Friday, November 5, 2010

IS IT OVER ??


Gosh I really hope so. I am talking about the elections. This year has been a trip but when you look at history, not really all that unusual.

Candidates yell, candidates scream, they lie, they deny they are lying, those who aren't in office say they can do a better job than those all ready there. Those in office say they are "doing just fine thank you." The phone rings incessantly with robo calls and the mail box is full each day with "vote for me" mail outs. You know, not much different than it always is in an election year.

We did have a slight wrinkle in the local elections of little town near me. We just could not get it right trying to elect a sheriff. First we had the primary elections in which there was no clear winner for a Democratic candidate for sheriff, so a run off was scheduled for the two leading vote getters.

Then the strangest thing happened in the run off election. Both candidates got the same exact number of votes. A perfect tie. Recounts couldn't break the tie. A first in state history. Some suggested a coin toss, others wanted the courts to decide.


The Republican candidate suggested that since there was a tie, that meant there was no candidate from the Democratic party therefore, the Republican claimed victory by being unopposed. Not quite.

Finally another election was scheduled under orders from the governor. Well off to the polls we went once again for another run off and this time a Democrat candidate was actually chosen.


So was that the end? Nope, a judge declared the third election illegal which delighted the Republican candidate--- but it was ruled that the Democrat who had gotten the most votes in the third election could stay on the ballot. Huh??

Well, in the recent general election, the Dem got 52% of the vote, the Republican got 28% and a third party got 20%. Sounds like a clear win but actually, no one knows for sure who is sheriff as the courts are still involved. A hearing has not been scheduled yet to make the final decision.


I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about the mess. She said her daughter got so disgusted with the whole process that she went out and had her own signs made and put them up around town. When I heard what the signs said, I had to go see for my self. I was delighted that someone finally put the humor and ridiculousness of the situation out there for all to see.



If you never saw the Andy Griffith TV show, you don't realize that Barney was Andy's bumbling, inept, deputy who was only allowed to carry one bullet and that was kept in his pocket for safety reasons. His gun was always empty and his favorite expression was to "nip it in the bud," referring to getting a handle on petty crimes early. Had I known of the grass roots movement, I might have written in ole one-bullet-Barney on the ballot myself.

That sign pretty much summed up the feelings of the town. I just loved it and was glad we could finally laugh at the botched up situation. As it stands now, no one really knows who will be our sheriff in January. If I were a criminal, I would be loving it with no clear head of the law enforcement machine. We really do need someone to "nip it in the bud."

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If you would like to read a very clever and refreshing post concerning the recent national Republican and Tea Party take over, please check out Margaret and Helen's tongue in cheek post. If you are a Republican, you might want to skip this.

Barry at Frost Bottom Days directed me to the link and at first I thought he had sent me to the wrong place. However, read on-- for it is laugh out loud in spots and quite brilliant.

And that is all you will hear from me about the election. We have done what we could and now it is time to live with it, till the next election. I may not have voted for most of them but they are now my elected congressmen and women. They will hear from me when I feel it necessary, just as if I had voted for them.

Till next time.

27 comments :

  1. I always love Margaret & Helen!

    Your sheriff election is mind-boggling! What a waste of taxpayer money! Here in NC we had to vote on an amendment that a candidate for sheriff couldn't be a felon. (And yes, there was a previous incident...!)

    Crazy people out there. Gawd help us if we get the government we deserve.

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  2. Maybe sheriff is a targetted race this year. We are having a runoff for sheriff between two individuals.The current sheriff is one of the candidates. He is kin to the Mayor/wife of a very small community and is also their water/sewer supt. Anyway else that might be nepotism uproars.

    However in very small communities often everybody is kin or msrried into certain large long-time families. It is particularly true in my area.


    We also have a run-off for Mayor in a nearby town. One, a woman, as been in a long time and has profitted immensely, maybe inadvertedly from her position, i.e., she sold the land for the WalMart store. Nothing wrong with that, except when WalMart starts looking for spots to build they are very secretive and quietly go to city officials before looking.There was a family despute over the sale.

    All I care about is all these awful signs get taken down PRONTO.

