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Note of Clarification: In a previous post on voting, I give the impression that I was saddened by the results of the recent election.  This is far from the case, my anger arose at new voters who haven’t yet learned that voting is usually a far more pedestrian affair and that proof of democracy is voting when you probably won’t change a thing.  Mykie Noble compared my feelings to church folk who get angry at people that appear only at Christmas.  Democracy is a dirty, messy matter where years of work culminate in a single vote that can be thwarted by misinformation, polemics, or weather.

I split my votes across 3 parties and 1 independent and I look forward to having the High Priest of Democracy that believes in the power of government.  As Rachael Maddow said on the Colbert Report “Having a small government conservative as the president is like having a vegan butcher”.  I look forward to having a velociraptor in power (normally, I’d have to send a metaphor abroad to have it tortured that much).

Actual Post: In talking with my largely conservative coworkers in the wake (some say aftermath) of the recent presidential election I’ve received a lot of curious questions ranging from the composition of the Supreme Court to powers normally wielded by the president.  I think most people are willing to give our new president the benefit of the doubt and all the McCain-Palin bumper stickers and yard signs will be replaced with ones that simply say “We’ll see”.

Not a very funny post so I’ll steal a line from Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.  Palin was panned for not being informed on world events, history and US policy.  To prepare for 2012 she’ll be moving the Governor’s Mansion so she can see a library from her house.

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While I’m somewhat certain of whom I back in national elections I’m much less certain for local ones.  Candidates blow at giving information about both their platform and government epistomology so have been searching for a voting algorithm for a few years, I think I’ve found one.

In a two candidate race, vote for the guy whose opponent sends the dumbest attack literature.  For instance, a candidate for state rep sent the following:

Chris King, is in favor of nationalizing healthcare (which he can’t do as a state rep), liberal supreme court justices (which are direct elections in PA and appointed at the national level) and wants to raise the crippling sales tax (crippling, really?  If you can’t pay six percent, I’d reconsider the purchase).

Mind you, there’s one exception.   Our local tax officer gets paid $60,000 a year and their office is open 12 hours a week.  If actuarial science doesn’t work out I’m going to run for that position on the “I’ll be open when you can actually get to my office” platform.