It has been a long while since I last blogged about politics in the United States to the overseas readers.
Here are the happenings here, straight from the main streets of United States.
Political signs are in the front yard together with Halloween decorations, there has been little reports of vandalism too.
We are not on the streets chanting slogans or protesting, football (American NFL) is in season and that is more important.
Also there are too many more important TV programming, that require viewer voting, i.e. Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, etc.
Our airways had too much noise from the political parties, overwhelmed to irritation, most viewers and listeners admit to switching stations when a political ad appears. Unfortunately we have been subjected to the clattering of politics for almost a year, lately political ads sound like Charlie Brown's teacher.
The airways here are congested with political ads from the Republican Party, Democratic party and "Super-pacs".
Republicans (or sometimes called GOP) are represented by Mitt Romney, they are the represented in red and the elephant.
The representative for the Democratic party is Barack Obama, represented in blue and the donkey.
The Super-Pacs are groups that support either party but do not run in the election, assume they are volunteer salesman for the political groups.
Yes, this is new for this election.
Now, at the elections, voters will have to pick 1 out of the 2 choices, Romney or Obama.
With the electronic voting process, all the data are compiled immediately, thus by the end of the voting session 80% of the results are ready.
No, if you are late to the polling station, no grace will be given. Usually voters have to provide a photo ID to match a list of eligible voters. Then you will be escorted to a machine which has 2 wings on the sides to shield your actions. No one can see your votes but you. The voting machines are touch screen with large print, great for the visually impaired (like me).
At the end of the voting session, a state is declared red or blue by the majority vote. If more votes are cast for Romney, the state is declared Red.
Each state has a particular number of electoral votes, some states have more than others, based on the population.
Simple mathematics, the candidate with the most votes wins the state.
Battle ground states - these are states in the Union that have a high number of electoral votes and historically determine the Presidency.
In the acute election of 2000, it was the state of Florida, when every single ballot was examined under such scrutiny that rival an election of a third world nation. We joked that the United Nations should be called in to supervise. Back to the election of 2012, electronic voting machines replace paper ballots in most of the country. (keep our fingers crossed the power stays on). The battle ground states have expanded to another state, Ohio. Yes, the mundane state of Ohio. For those overseas who jest at the flat plains of Ohio, hold that jeer. Among the corn fields and cows grazing idly in the prairie, is the new battle ground state. Ohio has a large number of manufacturing as well as the traditional agricultural industry. Both presidential candidates visited Ohio frequently over the last months, even their spouses appeared at rally for them. Most of the rally are filled with jokes and funny puns, we are not overthrowing a government or organizing a revolt. The rally are means to reach out to the common folk and are very civilized. Also employing simple mathematics, the person with the most electoral votes wins.
There are more to cover on this topic of the American Presidential Election, so I shall continue on a different day.
Dear readers overseas, don't believe what you see on the tele about the roughing of thugs at the polling stations here in the US. We are rather civilized despite the nonsense the media portray. By the way, the elections is the first Tuesday of November, until then, no one has won the election yet.
Lesson to be continued.
