are Republicans, too. There's nothing ideological about the profession, and there's certainly incentives that come with the income that lead to the Republican Party.

[96Qowner]

I've certainly heard about Republican lawyers, but kinda like Republican teachers or Republican actors, I've never actually met one. Why handicap yourself? If you're gonna be a lawyer, you need to be a Democrat.

Dem's da rules. It's simple - doesn't require deep thinking.


But if you're interested in integrity, this is an excellent time to register as an Independent. The makeup of both parties will be changing over the next several years, as will your own understanding of the political universe. To register as an Independent now and then change later to one of the Parties would show wisdom and careful thought. If you register Republican and then change to Democrat, your colleagues will be pleased, but suspicious of the odd pattern, since most people start as a Liberal and become a Conservative. They might think you were raised by religious, gun-toting fools. If you register as a Democrat and later change to Republican, you will have made a statement in defiance of your colleagues. Your judgment will be in question.

[audtatious]

Lawyers in general, on both sides, protect themselves in politics. Screw the common people we need more opportunity to have court cases and lawsuits

[IBCoupe]

As I wrote, I was an independent. I just don't know if I want to stay that way when I re-register in the new town.

[heliochrome85]

i say defeat o crat. you have the rest of your life to lose your soul and become republican

[audtatious]

That's about right.

[AZhitman]

Anything less than remaining true to your core beliefs represents a lack of integrity in my eyes.

BTW, there's no good excuse for not being registered to vote. I R disappoint.

[heliochrome85]

Anything less than remaining true to your core beliefs represents a lack of integrity in my eyes.

BTW, there's no good excuse for not being registered to vote. I R disappoint.

TRUTH

[audtatious]

Anything less than remaining true to your core beliefs represents a lack of integrity in my eyes.

Unless those core beliefs revolve around abortion or universal healthcare. If that's the case then you need to move to the left or be the party of "no".

[IBCoupe]

I r disappoint in myself, too. I r also disappoint that I found out I wasn't registered two days after it was too late.

[heliochrome85]

could be worse, you could have lost your ballot in one of those mysterious bags only to be found a few days later

[IBCoupe]

I'm not yet convinced that actually happened. :P

EDIT: I found a local source to confirm it. All I'd seen was MSNBC before.
http://newhavenindependent.org/index.ph ... inute_now/

Bridgeport Republican Registrar of Voters Joe Borges confirmed in an interview that moderator Espinosa went home without finishing counting after the election Tuesday night. She left behind the bag of photocopied ballots—facsimiles of official ballots that Bridgeport gave to voters after real ballots ran out.

The bag contained 335 ballots. Officials had kept it sealed and say they knew of its existence.

Borges quoted Espinosa as saying she was going home Tuesday night “because of the late hour.”

“I can’t do it. I’m tired. I’ve got to go to work” the next day, he quoted her as saying.

Laske himself later issued a statement calling it “ completely irresponsible for counsel for the Foley campaign to mischaracterize this part of the process to the media, and to assert that any impropriety exists with regard to these ballots, which have been secured since they were cast, and their existence has been fully disclosed to the parties and to the public.”

[heliochrome85]

meh, it happens every year. if you think about the average poll worker's competency level, its about the same as a census workers level. mistakes are bound to happen. chances are it did, and the effects are minimal. either way, its just another opportunity for FEIGNED OUTRAGE!!!!

[IBCoupe]

I love that the guy lost by 5000 votes and he's bitching about this 335 votes from a heavily democratic district.

[heliochrome85]

what other straws does he have to grasp? lets not forget the al franken debocle.

[audtatious]

what other straws does he have to grasp? lets not forget the al franken debocle.

I think the Franken episode is what people were fearing. Ballots were being found in trunks, closets, etc.

The Republican has gracefully bowed out instead of pressing the issue once all the "facts" came out.

[heliochrome85]

im with you matt. either way, it was closer than anyone had expected.

[audtatious]

There were quite a few close races this election.