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I went to my county seat Board of Elections this afternoon to get certified on the voting machine for special needs folk. The first person I see is a Limbaugh fan that I know from the local pub, a neighbor. We are friendly, he has dated a few of my friends--he's Ivy League, has lovely manners, picks up the check, walks you to the door, etc. -- and he's taking the same course that I'm taking.
He asked me first if I was a Poll Monitor and I said no that I was an election inspector and was certified back in July. He said that's what he was too, but he'd forgotten what it was called. Then he asked why I was inspired to get involved being an Election Inspector this year and I said that I wanted to be part of this historic election (everyone in our small town knows I'm for Obama because of my advocacy, pins, t-shirts, taking turns at the voter registration table at local events, etc.) and to make sure things went as they were supposed to go.
I asked him his motivation and he said he signed up because he was afraid that the "Acorn people" would show up and try to vote. I said, "Acorn people? Who the hell are Acorn people?" He said, "You know, the people who caused this financial crisis." I'm raking my brain trying to think of what he means and conjuring up brownies with little acorn hats when he chimes in and says, "...the people who forced the bankers to make all the bad loans to minorities?"
I said, "You mean the deregulated bankers? The financial people that Phil Gramm and the Republican congress deregulated leading to the financial crash that's going on right now? Are those the Acorn People." He said, "No, those minority loans..." He looked around. We are maybe 20 miles or so from NYC and we are a melting pot in that room, so he turned red and shut up.
I asked him where he was assigned. We are assigned to different precincts. I told him that I thought it would be funny if we worked together. One Dem and one Repub per precinct and he said, "No, I'm not registered as Republican." I guessed, "Independent?" He said, "No, I'm registered as a Democrat." Now, it was my turn to look really puzzled. He said, "I got tired of never having a say in the primaries." So, I smiled and said, "Ah, a DINO. A Democrat in Name Only." He cleared his throat and said, "Yuh-huh, and stepped outside to smoke." One guy who was evesdropping on the whole conversation piped up, "Don't ever loose that smile, girl. And don't let him get away with shit." I won't say everyone in the room cracked up, but the Dems sure did.
In our certification course, the first thing we learned that Poll Watchers can't even talk to us! I wonder how he thinks he would be able to recognize "Acorns" if they DO show up!?
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