Elections

Jim Cooper is running for Congress in Tennessee.  You're probably asking yourself, "so what? I have no idea who Jim Cooper is."  Well, neither do I.

Every time I see his campaign signs around town, my brain works overtime:

"Wait, Sheldon Cooper's running for congress?  No, no, Jim Parsons is running for congress....No, no, this has nothing to do with Big Bang Theory, quit combining the names." 

No, Jim Cooper is running for congress.  Now, I know nothing about Jim Cooper, nor his opponents for that matter.  Election day is a mere 5 days away, and I have no idea who I'm going to vote for. 

I'm not that concerned about the senate/house elections.  Sure, that stuff matters, but the governor election is more important to me and my livelihood.  See, Phil Bredesen has been governor for 8 years.  He's be a fantastic governor, and although Tennessee has suffered like every other state in the recession, I personally feel he has done a decent job.  That's gotta be a tough position in which to be.

I'm in a pickle, because the governor election affects my job.  When you work for the state you are either Civil Service or Executive Service.  Civil service employees are hired off a register, and after their probation period, their job is practically guaranteed (much like tenure), whereas Executive service employees are not hired off a register and their jobs can be cut at the drop of a hat.  This means my vote for governor needs to be taken seriously, and I need be sure I'm not going to vote for someone who's going to eliminate my job. 

But I hate election campaigns.  I have a really hard time justifying casting my vote for a candidate that only uses the tactic of smearing their opponent.  It makes me think less of someone if their only approach is making the voting population think the opposition is a skeezeball scumbag. 

That brings us to my dilemma.  I'm a democrat, there is no denying.  I am not embarrassed to admit it, and I'm not wary of telling people who I vote for.  I'm proud.  I'm not, however, opposed to voting for a republican if I truly believe in what they stand for (for example, I actually like John McCain, but I shiver at the thought of what would have happened if he'd been elected, fallen ill and died and we, the people of the United States of American, would've been stuck with the worst and most incompetent human being, Sarah Palin, as our president...so help us God.) 

This brings us to the dilemma.  I don't like Mike McWherter, the democratic candidate, because he has used smear tactics to turn voters away from Bill Haslam, his republican opponent.  Plus, I think he's kinda creepy, and I'm not thrilled by his propositions.

On the other hand, Bill Haslam hasn't been quite as determined with smear tactics, but he hasn't totally avoided them.  PLUS, he's hardcore into 2nd Amendment rights.  I am not.  At all. In fact, I believe in stricter gun control.  I know that shouldn't be such a determining factor in my voting stance, but it is.  I think personal gun possession is useless.  Guns kill.

And I'm off my soap box.  So unfortunately, neither candidate's website says, "I will, no matter what circumstances arise, maintain every single state job that exists."  So therefore, I don't care for Bill or Mike's campaign strategy, and I don't know if my job will be secured.  Therefore, the only option I see that I have is to vote (because it's my duty as a Tennessee resident) but to write in a candidate.

Now, the options for this are obviously endless.  I could write in BasilMarceaux.com who is the most awesome candidate ever.  He is missing teeth, his grammar is abysmal, and one of his major platforms is to repeal gun licenses and fine people $10 for NOT carrying a gun.  Win.  Or, I could write in someone funny who doesn't even live in the state of Tennessee, like Sheldon Cooper or Big Bird.  But that seems like a waste and probably won't be well received.  So the option is obvious.  I must write in Phil Bredesen, even though he absolutely cannot be elected, nor does he want to be, I'm sure.  I think he has been a fantastic governor and just to prove a point that my current gubernatorial options suck hardcore, I'm going to write him in.  It will be awesome.

I did change my voter registration to be more effective.  I grew up in Williamson County, one of the reddest counties in Tennessee (hellooooooo Republican money.)  I registered to vote there when I turned 18 (this would've been the presidential election of 2004) so therefore both my vote for John Kerry and Barack Obama were useless.  Not that it really matters because Tennessee was red all around, but it would've been nice to be in one of those few counties in Tn that were actually blue. 

So, when I moved in with M, I realized my voter registration would need to be in Davidson county.  When you change your registration, you have to vote in person the first time.  So I will be queuing on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at Granbury Elementary School to cast my useless vote for Phil Bredesen.

Or maybe Sheldon Cooper :)