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  4. I don't understand politics at all!
    It looks as if this sheriff election was all an open-and-shut case and that it was decided that a Republican was to be nominated instead of the Democratic candidate.

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  5. Great Post. I held my tongue pretty good this election. I usually have plenty to say but I'm "learning." Your town story called for a little humor. Good old Barney. I still watch the re-runs. He was such a stitch with that one bullet and he was always locking himself in the cell in place of the bad buys.
    Go out and celebrate the weekend.

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  6. Nip~it...Nip~it in the bud! Heeehehehe! My personal favorite of of Barney and Andy!

    You sheriff election is totally unreal but of course it wouldn't be politics if it wasn't. Otherwise can ya tell me how in the heck of all that's good and just did we manage to elect a Prostituting Attorney who is a pedifile here in Booger County??? Just sayin....

    God bless ya and have an incredible weekend sweetie!!!

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  7. I love Margaret and Helen. I want to be Helen when I grow up.
    I was so glad the elections were over, but then I turn on Public Radio and the discussion is "What the 2010 mid-term elections mean for the 2012 campaigns." One day without politics is too much to ask for???

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  8. That's quite an interesting story about the sheriff contest. I hope you will update us on how that is resolved.

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  9. Oooh thank you! BF, yep, that ball kicking, boob tweaking, righty, was in the kitchen listening to Fox... Brought my coffee in here and wow...your post!!! Then went on to visit Margaret and Helen's post. This all is becoming quite insane... I just hate all this, it should be laughable, but it's not. It saddens me and embarrasses me.

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  10. Good Lord! LOL! What a mess that situation is, Patti....One wonders about the whole process when things like this can happen....!

    I'm glad it's all over so I don't have to see one more Political Ad...The money spent here in California on the elecetion campaigns was obscene!! The Woman running for Gov. on the Republican party spent over $161MILLION of her own money to get elected. She lost.

    Thanks for your very dear comment, my dear. Facebook and Twitter are not a part of my life. And from what I know, have nothing to do with Blogging and the extensive kihd of posts one can create....So, I don't believe I'll be doing either of those.

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  11. I've been reading Margaret & Helen for years and laugh out loud every time. I didn't know there was one of my kind left in Texas until I started reading that blog.

    That sheriff race sounds like a real mess, and you know, when a small town has a problem it's just as bad as when big cities have one.

    I live on the west coast so I'm pleased with the elections on this side of the world. No so much in other parts of the country. It's two years or a million years until the next election so a lot can happen. I'm okay with it all. I expected the Democrats to lose the House.

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  12. Love the Barney Fife sign! blessings, marlene

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  13. marylee,
    Good grief, they need an amendment for that? Seems like it should be a given. Good luck.
    You are right.

    nitwit,
    I know what you mean. The small town I am from, you don't dare badmouth anyone for your are probably speaking to a relative.
    I'm with you. The signs, phone calls, TV commercials and mail---begone.

    Reader Wil,
    You might be right. All the hearings went in the Republicans favor.
    I do agree. Politics can turn a good man bad and a bad man evil.

    Manzanita,
    Religion and politics are good subjects to avoid. You can't win.
    Barney really was a hoot. Think through out the years I have seen all the shows.

    Nezzy,
    Gosh, you and marylee had similar problems. She had a felon running for office and you had a pedifile??? WOW, that is scary.

    Olga,
    I know--enough is enough. We need a break.
    I just found Margaret and Helen--really a smart blog.

    robin,
    Almost have my doubts this will get settled. We have been working on it since June. Maybe they ought to let the old sheriff keep his job till they figure it out.

    turquoisemoon,
    We really don't set a good example of how a democracy with free elections should be run. Perhaps that is why it is such a hard sell to some countries.
    Talk about embarassing, I had to live through the hanging chads of Bush/Gore while in Florida.

    OOLOH,
    I heard about that candidate in Ca. Wow, don't suppose she can write that off.
    I think they all should have mental health evaluations just for thinking about wanting to run for office.
    I'm glad you are sticking with blogging. Me too.

