Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16

Thread: Well done

  1. #1
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,201

    Well done

    I just received this email from the County:

    Dear DAVID C GRUBB,
    Your ballot has been received by MONTGOMERY County on 06/03/2020.
    Your ballot status has been updated to reflect your official ballot has been received timely and recorded.

    Please note: You are no longer permitted to vote at your polling place location now that you have returned your ballot timely.
    If you have questions about your ballot, please contact MONTGOMERY County at (610) 278-3280.
    Thank you

    This was the first time that everyone had the option of a mail in ballot. Prior to this, it was only absentee ballots and you had to qualify with good cause. This election I had the option of mailing it in or taking it to one of a number of drop points around the country. I chose the latter.

    The drop option required that I could only present my ballot and I was required to drop the ballot in a rather formidable drop "cart" . The attendant was not allowed to touch the ballot.

    The County had done a commendable job in managing these ballots. The County had an agreement of service with the USPS for the delivery of the ballots. The USPS did not live up to that agreement and the time to deliver got drawn out. The County sent at least 3 emails during that period advising me of what was happening. This has all been serious to this point---now for those who see villians behind every tree----a little levity follows.

    The extreme security around this, including a pre-application interview and challenge conducted at the Court House between 1 AM and 3:30 AM on a Sunday night. I then had to return, again at the same convenient hours to have my County ID number tattooed on my wrist ---which was also printed on my ballot envelope. I felt a little like I was in the hospital, the attendant made sure my numbers matched up. When the mailman finally did deliver the ballot I was required to go out to the end of the lane---with my tattoo and seven articles of photo ID before he could hand it to me! This will be the end of our democracy-----NOT
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  2. #2
    Join Date
    11-14-01
    Location
    Apache Junction, AZ
    Posts
    25,676
    Fred

    "Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've
    stayed alive."

    'Take care of yourself, and each other.'

  3. #3
    Join Date
    10-30-01
    Location
    Salt Lake City
    Posts
    30,650
    My wife and I have been voting by mail for 5 years. We made the switch so we could travel without worrying about voting. I've found I like it because I get more time to research candidates/issues on the Web before voting.

    Hunter
    I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead

  4. #4
    Join Date
    10-13-03
    Location
    Livermore Valley near the wine grapes
    Posts
    11,675
    I just switched to permanent vote by mail myself this week. Wife has been doing it for years herself.
    "The only thing that we learn from torture is the depths of our own moral depravity"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,201
    We do not have that option in PA. I have to apply for an absentee ballot each election. Possibly this experience with mail in ballots will lead us to that option. I hope so.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  6. #6
    Join Date
    04-23-02
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    4,959
    Been voting by mail for years also. I'm old fashioned so I drop mine off personally at the courthouse ballot box.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    11-14-01
    Location
    Apache Junction, AZ
    Posts
    25,676
    Think it's been at shortly after we move here in 2000. Never had a problem with getting a ballot or voting on it.

    Sometimes I do wonder if after I vote and mail it in and something happens to that candidate though.
    Fred

    "Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've
    stayed alive."

    'Take care of yourself, and each other.'

  8. #8
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,201
    Quote Originally Posted by CactusCurt View Post
    Been voting by mail for years also. I'm old fashioned so I drop mine off personally at the courthouse ballot box.
    I chose to take mine to a County drop box only because our mail is so undependable.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  9. #9
    Join Date
    04-23-02
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    4,959
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    I chose to take mine to a County drop box only because our mail is so undependable.
    Fed-x now drops their packages off at my VERY rural post office "when Im not home". So, even though I've been home the whole time, I get a notice a day later that I need to drive the 7 miles one way to pick it up. Our postal lady didn't know how much the USPS was getting paid to deliver for Fed-x. Like me, she was pretty pissed off about it though.

    Don't use Fed-x.

    Dave, like you I am disenfranchised by the USPS.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    If you think we city rats are going to feel sorry for you on your country estates because your mail has a glitch, you are sooo wrong.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  11. #11
    Join Date
    04-23-02
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    4,959
    There are three things that make a town a town: church, school, and post office. We have been in danger of losing 2 of the three for 20 years now. City folk wouldn't understand the importance of the post office way out here.

