My state had it’s primary yesterday (May 6th) and, for the first time, I worked the polls. It turned out to be a fantastic, but grueling experience. I got to work with some amazing people who live in my area. These people were very friendly, intelligent, and politically engaged. It’s great to know that there are others who not only care about politics on all levels (not just the national level), but do something to assist the process.

My only disappointment was that there weren’t more young people involved in the process. I was the youngest by at least 25 years and was less than half the average age of everyone there (there were seven others). Even at my training, where there were about 30 people, I was the 2nd youngest (there was one inspiring young woman there who couldn’t have been more than 23) and likely the only one there in my 30s. It’s been said many times before, but usually with respect to voting: the democratic process needs younger people!

Here’s why. The electoral process is slowly modernizing. Here in NC, we already have electronic voting machines (with a paper trail). This election was the first time they had an electronic registered voter database. Every other person there, despite having the same training and more years of experience, would not have been able to successfully run that machine. Furthermore, most of them knew this. This is because they didn’t grow up with computers. They have little familiarity with how they work. It’s not just a matter of comfort level. Most of them don’t even have email address, yet they were expected to run (if not understand) a databasing system. Our nations youth have grown up with computers around them. They understand them and are familiar with them. Most of them would have had no problem learning and using the new system.

The above image is created and licensed by Danny.

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The above comic is created and licensed by Rudis Muiznieks of Cectic.com.

I just love Cectic.com. They even have a cool shirt you can buy now.

It’s official: G. W. Bush is the worst president ever as measured by his disapproval rating. According to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 71% of Americans disapprove of how he is handling his job as president. This is well above every presidents’ disapproval ratings in every poll of this kind in history. It’s even lower than Nixon’s disapproval rating just prior to announcing his resignation. In other words, Americans distrust President Bush more than they distrusted Nixon at the height of the Watergate scandal. Perhaps it’s because Watergate didn’t result in the deaths of thousands of American soldiers and tens of thousands of non US citizens nor did it cost trillions of dollars. Amazingly enough, his approval rating is still higher than the lowest experienced by Nixon (and Truman).

Okay, so polls aren’t necessarily the best way to objectively (or accurately) measure the quality of a political figure. Furthermore, it tells us what we already knew: Bush is unpopular. But at least America is waking up to what foreigners have known for year – Bush is one of the worst presidents ever.

The image is created and licensed by Brian Sims.

That’s right! It’s been five years since IV Day, when our president declared in his historic speech “…my fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.” On May 1st, 2003, America avenged the deaths of September 11th with such efficiency that we even vanquished a dictator who had absolutely nothing to do with it!

It’s easy to forget this day, having grown so comfortable in our half-decade of peace and prosperity. Please don’t forget this victory that signaled that Iraq was safe for us to rebuild. Had we not had such a decisive win, American soldiers may well have been dying in Iraq to this day! Thankfully, this did not come to pass and cries of “Allah bless the US!” can be heard every where American tourists go in Iraq.

Don’t let others forget! It’s your patriotic duty to wish everyone you see today a Happy IV Day!