I got my sample ballot. Here’s how I plan to vote in the runoff Saturday:
Clerk, Criminal District Court
Nick Varrecchio, Democrat, Ballot # 21Mayor, City of New Orleans
“Mitch” Landrieu, Democrat, Ballot # 61Councilmember(s) at Large
Arnie Fielkow, Democrat, Ballot # 73Councilmember, District B
Stacy Head, Democrat, Ballot # 92
I don’t have much reason to vote for anyone, but I’ve got plenty reason to vote against the incumbents. I never voted for Nagin before. I’m certainly not going to start now. I’m voting against Nagin because he’s failed to do his job post-Katrina. Garbage doesn’t get picked up. Thousands of flooded cars remain here, there and everywhere. His neighborhood planning process has ground to a complete halt. And I’m voting against Pratt because the City Council’s neighborhood planning process is shaping up to be a big farce.
I can’t say with confidence that the people I’m voting for will do better if they win. But hope springs eternal.
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We’re voting the same way B-Man. I like what you said about the neighborhood planning process. A friend just learned that *our* general area is supposed to have a planning meeting tomorrow afternoon. That’s right, on election day. Grrr
Ditto.
Add me to the list. Didn’t vote for a single incumbent this year.
Ditto, but I’m in A, so I got to pick Shelley over Batty, instead of Head over Pratty. Unfortunately, I think that your district has a better shot at overthrowing the incumbent than mine.
http://humidhaney.typepad.com/the_humid_haney_rant/2006/05/stupid_chris_ma.html
I am so very very sorry for the City!
Vati. Vote Against The Incumbents. Vati.
The present state of America makes me sick. It actually makes me nauseous to ponder how far this once magnificent country has slipped into mediocrity. When I was a young man, fifty years ago, you could mention just about anything: And America was best at that.
Back then, America’s enjoyed the best health care, the best schools, and the best working conditions on Earth, while we worked less hours, made more money, and enjoyed a life style never before seen upon this planet.
Our coal mines were producing more coal, our steel-mills smelting more steel, and our assembly-lines led the World in the manufacture of beautiful automobiles, refrigerators, wash-machines, dryers, and the hoard of smaller appliances and gadgets (which eliminated most of the drudgery of our daily chores) and introduced mankind to the life-of-ease, we all now enjoy.
Now, American High-school Graduates rank very mediocre (when Mathematics, World History, Language, Science or any other critical field of expertise, are tested) and compared with the test results of students from the other industrialized nations.
Our so-called health care system sucks, it is without question, the most dysfunctional conglomeration of nonsensical laws bureaucrats have ever assembled. It assures illegal aliens and politicians unlimited free health care, while it leaves millions of hard working honest citizens unable to obtain any kind of health insurance.
The new Social Security Drug Plan deducts a premium for drug insurance, which you can bet will double every year (for at least the next two years) from retiree’s social security checks. A great many drugs are not covered on this new plan, and it only pays a maximum of about 70% on any drugs, a lot less on most. When the total drug bill (what the retiree and the government pays) reaches $2250.00, Grandma gets cut off, has to pay it all herself, until her total drug bill reaches $3500.00. Obviously if Grandma can not afford her drugs, her bill will never get to $3500.00, so she will go without her drugs for the rest of the year. Of course the monthly premium will still be deducted from her Social Security Check. The drug companies formulated this drug bill, got it passed, and only the drug companies are going to benefit from it. (Our government gives them the premium.) In short, this anti-retiree bill is nothing but a multi-million dollar windfall for the drug companies.
The above bill is sure not the worst medical bill our elected officials have ever enacted. It just happens to be the last that made me angry. Hundreds of anti-consumer bills and amendments are on the books, which benefit only the medical and/or the drug industries. Foreign competition to American Drug Companies is nonexistent. If it was legitimized, we could import drugs from reputable foreign drug facilities, for as little as 10% of what we are now getting-rip-for by American Drug Companies.
Sad to say, but the Medical Cartels and Drug Companies, with their unchallenged power, are not the worst villains when it comes to manipulating our US Government into giving them a license to gouge us. The international oil and gas conglomerates, the interstate utility companies, railroad cartels, automobile and airplane manufacturing companies, international shipping cartels and a score of other business concerns all wield as much or more power over our Congress, Senate and President, than the drug companies do. Big business is our real enemy. Big business controls our government, and big business is the real reason America is losing ground on all fronts, the reason America is slowly but steadily sliding into mediocrity.
The companies mentioned above, along with a score of internationally recognized countries and a hoard of other mighty forces, funnel billions of dollars annually into Washington, to influence the Republican and Democratic Party Leaders to legislate on their behave.