    But with all this nonsense in the cities right now, I expect to get some new liberal neighbors who want to share their horrific tales of lockdown and looting. And start controlling the way I live so that it never happens here.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    ^^^
    Curt, you might have some pity on those invaders coming from the city. They have their reasons. Here is an excerpt from a bracing look at what could be our future (the rest of the article is freightening) —

    ... UPDATE: Thoughtful comment by Wyoming Doc:

    I guess I would chime in on this post as a family that has already left the big urban cities behind.

    My wife and I lived in one of our largest urban areas for decades. I was a professor of medicine at one of our best medical universities – and my wife, an engineer, was the project manager for one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country.

    Then we had kids.

    Before the kids ever came, we had noted that all of our neighbor’s kids were on amphetamines – and the parents instead of being ashamed were actually proud of it – it was a badge of honor. We noted that the parks and streets were completely emptied of kids playing; rather, the kids were in their houses playing video games all day. We went to the absolute best pre-schools in our city for our interviews and the first questions asked in ALL THREE – “What gender are you raising your kids?”.

    I had impending doom that my career as an academic physician would soon be over (despite having been given 7 teaching awards through the years by the student body) when I was severely chastised by the “diversity dean” that I was not using pronouns correctly. Very soon thereafter, a patient of mine discussed with me that the public school where her 7 year old 2nd grade son was enrolled had actually proceeded with gender transition psychological therapy after diagnosing him with rapid gender dysphoria. They had told neither parent a word – and they found out about it only after 6 months of counseling had already occurred. They had to be notified because the “doctor” had decided the child needed intense hormone therapy. When asked what I thought – I informed her gently that they were setting their family up for a life of tears. She refused the therapy – and the “doctor” turned me in to the “diversity dean” at the university. She decided she had had enough of me – and began making my life miserable.

    THIS ALL OCCURRED IN A MAJOR UNIVERSITY IN ONE OF OUR “RED STATES”.

    My wife and I decided to leave. We both left our careers that we had worked so hard to achieve. We moved into a very rural area – and have never looked back. Our kids are both thriving. They are very involved in sports and outdoor activites. We are actually heavily involved in the community in our little town – and are very amazed at how completely different are the priorities. As one of the few physicians in town, I know that the use of stimulants is basically non-existent. The kids seem much more robust and healthy than I ever saw back home. My wife and I certainly are orders of magnitude more healthy than we have been since our youth – living out here requires lots of labor – and that has been shown to me to be a very good thing. We grow more than 2/3 of our own food. The neighbors are constantly looking out for one another – and we have never been more involved with our neighbors and all the community activities.

    I would tell your readers, do not fear leaving a big urban area. You may be very pleasantly surprised at what you find out in flyover country. At this point – a few years into this – none of my family have any desire whatsoever to go back.

    We look at what is going on in our old place – looting, rioting, blood in the streets and just shake our heads. Three times this week I have been informed of old colleagues who have been injured, attacked, or looted in the city. The deluge of physicians leaving urban areas and moving to rural areas has now made the national news several times.

    We feel that we are free for the first time in a long time. However, there is great concern for our country. We know we cannot escape – but what we as a nation are doing now is completely unsustainable.

    https://www.theamericanconservative....nedict-option/
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  13. #13
    Join Date
    04-23-02
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    4,959
    Yup. The only reason there aren't more people here is snow shovels. We are toast when global warming gets here.

    BTW, the high/low forecast for Monday here in the 6800' desert is 65/35. Possibility of snow at the cabin. Big t-storms from a monsoonal flow. Very unusual for this time of year. But we are thankful for the rain.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    Ya just gotta rub it in...
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  15. #15
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,201
    Curt wrote:
    And start controlling the way I live so that it never happens here.
    And that sadly is true. We have an ongoing struggle in our township caused by transplanted urbanites. They have congregated in a "development" which converted a dairy farm to suburban sprawl. They are now, in mass, demanding we provide police coverage---we don't have a police department folks---we never had a need. Unfortunately, they have transported their fears and anxieties to their new homes. I (and most others) do not want to pay to relieve their unreasonable fears.

    That said---the USPS still sucks
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •