John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #137: Your First Vote

"Votes are like trees, if you are trying to build a forest. If you have more trees than you have forests, then at that point the pollsters will probably say you will win."

-Dan Quayle

Weekend Assignment #137: Recount the first time you voted in a local, state or national election. That's to say the first time your vote counted, not a play vote like Athena's. For this, primary voting counts too. If you want to share who you voted for and whether they won, that's cool, but if you feel like you want to keep your political affiliation unstated, that's fine too.

Extra Credit: Are you voting next Tuesday?

-John Scalzi

I know the above graphic is of Clinton/Gore from the "96" campaign, but that isn't the first time I voted for them. See, I was a believer since 1992, the year I cast my very first vote! Up until that time I hadn't voted, because I simply hadn't been impressed with the candidates that were running for office. Bill Clinton and Al Gore changed all that, they were so dynamic together that it actually made me excited to vote for the first time. I have to admit, I had been impressed with Bill Clinton, from the first time I saw him play his sax on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show." I remember telling Alan the next morning, "Clinton will be president someday."

He spoke to a lot of young adults. He really seemed to be listening to what was important to young America, and I have to say, he never let me down. Yes, as we all know now, he engaged in less than honorable activities with Monica Lewinski, and he was impeached for it, but I always thought at the time, as I do now, that essentially it wasn't any of my business. That act however ill advised, did not raise my taxes, it didn't cause oil prices to rise, it didn't harm foreign relations. It was a moral situation between himself and his family. There were enough villans in that whole situation to go around. Did it disappoint me? Yes. Did it harm me or my country? No. Enough said.

I am hoping, in two years, when we all go to the polls nationally, that we will once again have someone we can get excited about on the ballot. Someone who will be listening to us again. We have a chance on Tuesday to send some pretty clear messages. I am not taking anything for granted. Just because the polls are indicating that we might see real change in America, as we all know, anything... a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g... can happen. I want to see America get back on it's feet. I want to see us all fear less, to see that happen will take some courage. I remember how good it felt all those years ago, to cast my first vote, and then witness the change for the better, and I will tell you the truth...there is just nothing like it! Be sure to VOTE! :)

Extra Credit: I have already cast my vote by way of absentee ballot!

-OndineMonet