SamSaid!

VOTING

     Election day approaches and while I look forward to casting my vote, I despair over two aspects of our electoral process. Now we hear the drumbeats of “get out the vote” and see new measures to make it easier to vote. A few years back it was the “motor/voter” bill. Now it is a move to allow voter registration on election day  –  right up to the time a vote is cast  –  right at the polling place. Registration at the polls is a proposition on the 2002 California ballot.

     I wonder what ever became of the informed electorate. Presumably, marching the uninformed and indifferent to the polling place is a wonderful aspect of democracy. Not by my standards.I hate to think of my vote being cancelled by a warm body who doesn't know the difference between his fanny and first base. Not only that, it is my observation that as efforts like this continue, the growth of voter fraud does too. I am not so naive to believe that there hasn't been voter fraud in machine politics over the years (Chicago, New York, Jersey City, Miami, etc) but now we are making it easier to play fun and games with voting all over the country. How is it that our do-gooders look  upon mass registration as OK but are indifferent to increasing voter fraud (only in Florida).

     This year,  the outcome of a few races will make a huge differencs in our country. Should they be decided by fraud or by capturing many whose normal priorites do not include voting?. I have always thought that people should WANT to vote and would be self-motivated rather than herded to the polling places by their political wranglers. Maybe it is signs of the times that voting fraud is just accepted as part of the deal. Sad commentary.

    As a case in point, just take a look at the California ballot with its many choices of Candidates, Measures and Propositions. It is a farce. No one  –  repeat  –  no one can possibly understand all of the issues on that ballot. Yet people who haven't even seen the ballot will get the OK to fill in the blanks. So why should I bother to read and discuss the ballot and its complications? Will it make a difference?? 

     I've never missed voting in an election in my life. So, I'll just vote and hope. Maybe an illegal alien will cancel someone else's vote.

SECURITY

     On 9/11 my wife and I flew across the country from SFO to Savannah via Atlanta. Some of our friends thought we were either gutsy or nutty or maybe both, and I confess that we hade a few nervous moments enroute to the airport.  But we sailed thru curbside check-in and entered a 1/2 empty airport. No delay at the X-ray hand baggage check point. The flight was on time and the plane only 2/3 full. Nice flight. Security was ever present, but not obtrusive. AND…..  no raghead trouble at all.

     Along the way, there was evidence of random checks, but we were spared that selection delay. But  seeing a tall grey-haired septuagenarian in Salt Lake City removing his sneakers reminded me of the myopia that has seized Norman Mineta, our Secretary of Transportation. He is so blinded by the Nisei experience of WWII that common sense eludes his mentality. In the aftermath of 9/11, if there ever was a case for profiling, it is now. What on earth is there to be proven or achieved by singling out aging Norwegians while scruffy looking ruffians who can't speak English zoom through. And we are paying thru the nose for all of this. Norman ought to go  — quietly or otherwise.

    All in all, the trip was about the same as we have experienced in the past, but it is clear to me that air travel will never be quite the same. The size of the security problem is immense  –  as illustrated by the thousands and thousands of people milling about and traveling thru the Atlanta airport. Tight security will change the odds, but will not totally eliminate the possibility of major mischief. But taking the long view, traveling inherently carries danger. Nothing is 100%.