I voted for the first time today.

[a completely inoffensive name]

The only two things (Prop 14 and 15) I cared about are not going my way. FML. Also, this was the lowest voter turnout in California history.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...6276.htmlstory

Did anyone else choose a loser their first time?

Oh, just to clarify I didn't vote in any primaries since I registered as non partisan.

[Jolt]

Did anyone else choose a loser their first time?

Yeah, in the Legislatives I voted for a party which I knew wasn't going to win, but does a very good job at being the opposition in the Parliament (Besides that I obviously identify with their overall ideals). The point of voting isn't to pick the winner, but to pick whoever you think serves your own and/or your country's interests best.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Yeah, in the Legislatives I voted for a party which I knew wasn't going to win, but does a very good job at being the opposition in the Parliament (Besides that I obviously identify with their overall ideals). The point of voting isn't to pick the winner, but to pick whoever you think serves your own and/or your country's interests best.

I know. That's what I did, I was just curious.

[HoreTore]

I was actually running for parliament myself the first time I voted.

I didn't want to vote for some whackjob loser though, so I voted for a different party than my own, the Socialist Left party, and I've stuck with them since. And I'm one of the few who have done that, I might add....

[Fragony]

Just voted as well. RAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR

Go pirate party

[CountArach]

The only two things (Prop 14 and 15) I cared about are not going my way. FML. Also, this was the lowest voter turnout in California history.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...6276.htmlstory

Mid-terms always have low turnout, particularly in primaries. The California Republican party is much more conservative than California on the whole and as such turnout would naturally be much lower, and the lack of an interesting Democratic primary would also cause the Propositions to go the more Conservative way.

Did anyone else choose a loser their first time?

My first (and thus far only) vote was for our local councils. I picked the winner, but still wasn't particularly happy with the Party.

[pevergreen]

Mid-terms always have low turnout, particularly in primaries. The California Republican party is much more conservative than California on the whole and as such turnout would naturally be much lower, and the lack of an interesting Democratic primary would also cause the Propositions to go the more Conservative way.

My first (and thus far only) vote was for our local councils. I picked the winner, but still wasn't particularly happy with the Party.

I find it sad that you know more about american politics than I imagine many americans do.

Like I always say about the choice of government here in Australia. You've got the choice of bad or worse.

I get a double vote soon, my only two were council as well, the counciller for the last 10 or so years lost, but State and Federal coming up for me.

[Lemur]

So much for Tea Party rage and anti-incumbent fever. The vast majority of incumbents won.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

So much for Tea Party rage and anti-incumbent fever. The vast majority of incumbents won.

Indeed. Moreover, the media will continue to marginalize them and they will have less of an effect in November than they would like. I suspect their impact will be just enough to split votes off and let the Dems retain a narrow control of the HOR.

[Jolt]

I know. That's what I did, I was just curious.

Thing is, my voting was a little more complex than what I initially refered. While the party I voted for (Called "Left Bloc", a party Right of of Communist Party and Left of the Socialist Party - That is, neither extreme-left nor centre-left) is a good opposition in the Parliament, the fact is that I voted in the hopes that the Left Bloc didn't win but would become a large enough party force to be able to make a coalition with the Socialist Party (The incumbent party which managed to be re-elected and settled for a minority government). As the Left Bloc in itself is a quasi-communist party, which would be disastrous for them to rule in alone with an absolute majority. Since the Socialist Party was (In the first term) and is pretty much enacting right measures, my ideal plan would be for the Socialist Party which was going to innevitably lose its absolute majority, to have to form a government coalition with the Left Bloc, under Socialist Party's leadership. The catch would that under the coalition with the Socialist Party, the most radical left elements of the Left Bloc would be tamed and brought to make Center-Left policy (Besides the Left Bloc having a shot at power, instead of forever being opposition), while the Socialist Party, having to make concessions to bring the Left Bloc into the coalition, would abandon it's right-winged politics.

Thereby settling a nice true Center-Left coalition government in place. Unfortunately, the Left Bloc didn't win as many votes as it was being touted in the media (Not enough to form a absolute majority in the parliament with the Socialists), and was even behind the Conservative-Christian-Capitalist party (Called Popular Party). The Socialist Party attempted to make a coalition government with most parties (Soc. Party+Left Bloc+Commie Party ; Soc. Party+Popular Party ; Soc. Party+Soc.-Dem. Party), but the negotiations were fruitless. The Socialist Party and the Social-Democrat Party are the two "big fish" parties of Portugal. The Social-Democrat Party is Center-Right while the Socialist Party is Center-Left (Not so much anymore as they have occupied the space of the Soc-Dem Party with their policies)

As minority government they have been being helped by the Soc-Dem Party in major legislation.

[Megas Methuselah]

Did anyone else choose a loser their first time?

I'm a dark-skinned minority, so my vote always loses.

I voted in my band elections last time. Half of my champions didn't make it in, but the other half sort of did. The current Chief & Council looks and is acting very promising.