    Linda,
    M & H are new to me but I will be back whenever they post.
    Yea, the election was not a surprise, just a long drawn out pain.

    Stichinbythelake,
    My friends daughter did all right and it must have cost her a bit to have the signs made up. It gave a lot of us a welcome break from the unusual mess.

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  14. I think everyone secretly wish for Andy and Barney as their law enforcement folks. Clearly the 'nip it in the bud' signs says it all.

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  15. I am so disgusted with politics and politicians that I shut it all out and pay no attention!

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  16. Patti, I loved your sheriff story. In some wacky way, it put everything into perspective.

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  17. I'm glad the election is over. The ugliness was a real downer for me. We have a runoff for mayor so it is politics for a couple more weeks here.

    An Arkies Musings

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  18. I will have to check Margaret and Helen's blogs. Stay sane!

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  19. I'm curious to know the number of eligible voters for the sheriff in that town. The number must be quite low to get an exact tie. Crazy!!

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  20. Oh Patty, I only have to come to read your blog to laugh if I desperately need one. It has been so long I have been away from blogging and hide somewhere when my busy days are over. You always write stories with happy endings. And I love just That! Such a life! I am glad I don't vote and I can't. It's pretty personal. That way, I have nothing to do with human government mess up. What a life! Bet Abraham Lincoln and all those great men before are hovering around in the air having their own Protests over the shenanigans of the present day politics. Where is Wisdom? Where is Leadership?

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  21. Jerry,
    Pretty sure you are right, but also having the citizens of Mayberry as neighbors wouldn't be bad either.

    kenju,
    I feel your pain Judy, as someone once said.

    marciamayo,
    I know the sign did it for me. Sometimes it is nice to cut through all the BS.

    Richies,
    Aw gee, I think that comes under the description of cruel and unusual punishment. Hope they don't have a tie in the run off. Sorry fellow.

    lakeviewer,
    I'm doing my best here to stay sane. The Helen types help.

    KleinsteMotte,
    Each candidate got 1383 votes. We are a small town. Yep, crazy and a first for Arkansas.

    Bonnie Bonsai,
    Always good to hear from you and that you are OK. The only bad thing about not voting is that you can't gripe when things go wrong. Of course, you don't get ulcers either. Elections are an ugly business but they are better than the alternative of having no say.
    Do take care.

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  22. Loved your post ...I HATE politics and have NO respect for ANY politician. ...each party just lies about the other and lies about what they will do for you ...many are corrupt too.... so yes I waste my vote ...I'd rather not back someone I couldn't trust to be honest. Oopps ...I'll get off my soap box now lol

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  23. Patti,

    About your comment to me about the name of the book about the school teacher president: I read it so many years ago that I can't remember. I think at the time it was a paperback that I picked up somewhere to read on a plane trip....50's or maybe 70's.

    Sorry I couldn't be more precise.

    Jerry

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  24. I've missed commenting lately due to a BAD computer, those days are over though...enjoyed the Jack Frost post, Patti. We have a former mayor that may have profited from his position, in selling some land, being investigated by the IRS!

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  25. I miss the good old days of Texas politics when a fella committed suicide by shooting himself 5 times in the back with a bolt action rifle (true story...unlikely, but it happened), I miss Molly Ivins, Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan and all the other strong women, because all we have now are weirdos and Perry. It was not a fun time here in Texas for some of us.


    Your town's election sounds so much more fun! :)

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  26. We voted by mail before we left for Italy, so we missed the final histrionic weeks. And I'm glad.

    We voted. And we now get to live with the consequence of our choices.

    This is how we learn, I hope.

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  27. Angie,
    You are entitled to get on the soap box. There really isn't much to admire about politicians is there.

    Jerry,
    Thanks, I tried Amazon and google but no luck. Sounded like a neat premise though.

    Wanda,
    Well there you are. I am so glad you are functioning again. Was beginning to worrry. I have missed your comments and of course my Walks With Wanda.

    Amber Star,
    Suicide huh? Interesting. You Texans really have produced some strong women in office. That is quite a pedigree.

    Linda Myers,
    You didn't miss a thing and infact I was quite envious of your trip. Welcome back.

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