This past week, Q-line asked: “How comfortable would you feel stepping into the voting booth right now? Have you been sufficiently informed about candidates, or have the political tactics employed this year left you dazed and confused?
Here are your responses: ✆ “I have never been dazed or confused regarding politicians. They are, and always have been, and always will be liars, cheats and thieves totally devoid of moral integrity.” ✆ “I have been ready to step into the voting booth for a long time. Trying to remain aware and watching the long term track records of those running for office has made and confirmed my decisions. They can save money on these last-minute ads and literature. Actions speak louder than words, and it is too late for undoing the past.” ✆ “I’m not uncomfortable about voting because anything to get rid of that idiot Bush will make me feel more comfortable. He knows what he’s doing. He’s all for the rich, and nobody else. His rich royal pals, his rich corporate pals, it’s all he cares about. He doesn’t care about any of the regular people. So, I’d say, I’m not confused about who I’m going to vote for, just fed up with the administration that is in power now and just looking forward to getting rid of it.” ✆ “I’m very comfortable with my voting selections right now. I could cast my votes immediately and I have been more than sufficiently informed about candidates. Not just the mailers, but the public service stations, which have absolutely covered everybody from A to Z on every subject that affects us locally. Sandy Jacobson has been the principal questioner on the TV shows, but I’ve had an opportunity to see every candidate that is running for office. One of the things that I would like to see more of is the clear lines delineated by the local various political factions, really clear lines. Because, while they’re blurred often, and some of the candidates can either be more successful or they may suffer, when the ballots are cast. Still it would be very helpful if there were more distinctions among the various political factions. Right now, our people are out there wondering ‘well, who’s this particular organization? I’ve never heard of it before.’ They are endorsing people that I like, but their issues are foreign to what the candidates’ issues are.” ✆ “Yes, I’m very clear on how I’m going to vote, particularly for these scum-bags on the City Council. I’m looking forward to entering my vote to make a clean sweep of the City Council that we have, with the exception of Herbert Katz, who is a good guy, I think. But then, he’s a political, too. We need to make some drastic changes on this city by the sea... ‘Samolicious.’” ✆ “Regarding the presidential election, I’m about as comfortable in the voting booth at this time as I would be playing Russian Roulette or ‘pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.’ I feel like entering it and being blindfolded and just throwing a dart, and ‘where it goes, there she be.’” ✆ “Yes, I’m pretty comfortable about going into the voting booth with the exception of the school board people and the Santa Monica College Board people, which I don’t see much about, neither in fliers nor in the newspaper. But other than that, I’m very clear on the Props. I’m very clear on who should be on the City Council, and I’m very sure who should be president.” ✆ “There’s no question in my mind on who to vote for. It is real simple. If you vote for Kerry, you’re asking for your taxes to be raised, substantially, over the next four years. If you vote for Bush, you’re asking for your taxes to continue to be reduced and also possibly be made permanent, rather than running out, over the next several years. There’s no question in my mind who I will vote for, it will be George Bush.”
“Thank you local free press, you have accurately provided us, we the people, with a clear and simple wordage of what our election processes has come to. Adding it all up, it comes to two words: ‘All wrong.’ The honest citizens are properly registered to vote and are being taken for a ride by our fellow citizens, the elected in office, from the federal ranks down to our local city council positions. The ‘ride’ reference means we need a complete and full overhaul of the political system.” ✆ “I would feel very comfortable right now. After listening to three presidential debates, I know that one candidate was very capable, while the other fell flat on his face.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 23, 2004. Read the original PDF.