U.S. Election Day

[Matt]

Considering the supreme court is the legal authority in the US with regard to what is and is not, legally "a right" whether you think they're wrong or not is pretty completely irrelevant.

Legal precedent dating back as far as 1888 regards "the right to marry" as a fundamental civil right according to US law.

-m

[Tally]

I think people in the USA need to stop arguing over the use of the word marriage, and just get down to the equal privileges that people who sign a fucking piece of paper get.

Tangental response:

My uncle once said that, considering the general state of marriage in North America these days (specifically the very high divorce rate), you'd think that folks who supposedly think marriage and people loving and taking care of each other are important parts of life would be more excited about there being a bunch of people (specifically referring to members of the LGBT community) who are really enthusiastic about getting married. Also, given how badly generations of us heterosexual folks have screwed up the institution of marriage, how could LGBT folks really make it any worse? Hell, maybe they'll do a better job. People want to get married and take care of each other? Bloody well let them.

Anyway, as to the direct topic of this thread, all you Americans, GO VOTE TOMORROW.

[Dubious_wolf]

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative....
Man I need a party that's actually accepting. I'm on the island of freaking misfit toys over here.
I think it really comes down to choosing economic improvements at the cost of social progress Or a choice between sub part economic growth in order to maintain the current level of social progress.
Which is why I can't really vote for a party which is stuck in the 1950s.

[AdmiralMemo]

Considering the supreme court is the legal authority in the US with regard to what is and is not, legally "a right" whether you think they're wrong or not is pretty completely irrelevant.

Legal precedent dating back as far as 1888 regards "the right to marry" as a fundamental civil right according to US law.

-m

It's only irrelevant until and unless they change their views. Or are you going to tell me that the US Supreme Court has had completely consistent views throughout the entirety of US history?

[Lord Chrusher]

Fortunately no.

[Matt]

The point is that to say "marriage is not a civil right" in the current legal context in which you live is false. Legally, marriage very much is a civil right, and will continue to be so, and subject to the constitutional implications of that status, until such a time as the status of marriage is legislated of overturned.

-m

[AdmiralMemo]

The point is that to say "marriage is not a civil right" in the current legal context in which you live is false. Legally, marriage very much is a civil right, and will continue to be so, and subject to the constitutional implications of that status, until such a time as the status of marriage is legislated of overturned.

-m

And that just goes right back to what I was saying in the first place:

Therefore, abolish all current marriages. Then, set up a "civil union," "partnership" or whatever the PC term is these days.

That's my plan. I do not believe marriage should be a civil right. Or what did you think I meant when I said "Abolish all current marriages"?

Edit: Just to be clear, what I am against is the term. I am not against the tax benefits, medical issues, etc. They are fine, and why I fully support another term for the same thing that "marriage" is in civil terms now.

And if you think I'm being picky about the terminology, just think about how many people argue about your vs. you're; their, they're, and there; its vs. it's; etc. Words mean things, and that goes double for legal documents.

[tak197]

I'm voting tomorrow, I'm voting Obama, and likely voting straight Democratic, even though I'm a registered independent. The big reason is, when it comes to our government, Congress has to approve of the things Obama wants, and deny it all you want, the amount of vitriolic response from BOTH parties is causing a severe divide in the country. Right now, we have proven that we CANNOT have a Republican-led house with a Democratic president, because no matter what one does, the other denies. Personally, I think Romney and Ryan are delusional men who think that once in the Presidency and Vice Presidency, they can do whatever they want, and they have shown on multiple occasions that they have little regard for anyone who isn't like them. I mean, Romney took one step outside of our country and managed to insult a bunch of our allies in Europe.

Are things guaranteed to get better if Obama is given another 4 years? No, but I have seen more evidence that things would get worse if Romney was given the chance.

[Moshi]

Same here.... but being in KY my vote may not reach very far. I remember when KY was a blue state...

I'm independent though in registation. I was more hopful last election straight out of the Bush 2.0 era and seeing who he was running against then I definaly knew he had to win. I'm hoping enough independences in the swing states see the same worries I saw with last election and make the better decision. As jaded as we are about change right now I just see Mitt pulling a Bain Capitol on our laws and budget and it won't have a very good ending...

