The only thing I going to say about the Super Bowl: “wardrobe malfunction”. I’m going to remember that phrase for the next time I do something dumb and clothing-related like forgetting to zip up my fly.
Anyway, I got around to opening this weekend’s mail, and noticed that I’d received my vote-by-mail ballot for Michigan’s weird caucus/primary. (The Democrats are voting primary-style, but delegates are being divided among candidates who get 15% or more of the vote.) The vote-by-mail ballot also includes confirmation that I can vote online, but I haven’t yet decided if I’m voting in person or online. (According to the Detroit Free Press, “More than 118,000” registered for online voting.) If I vote in person, I get to vote at a local recreation center that didn’t hire me when I applied for a job. There’s something vaguely annoying about that.
In case you’re wondering, the ballot still includes all nine major candidates (they’ve been sending these ballots out since the first of the year, so it’s too late to drop anybody), plus slots for “Uncommitted” and “Write-in”. (LaRouche didn’t make the ballot — he’s even less popular in Michigan than other places.) There are also two questions (on the back!) that I’ve never seen on a real primary ballot:
1. As they relate to your voting decision, which of the following are the two most important issues in the next election?
- strengthening the economy
- fighting terrorism
- protecting the environment
- dealing with taxes
- dealing with health care and prescription drugs
- strengthening education
- urban agenda
2. How would you describe yourself in terms of party affiliation? Do you consider yourself a:
- strong Democrat
- leaning Democrat
- Independent
- other
So I guess we have an idea of how the state Party is planning to frame the issues. I really, really, hope they’re planning to more research than this.