"Suppose I called you and idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain.
Today Floridians vote in the Republican primary. If you're an American, it is your right to choose one candidate from another for an upcoming election. Is this case a presidential election. I'll be covering the primary voting for Reuters and when I received the assignment it got me to thinking about elections, voting and my island, so I thought I'd share my thoughts and fears with you.
I live in Key West, and, as you know or should know, it's a small island community. About half the population is snowbirds, people who live here in the winter and go back north come summer. Some of them register to vote here for tax purpose, no state tax, and may or may not bother to vote in person or by absentee ballot. If I remember right, our population is about 24,000, give or take, on our 2-by-4 mile island. Of course, any given weekend that figure doubles with tourists and for Fantasy Fest, New Years, and other weekend events it often triples.
Here in Key West, and possibly in Monroe County, where the island is located, each vote counts. Yeah, every vote counts. Not like in the big, over populated cities. We've had tied elections were the names were then put in a hat and the name drawn was declared the winner. In other cases, we've had elections won by a few votes, as few as two or three.
It's my opinion, that it's a shame voter turnout throughout our great country is dismal at best. We, as a population, have never known a dictatorship and most of us alive today cannot think of a time our parents and grandparents didn't hold lively discussions about who to vote for prior to an election.
We've taken that privilege for granted and we shouldn't. It reminds me of Ray Bradbury's classic "Fahrenheit 451." Yeah, we've all seen the TV or movie footage of the Nazi Party burning books at public mass rallies, but it can't happen in our free society.
Don't be so sure. I don't know if it's only the Monroe Country Library, or if libraries around the country set aside a week dedicated to the books that have been banned in schools and libraries or books that have been suggested by groups to be banned. In some cases, school boards have given in to the protestors and have taken books off shelves, even though attorneys have told the boards the courts will not allow it. But the board does it to placate the small group of protesters. Reminds me of Chamberlin and Hitler. Give 'em a little, and they'll take what they want.
The best reality TV on recently has been the Republican debates. It has gone to show that it's not necessarily the best candidate that moves forward but the candidate with the most money that moves to the front of the pack. I don't think the Republicans have a lock on that situation.
Mark Twain's quote is probably one-hundred years old, give or take, and it doesn't point to either political party, but to Congress in general. It doesn't matter the party, the government is bought and paid for by big corporations. We, the voting public, are losing the battle, no, let me rephrase that, we are giving our right to have our vote count away. We do it by not voting. Not saying or doing something, sometimes says a lot.
The premise would make a great Si-Fi story, like Bradbury's. If I were a Si-Fi writer, I'd begin on it. I just hope that in a few years it will not be suitable for a mystery novel set in Key West where the election to cancel elections is approved by one vote.
Before you discount the possibility, remember that Jules Vern wrote Si-Fi or, as some have suggested, he had a time machine and came from the future. It explains how he got so many things about the future right. Maybe Ray Bradbury found Vern's time machine? Hope not.
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