The leaders of the Democratic and Republican Parties, in the Congress and senate, now have more control over their subservient Congressman and Senators, than any Marine General has over his troops. The political parties control the pac-money. And the pac-money is what decides who will get elected, or heaven forbid, smeared. The political bosses can’t just walk down on the floor and tell a congressman or senator that they are fired. But they can have anyone that fails to kowtow to the powers that be, ostracized, rendered powerless, and kept busy answering complaints. And they can definitely keep anyone from being re-elected. I believe it is very important that we all know the political parties have strict control over our congressmen and senators. If we are going to declare war, prudence behooves us to learn all we can about our enemy.
Now, I just pulled what I have written here off the top of my head. So if you find a mistake, don’t get excited, it’s not that important, the overall theme of this opinion is correct. And furthermore it is also correct that with a minimum of research, anyone can ascertain for themselves that this greatest of all nations, is rapidly slipping into mediocrity.
And even the United States of America, the greatest nation that ever existed, can fall from within, if we continue to allow misguided politicians to give up piece after piece of good government to anyone who is able and willing to pay for preferential treatment.
I have been telling people for years; ‘When in doubt, always vati.’ But only in this last year has the urge to really push this concept taken hold. Actually ‘vote against the incumbents’ is a very viable method of straightening out what’s wrong America. Many congressmen and senators win their sets by very small margins, less than 5%. So if just 5% of the voters would vati, we would probably get between 20 and 25% of the senators and congressmen. And you can bet we would get their attention. If as many voters vatied, as voted for Ross Perot, we would unseat between 35 and 40% of both houses. Folks this is a plan that definitely has possibilities. The only question left is, where are you going to place your loyalty, to the political party that you have been supporting, or to America? You can’t be loyal to both. We have to take the power away from the political parties’ bosses, to an extent that allows our elected representatives to vote their consciences. Or in thirty years you are not going to able to tell the difference between Washington and the corrupt Government of Mexico, or for that matter, between America and Mexico.
I wrote this poem more than twenty years ago, and it
reverberates my sentiments now as vibrantly, as then.
VATI, VATI.
AS MIGHTY ROME FELL, AMERICA COULD DIE.
WHETHER IT FAILS OR NOT, IS UP TO YOU AND I.
I worried and stewed, but by and by,
came up with a plan, where you and I,
can put America the a road, to a brand-new high.
Just blame the politicians, get blood in your eye,
and Vote Against The Incumbents. Vati, vati.
Now just voting won’t do it, we’ve got to vati.
That’s v, a, t, i, with a long A, and long I.
Vote against the incumbents, and you vati.
Things will never get better, until we vati.
Vote against the incumbents, Vati, vati.
This is no time, to just set and sigh.
America will fail, without you and I.
The time has come, we must do or die.
We must all vote, and we must vati.
Vote against the incumbents, Vati, vati.
Things won’t just get better, by-and-by.
Unless the apathetic voters, you and I,
hit those poles with blood in our eye.
And not only vote, but wisely vati,
Vote against the incumbent. Vati, vati.
We dare not buy, some political lie,
the America we love, is about to die.
Politicians no longer, serve you and I,
but all acquiesce to the powers that buy.
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
The newly elected may want to serve you and I,
until that powerful pac-money catches their eye.
Then party loyalty becomes, their big lie.
As they vote with the pac, for their piece of the pie.
Vote against the incumbents, Vati, vati.
Congressmen and Senators, are nigh as apt to die,
as meet defeat at the poles, by you and I.
They know we’ll vote for ’em, they don’t have to try.
America is declining, as democracy goes awry.
Vote against the incumbent. Vati, vati.
Waxing fat on the apathy, shown by you and I,
Politicians became hogs, and Washington’s a sty.
But we can change all that, in the blink of an eye,
if we just get off our apathy, and dutifully vati.
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
If just one out of twenty, of us would vati,
We’d get nigh a forth of that Washington sty.
Now that might be to few, to help you and I,
But we’d darn sure make the rest of them shy.
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
And when; ‘Foul, foul,’ the politicians cry.
And charge that; ‘Great careers will sadly die.’
Stand up and look them, straight in the eye,
And vow; ‘Losing only makes the truly-great try.’
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
From the County Coroner, to that Washington sty,
if you don’t love the incumbent, always vati.
Help turn America toward, a brand-new high.
Teach your kids and your friends, they must vati.
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
If the state of America, makes you want to cry,
then help start a revolution, no one has to die.
Our party loyalty sent elections go so far awry.
And we can fix that error, just revolt and vati.
Vote against the incumbents. Vati, vati.
Part your 2nd and 3rd fingers; that ‘V’ means vati.
Send this to a friend, who you think will comply.
Let’s all band together, and give ’em a black eye.
Vati, vati, and hearty bye-bye.
If you like this, copy it, and send it on.
Grandpa Nate @ Rawlins, Wyoming.
http://grandpanate.com
Vati Party
VATI is the first letter in “Vote Against The Incumbents,” and that is what it means. Vati means you always vote against the person holding the office, the incumbent, regardless of political affiliation.