On the other hand, I forgot to vote in the municipal elections a while back. Was too busy writing essays for classes. Also wasn't old enough to vote in the last provincial election, but by God, I will be now!

[Lemur]

This would have made me snort milk through my nose, had I milk handy:

Incumbents are in trouble, unless they are "outsider" incumbents. An incumbent can become an outsider by having an opponent who is friends with insiders, as long as those insiders aren't the Club for Growth or, again, Bill Clinton.

Women are expected to do great in November, unless they are from Washington, or are considered part of the "establishment." (As long as your definition of the establishment does not include eBay.) Again, if you are endorsed by Sarah Palin, none of this applies.

The Tea Parties won big, except that they might've helped the GOP lose big in November, which would be a victory for the Tea Parties. Mitt Romney is in serious trouble.

Voters are very, very angry, so only expect between 90 and 95 percent of Congress to be reelected.

[Fragony]

Muhahaha 31 for the liberals 24 for the freedom party. Danish model is possible; populist backing for majority. CDA (gawd I hate them christians but capable they are) hop aboard.

Might just get to keep some change I can believe in, it's possible


awwwwwww I love it when my boy is happy http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/v...sies_doen.html

[KukriKhan]

The only two things (Prop 14 and 15) I cared about are not going my way. FML. Also, this was the lowest voter turnout in California history.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...6276.htmlstory

Did anyone else choose a loser their first time?

Oh, just to clarify I didn't vote in any primaries since I registered as non partisan.

Feeling your pain, man. I can't believe Californians wanna slim down their choices for candidates to 2 nominees, Washington State style.

November will be way more interesting for we "Decline To State" type, non-partisan voters. Did you vote by mail or go to a polling place?

[Hosakawa Tito]

Voters are very, very angry, so only expect between 90 and 95 percent of Congress to be reelected.

I almost always vote anti-incumbent and have for years, for the reason quoted. The old Soviet Politburo probably had a greater incumbent turnover ratio than the Banana Republic of New York. New York is about to shut down the government due to the failure to adopt a timely budget, again. "Shutting down the government" means they'll expect me to report to work at the jail without receiving a paycheck till the budget is passed. This type of dysfunction has been going on for decades, and short of lining them up and putting a bullet in their heads...those in power, the leaders of the assembly and senate, will never agree to give up their stranglehold on the process. It's not rocket science. Check out the population shift from the highest taxed states and largest incentive not to work programs, welfare etal, *New York, California, etc.* to those with the lowest tax burden.
We can't vote them out, the game is rigged, so people are voting with their feet.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Feeling your pain, man. I can't believe Californians wanna slim down their choices for candidates to 2 nominees, Washington State style.

November will be way more interesting for we "Decline To State" type, non-partisan voters. Did you vote by mail or go to a polling place?

I chose to be a permanent vote by mail voter, but since I haven't left for college, I just took the envelope and handed it in at the polling place down the street from my house.

And yeah, that primary elimination initiative will be another nail in the dysfunctional coffin for California's government.

[Kadagar_AV]

May I ask (OP)?

Did you vote for what you believe in, or did you vote against some horror, or did you pick the lesser of two evils?

I am just trying to understand this 2 party system, where I am sure the majority of the voters do not actually agree with the majority of either party's beliefs.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

May I ask (OP)?

Did you vote for what you believe in, or did you vote against some horror, or did you pick the lesser of two evils?

I am just trying to understand this 2 party system, where I am sure the majority of the voters do not actually agree with the majority of either party's beliefs.

Think of each of the macro parties as a coalition. Republicans are not all in one political pigeonhole. There are Christian conservatives, social conservatives, small government types, nationalists, imperialists, fiscal conservatives, fiscal conservatives who're liberals on social issues...etc.

Our parties morph over time and with changes in leadership. From 1856 to 1868, the GOP was the liberal party in the USA and the Dems were the conservatives. Things shift WITHIN the parties here, not between parties as much.

[a completely inoffensive name]

May I ask (OP)?

Did you vote for what you believe in, or did you vote against some horror, or did you pick the lesser of two evils?

For prop 15 I voted for what I believed in. For prop 14 I voted against some horror. Since I was non partisan, I didnt have to choose between the lesser of two evils.

[Hosakawa Tito]

The New York shell game. Keep your eye on the pea. This is as ridiculous as the time the state sold itself Attica State Prison in 1990.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Irresponsible Debt. The sale of Attica prison is a case study in the irresponsible use of debt. The State borrowed $200 million to sell the prison to itself in 1990 and used the funds for operating expenses. Since 1990, the State has paid $242 million in debt service on the Attica debt, but due to refinancings, it still owes over $300 million in principal and interest. So the total cost of providing $200 million in one-shot budget relief in 1990 will be at least $565 million, assuming the debt is not refinanced again.

I stopped voting when I stopped taking drugs. I believe both of those acts are closely related to delusional behavior. *George Carlin*

I'm really beginning to feel like George.