[Elomin Sha]

When I was heading for the ferry at Swartz Bay to get back to Vancouver I saw a 'Vote Obama' billboard. Would that be for American tourists?

[PlasmaCow]

One of the most interesting votes in US history happens today - and it's not the Presidential one.

The 3.7million people of Puerto Rico, who by law are all US citizens, will go to the polling stations and vote in a referendum on the political status of their island, currently a dependant territory of the USA (as I understand it, they follow american laws and the legislation of the President and Congress, but get no say in elections for either), the vote will let them choose to maintain their current status, become an independent country, or to become the 51st state of the USA.
Both presidential candidates have promised to fully support the final decision of the Puerto Rican people.

This could well set a precedent for other US territories such as Guam and American Virgin Isles and indeed territories held by other nations. Plus if Puerto Rico does become the 51st State, then it's time for a new US flag.

Here's a BBC article from a couple days ago on the issue, more detail on the Puerto Rico wikipedia page.

[AlexanderDitto]

I voted!

Line was already 30 minutes long. D:

And I was only the 34th person to get through the line, and it was already 45 minutes in. D:>

Oh jeez, this is going to be a mess.

[Drdiggit42]

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative....
Man I need a party that's actually accepting. I'm on the island of freaking misfit toys over here.
I think it really comes down to choosing economic improvements at the cost of social progress Or a choice between sub part economic growth in order to maintain the current level of social progress.
Which is why I can't really vote for a party which is stuck in the 1950s.

Sounds like you're a Libertarian.

[Lord Hosk]

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative....
Man I need a party that's actually accepting. I'm on the island of freaking misfit toys over here.
I think it really comes down to choosing economic improvements at the cost of social progress Or a choice between sub part economic growth in order to maintain the current level of social progress.
Which is why I can't really vote for a party which is stuck in the 1950s.

Sounds like you're a Libertarian.

That is 100% a Republican, dead on exactly what republicans stand for.
(circa 1860)
Moving forward with social change to benefit all people while holding the budget firm and responsible.

[CSt]

I voted!

Line was already 30 minutes long. D:

And I was only the 34th person to get through the line, and it was already 45 minutes in. D:>

Oh jeez, this is going to be a mess.

Actually, could you explain that?
So, you waited for 30 minutes to be the 34th person to vote in a place that was open for 45 minutes?
I'm going to wait for a bit, because I have to understand you wrong there.
Also I guess, The West Wing was right: Democrats and Diehards vote early.

[JayBlanc]

All I know about Obama-care is that before it, my friend's ALS medication cost about $7,000 per month. After Obama-care, it cost about $14,000 per month. These are the drugs that keep her alive, and she has to sacrifice either a car payment or a house payment each month to stay alive at this point. That's the absolute opposite of what the government claimed would happen.

I'm sorry but this is just not true.

The active market portions of "Obama-Care" *have not started yet*, and will not till 2014.

You are being lied to by people who want to keep those costs that high.

It really is that simple, people who have vested interests in making obscene profits from US health care are deliberately and actively lying to you about what Health Care reform has done and will do. "Obama-Care" hasn't changed the market price of health care yet at all, because it hasn't started yet. The health care companies are using lots of reasons to push up prices, and have been doing so for the last decade. Of course the steady and sharp increase of prices hasn't stopped yet, because the market portion of reforms won't come into act till 2014!

[Dubious_wolf]

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative....
Man I need a party that's actually accepting. I'm on the island of freaking misfit toys over here.
I think it really comes down to choosing economic improvements at the cost of social progress Or a choice between sub part economic growth in order to maintain the current level of social progress.
Which is why I can't really vote for a party which is stuck in the 1950s.

Sounds like you're a Libertarian.

That is 100% a Republican, dead on exactly what republicans stand for.
(circa 1860)
Moving forward with social change to benefit all people while holding the budget firm and responsible.

except I can't call myself a Libertarian because it's silly, also Ron Paul.

