My one and only political post

This is my "techie" blog, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time doing politics on here. In fact, I'm only doing one, this one, and I'm only doing it because I want to use this space to advertise my voter registration button. There it is, over to the left, go ahead and click it if you aren't registered, or if you've moved, or if you are currently registered as the wrong party.

I've been a registered Green for years, but I'm switching my affiliation to the Decline to State party for this election season. In California I'm required to either vote in the primary of my party affiliation, or if I have Declined to State, I may vote in any. I intend to remain a Green after this election, but I want to vote for Barack Obama.

The button is there for you guys. If you read this blog and don't consider yourself well-enough educated to get involved in politics, you might think you aren't up to the responsibility of voting. I think this is one of the biggest reasons people don't vote in this country; they are aware that it is an important responsibility, and they don't want to screw it up. (Witness Stephen Colbert's election coverage series, titled "Don't Fuck This Up, America".)

An informed electorate is important to democracy. However, I put it to you that, if you do register right now, you are far more likely to get informed. No matter how ignorant of the issues you are right now, if you take the 2 minutes to get registered, I know you will be more informed in a month, and even better informed still in November. You won't be able to help yourself. You'll start conversations with people about how you just registered, and they'll start talking to you about issues. Thus, the act of registration itself catalyzes a better quality of democracy.

Almost half of the primary elections are being held on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, including California's primary. If you aren't sure, check this PDF calendar. Register, vote.