Last night on the local news, they were talking to two young men who were best friends and Biden volunteers. They had voted for Trump in their first election in 2016, but now regretted it.
They should’ve regretted it the day after that election when Trump won! Anyway, I’ll never forget my first election, Jimmy Carter vs Ronald Reagan in 1980. I registered as a Democrat the year prior when I turned 18 and had to sign up for Selective Service.
Are 18 year old males still required to register with Selective Service? Yep! (I just checked.) I’ll never forget my older brother Duke teasing me about getting drafted, as he never had to worry. Selective Service was halted in the early 1970s when Gerald Ford was president, but after Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976, got reinstated.
But it only affected guys born 1960 & up (like me). Males born between 1957 & 1959 (like my older brother) were never required to register.
Speaking of Duke, in the fall of 1980 he was a senior at Pitt University and married to his first wife Cheryl. I was still at home, and went along with Mom & Dad to cast my first presidential vote. Sometime after we got home, Duke called and asked if I’d voted and who I voted for. (He knew better than to ask Mom or Dad that!)
I told him Jimmy Carter, knowing fully well my brother (who was ultra-Republican and a Nazi stormtrooper in a previous life) would go ballistic—which he did. I could almost hear the veins in his head popping as he told me I was worthless and that after he got into politics he’d ensure commies like me never got near a voting booth again.
(That sounded so crazy back then, but if you’re a minority or a Democrat now… you know. Good luck getting your ballot to count.)
Anyway, we know how things turned out—Reagan got like 500 electoral votes, I think the entire country voted for him except for the state of Georgia (Carter Country) & me. President Carter got a raw deal over that Iranian hostage crisis and Reagan took all the credit. I’m still ticked about that.
Speaking of Jimmy Carter, this biography was just released September 29 and my copy is on its way! Say what you will about his presidency, the man is a saint
I will admit I didn’t vote in ‘84; I knew Mondale didn’t stand a chance against Reagan, and he got creamed alright. But I never skipped an election again, and in 1992 when the VP of Omega Systems (my first IT employer) pleaded with everyone to vote for Bush and not “that socialist Bill Clinton”, I couldn’t vote for Bill & Hillary fast enough!
Weirdly, this happened again in 2008 when I worked for UPMC and our IT manager asked everyone to pray Barack Obama not get elected, or we’d all lose our jobs to socialized healthcare.
(I’m still waiting for that, by the way.)
And on that happy note, I just got an update—my vote for this presidential election has been received & recorded. Donald Trump, you’re about to become Donald Toast!
My first presidential vote was for Carter, and I would do that again too. In fact, although I have voted for a few Republicans in state or local races, I've never done so for President. Is your brother a Trumper these days?
ReplyDeleteMargaret, that's nice to hear about you being a Carter supporter too--I'm not surprised. :) As for my brother being a Trumper, GOOD QUESTION. I haven't talked to him in a very long time, but I'm guessing yes for sure.
DeleteJust wondered if you watched Saturday Night Llive last weekend, Doug. I thought Jim Carrey did a fabulous job on his Joe Bidden impression! Sure hope your vote backs the winner in November!
ReplyDeleteFLORENCE, I was just talking about that! YES Jim Carrey did a terrific job, in fact I was surprised how good he was. When he zipped out that measuring tape, I busted out laughing :) Anyway, thanks for the good vote wishes!
DeleteArt still gets upset if anyone talks about how great Reagan was. He absolutely decimated the U.S.E.P.A. I still remember the t-shirt he got at EPA with names crossed out of people who were fired or indicted. Whatever regulation Reagan didn’t manage to remove, Trump has done. Republicans are against mandates to protect the environment or protect people from harmful poisons exuded by industry.
ReplyDelete100% agree Kay, well said and thanks for sharing this!
DeleteI just saw on my USPS Informed Delivery notice that we’ll be getting our mail-in ballots today. Everybody in Hawaii gets mail-in ballots. I’m mailing ours in early. Mom can’t wait. I didn’t know you could check online to see if your vote is counted. I shall check to see if we have that option too. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAh that's good to hear Kay! You're welcome, I hope you gets yours returned in plenty of time!
DeleteOK... It’s me again. I just checked and YES, I can check the status of my ballot. Hurrah! Thanks a bunch, Doug.
ReplyDeleteCOOL! :^)
DeleteI was a Carter voter also. He was brought down by Iran. Isn't that foreign meddling? Anyway, he was and still is a really decent man.
ReplyDeleteI am close to sending my ballot off. Will have to see if I can get notification like you did. We have to get that buffoon out of the White House. He is a serious danger.
Patti thanks very much--and yes it WAS foreign meddling! I'm glad there's people like yourself who remember (and remember correctly). Anyway, I know the past is past (I spend too much time there). I'm really glad to hear your sending your ballot off, I hope you can get notified of its progress. Your last line said it all.
DeleteI have voted for both parties, as I am independent and so is David. This year I am voting for Democrats.
ReplyDeleteWell Gigi, I'm glad we have you on our team this year. :)
DeleteI also voted for Carter twice and was so sad when he lost. I have actually never voted for a Republican and have never missed a chance to vote. My parents never did, but they would have canceled each other out in any event. And I am truly hoping that we have a landslide this time. We need it to help with all the voter suppression going on.
ReplyDeleteDjan I don't know if you see my feedback, but thank you so much for sharing your thoughts here, as we are really on the same page! :) That's interesting about your folks, I wish I could say for sure about my own. Anyway, you're right--we will need that landslide. I never thought we'd have to worry about such a thing in the 21st century, in the United States. This godawful delusional tyranny must end.
DeleteFrom your lips to God's ears. The man has been an unmitigated disaster for this country. Vote blue!
DeleteThanks Debby!
Delete