And here we go again, it's all about convenience. I'm thinking about the push for mail in voting. We're not talking about absentee voting, we're talking about mail in voting. Many people seem to believe they are the same thing, they're not. Absentee ballots must be requested. The original intent was a way to allow you to cast your ballot when it was an impossibility for you to go to the polling place. I have done several absentee ballots while stationed on a U.S. Naval vessel , at sea. No other option in that scenario. It wasn't about convenience it was about necessity. I would add that I was well aware that my absente ballot would make no difference in the outcome of the election. That's simply a statistical fact. A fact I have to accept whether I like it or not. It's also a fact that doesn't excuse me from my obligation as a citizen to cast that ballot.
Now this mail in ballot is a different animal altogether. These ballots are simply mailed to an address, same as publishing clearinghouse does, current resident or occupant. Who receives the ballot or indeed if they receive the ballot is not important. And that is just the first thing wrong with that process. Now legal ballots can easily reach the hands of those that would use them in an illegal fashion. These ballots, once filled in, are simply dropped back in the mail box. They may or may not reach their destination. If they are delivered who's to say they will be on time? You won't know that. You won't have any way of knowing that either.
Awhile back, when I first heard of this plan I did a little research. The postal service has mechanisms in place, rules if you like, about mailing confidential materials. Your ballot, your vote, is just that, confidential. It requires special handling, additional postage, and a signature when received. That is the postal regulations. I haven't heard a single person talking about that. Are we to just ignore those regulations? Can we ignore regulations when that is more convenient? I've seen news articles about people being prosecuted over improper handling of confidential information, is your vote of any less value that other confidential materials? Yes I realize I'm old but back in my day most people didn't advertise who they were voting for and it was impolite to ask. The reason for that was a simple one, it's none of your business, it's my business, personal and confidential! But now, with a mail in ballot all of that could be compromised. And for what reason? Convenience is the answer. I don't want to go to the polling place because. All the while I will go to Walmart, the liquor store, the casino's, out to eat, on vacation, or anywhere else when I want to, I'll wear my mask and practice social distancing, it'll be fine. But, the polling place now, I can't go there!
It isn't about any danger, it's about convenience. This whole pandemic thing is just being used as a tool to expedite the normalization of mail in voting. Funny how for years it has been the joke, it's in the mail, and now, just like that, we are placing full trust and confidence in the mail system to deliver our ballots in a safe, secure and timely fashion! We are not requiring any accountability for that process either. No special handling, no marking of the packaging, no signature upon receipt. we'll just assume it all goes great!
We all expect certain things from our government. The government is to provide us with, at a minimum, security from the wrongdoers, equal protection under the law. Besides paying our taxes and obeying those laws, what is expected of us, as citizens? To vote. It's a right afforded to those that qualify for that right. Yes, it is an option, there is no law that says you must vote. Your vote is your voice. You can choose to remain silent but silence is consent. That's why we say if you don't vote, you have no right to say a thing in that regard. That's what you chose to do. With this mail in ballot someone else can easily steal your voice and speak for you. Are you alright with that? Are you willing to just let anyone do the talking for you? You don't care one way or the other? You will surrender that for convenience? If you assent to mail in voting that is basically what you are doing. You are saying I don't care if my vote is counted or not. Yeah, my vote is in the mail.
Now this mail in ballot is a different animal altogether. These ballots are simply mailed to an address, same as publishing clearinghouse does, current resident or occupant. Who receives the ballot or indeed if they receive the ballot is not important. And that is just the first thing wrong with that process. Now legal ballots can easily reach the hands of those that would use them in an illegal fashion. These ballots, once filled in, are simply dropped back in the mail box. They may or may not reach their destination. If they are delivered who's to say they will be on time? You won't know that. You won't have any way of knowing that either.
Awhile back, when I first heard of this plan I did a little research. The postal service has mechanisms in place, rules if you like, about mailing confidential materials. Your ballot, your vote, is just that, confidential. It requires special handling, additional postage, and a signature when received. That is the postal regulations. I haven't heard a single person talking about that. Are we to just ignore those regulations? Can we ignore regulations when that is more convenient? I've seen news articles about people being prosecuted over improper handling of confidential information, is your vote of any less value that other confidential materials? Yes I realize I'm old but back in my day most people didn't advertise who they were voting for and it was impolite to ask. The reason for that was a simple one, it's none of your business, it's my business, personal and confidential! But now, with a mail in ballot all of that could be compromised. And for what reason? Convenience is the answer. I don't want to go to the polling place because. All the while I will go to Walmart, the liquor store, the casino's, out to eat, on vacation, or anywhere else when I want to, I'll wear my mask and practice social distancing, it'll be fine. But, the polling place now, I can't go there!
It isn't about any danger, it's about convenience. This whole pandemic thing is just being used as a tool to expedite the normalization of mail in voting. Funny how for years it has been the joke, it's in the mail, and now, just like that, we are placing full trust and confidence in the mail system to deliver our ballots in a safe, secure and timely fashion! We are not requiring any accountability for that process either. No special handling, no marking of the packaging, no signature upon receipt. we'll just assume it all goes great!
We all expect certain things from our government. The government is to provide us with, at a minimum, security from the wrongdoers, equal protection under the law. Besides paying our taxes and obeying those laws, what is expected of us, as citizens? To vote. It's a right afforded to those that qualify for that right. Yes, it is an option, there is no law that says you must vote. Your vote is your voice. You can choose to remain silent but silence is consent. That's why we say if you don't vote, you have no right to say a thing in that regard. That's what you chose to do. With this mail in ballot someone else can easily steal your voice and speak for you. Are you alright with that? Are you willing to just let anyone do the talking for you? You don't care one way or the other? You will surrender that for convenience? If you assent to mail in voting that is basically what you are doing. You are saying I don't care if my vote is counted or not. Yeah, my vote is in the mail.
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