2004

Ever since I was young, I've been fascinated by the electoral process. It must have been all the Schoolhouse Rocks that I watched as a kid. Strange, because my family is not super political. I doubt my mom has ever voted in a U.S. election (in her defense, she has lived abroad since 1984 and wasn't even a citizen till '85). My dad has sometimes voted absentee before and I *think* he changed his party registration in 2000 so that he could vote for Bradley, but that never came to pass.

I've voted in every election since I could (1996...I was just a year too young for 1992) except for the 1998 midterm elections. In 2000, I felt sick after what happened--not so much the Republican in office--but because the process had gotten so f'ed up. Dangling chads? Whazzuh? How could a first world country have such archaic voting procedures?

It is starting to annoy me that people do not vote. It's not that hard. It's actually kind of fun. Sometimes you get a sticker. Sometimes it can make you feel good--In 2000 when I voted, my local polling place was a high school and I was mistaken for a high school student! :)

I'm embarassed that Mr. Polarama has only voted ONCE, and it was in a midterm election. I will not allow that to happen again!

But then I wonder...is it a good thing if the uninformed go out and just vote for someone who's famous? Maybe not. I guess we could ask the Californians in a few months.

So, the point of all this is that I was very, very excited to find out that my lovely state holds its Presidential primaries early--like February early. Which means my primary vote actually counts! Whoo hoo! If you are wondering how the Polarama household is going to vote, click here.

Anyhow, how did I have the views that I have? I really don't know. I have had fairly decisive political/social views since I was about 12. And it's funny because they are totally contrary to the environment that I lived in--relatively socially conservative Asia, in a Catholic middle school, and in a pretty much homogenous racial environment. Yet my liberal streak developed and remained relatively unchanged.