The majority of our Congressmen and Senators have absolutely no fear of losing their offices. They know that party loyalty [be it Republican or Democrat] of their constituency will assure their perpetual reelecting. In the whole Senate you are likely to have only five or six seats [in the Congress less than 30 seats] that are not securely locked-up by one, or the other, political parties.
And actually, nothing is gained when we do manage to send an occasional new representative to Washington. In short: They are simply gobbled up by the system. They are introduced to pac-money, and the powerful party leaders [Party Lords] and end up cuddling up to Big Business, and voting the party line, for legislation that enhances the Conglomerate’s bottom line, to the determent of their constituency, to the determent of America.
Now, a large percentage of Congressmen and Senators win their seats by very small margins, less than 5%, so if just 10% of the voters Vati, we would likely unseat nearly 20% of our Representatives. If we could generate as much support as Ross Perot did, [according to the last election] we would kick out close to 90% of the House and Senate.
But more important than just getting rid of some self-serving politicians, unseating just 10% of the House and Senate would definitely get their attention. And then we could demand drastic change. We could demand a clean break between our Legislators and Big Business. We could outlaw all soft-money, and make any contact between our Legislators and Big Business [except publicized discussion in an open forum] illegal.
We can demand term limits. I am for an eight-year term limit, for all Government Offices. Let Senators serve one six year term or change the length their terms to four years. We can demand secure borders, and that everything entering our ports be inspected. We could demand a rigidly enforced alien worker program, which caters to America’s needs. And demand a viable plan which honorably ends the war in Iraq.
We can let Washington know, anyone who votes against anything the majority of America clearly wants, had better start looking for a new job.
Vatiing is a very viable method of voting to save America, to cure what is wrong with America, a viable way of stopping America’s rapid descent into mediocrity.
The interest in “vote against the incumbents” is growing exponentially. Now we need to get organized, form a political party. Much like any other political party, except we won’t run candidates for office. Our challenge will be to make the other Parties Candidates legislate for American, and America’s People.
If you have any ideas, comments, want to help get organized, or whatever, please leave a message at: http://voteagainsttheincumbents.blogspot.com/
I speak to a deaf world. And I know not how to gain her ear. America is degenerating at a rapid pace. We are now over $9,210,000.000,000 in debt. That is over $30,275 for every man, woman and child in this country. It would take us over thirty years to pay off this debt, if we installed sane representatives in Washington, and strictly adhered to a balanced budget.
Our schools now rank 28th [28th thats pathetic,] in the World. We are in a war that we cant win, in the foreseeable future, and cant get out of. Our Government is broken. We are no longer functioning as a Democracy. We are operating as a Bureaucracy. The Party Lords tell our congressmen and senators how to vote. And Big Business, mostly International Conglomerates, give the Party Lords [which they buy with Pac-money] their orders.
That should be enough said: Because I dont really believe that there is anyone in America, who is old enough to vote, that does not know this country is in trouble.
Every day the Republican and Democratic Party Lords work at enacting bills, which cedes one international conglomerate after another some financial quid pro quo, for pac-money received. And nearly all concessions to Big Business prove to be detrimental to Americas working people. Under the present system America will eventually have hungry masses without health care, millionaires, and no middle class. America, as we know her, is at this moment rapidly degenerating.
Changing out Republican for a Democratic, or Democratic for a Republican, or just replacing a Republican or Democratic with what is deemed a better member of their own party, will not help the situation. The new comer will quickly learn how the ball bounces in Washington, and vote the Party Line, as the Party Lords dictate, and business will continue as usual. And that is not Democracy, but Bureaucracy.
But all is not lost: America can still be saved. There is enough energy being wasted fighting our unresponsive system, for various causes, to fix America twice. This is still America, and we still get to vote. So lets act like a Democracy, band together, vati, [Vote Against The Incumbents.] and send enough Congressmen and Senators home, to get the attention of those who are left.
If just 10% of us would vati, we would get between 20 and 25% of the House and Senate. If 20% of us vati, we would send 75% of both Houses home. And you can bet: Youd have your Representatives ear.
It really doesnt matter whether you want to save the spotted owl, secure our borders, protect the giant redwoods, or the North Slope, save some swamp, fight Global Warming, or clean up a river, or whatever, all these things are going to cost Big Business money. And they are not going to allow you to get it done until, unless, we take back the reins of government. And none of you have the power to do that alone. So the answer is simple; whatever your cause, You Have Two choices; either fail, or band together and clean up Washington. Save America, and then you will have a hoard of accommodating representatives to help promote your cause. So start contacting other groups and get the ball rolling. You can do it, and it will work. But! Time is essential. So get at it. Good Luck, GrandpaNate
http://Voteagainsttheincumbents.blogspot.com/