[tanatoes]

Odd. I distinctly remember writing a blog post last year about why I would be voting for Obama today and now I can't find it. Anyhow, voted for Obama - which doesn't make much difference since he's running like 40 points ahead of Romney here in MA, but also voted on other crucial matters. Here in MA we have a chance to strengthen the Democratic majority in the Senate by replacing Scott Brown (who really does seem to be a moderate voice but still votes in line with the Republican party an awful lot) with Elizabeth Warren (who helped build the consumer protection bureau but was so liberal that the committee to find a head for the bureau refused to confirm her to the post.) I'm a big fan of Warren and her politics and beliefs - I wish her well retaining some measure of integrity once she's mired in Washington.

In addition we had a couple ballot measures here in MA I'm quite interested in seeing passed. There's a right to death measure that would allow doctors to prescribe medications that could let terminally ill patients judged to have less than six moths to live the ability to end their own lives. I'm in favor of that. In general I think that if somebody seriously wants to end their life, terminally ill or not, they should be permitted to. (Debate me in a different thread on this - somebody very close to me has had bouts with terminal depression in the past and I realize that a desire to end one's life can seem appealing at times but seem foolish in hindsight. I think the proposed law in MA has safeguards enough to prevent frivolous suicides.)

There's also a measure to allow the use of medical marijuana in MA. I'm also in favor of that. I'm very much a fan of generally decriminalizing marijuana. It would be a huge financial shot in the arm for the US as a whole, increase tax revenue, allow FDA regulation of it to minimize cancer risk (for example - nobody rolls marijuana with filters) and in all likelihood result in a generally more mellow populace.

I just wish I was living in ME or DC and could be part of the votes to legitimize same-sex marriages in those states. I've been proud to be in the first state in the Union to legalize such marriages and hope more will join us after today!

[ad134]

except I can't call myself a Libertarian because it's silly, also Ron Paul.

But that's what libertarian actually means. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative.

[Mister Fiend]

As a convicted felon I'm no longer allowed to vote.

[KiteNeravar]

Also, when you've voted, you should make a post here saying so so I can shower you with congratulations.

Actually mailed my vote in a few days ago. And damn right I voted yes on 1 (I live in Maine btw)

[Metcarfre]

except I can't call myself a Libertarian because it's silly, also Ron Paul.

But that's what libertarian actually means. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative.

That's a gross oversimplification, and I believe factually wrong.

[AlexanderDitto]

I voted!

Line was already 30 minutes long. D:

And I was only the 34th person to get through the line, and it was already 45 minutes in. D:>

Oh jeez, this is going to be a mess.

Actually, could you explain that?
So, you waited for 30 minutes to be the 34th person to vote in a place that was open for 45 minutes?

I got there at 7:15, give or take. Finished voting at 7:45, give or take a few minutes. They told me I was the 34th person to vote at that location. Polling places are supposed to be open at 7:00 AM, so presumably they had been open for 45 minutes when I left. Sorry, that was ambiguous.

Also, Proof!

Also, when you've voted, you should make a post here saying so so I can shower you with congratulations.

Actually mailed my vote in a few days ago. And damn right I voted yes on 1 (I live in Maine btw)

YAAAAAAAAAAAY! <3 <3 YOU DA BEST

As a convicted felon I'm no longer allowed to vote.

Can't tell if joking, but this is only true in some states. So it's worth checking.

All I know about Obama-care is that before it, my friend's ALS medication cost about $7,000 per month. After Obama-care, it cost about $14,000 per month. These are the drugs that keep her alive, and she has to sacrifice either a car payment or a house payment each month to stay alive at this point. That's the absolute opposite of what the government claimed would happen.

I'm sorry but this is just not true.

The active market portions of "Obama-Care" *have not started yet*, and will not till 2014.

You are being lied to by people who want to keep those costs that high.

Yeah, I was gonna say. The big parts of the new Healthcare law that starts now is the "kids can stay on their parents' plan until 26" part, the "no lifetime limits on new plans" part, and no the "no preexisting conditions on kids" part.

Most of the big stuff doesn't kick until 2014.

[Mister Fiend]

Well shit, someone's been lying to me. I honestly think I smell voter fraud here.

[Metcarfre]

Victory! Kick that ballot in its dangling chad! Or something.