My voting history

More than a few months ago Distributor Cap wrote a post about his voting history and today I give you mine. I'm not proud of the fact that I skipped a few elections, but anyway, here's how I've voted since 1980, the first year I was eligible to vote:

1980-John Anderson (Independent)
1984-Did not vote due to the fact I was too stoned and too drunk. It was my first senior year in college, what do you expect?
1988-Did not vote because I had just moved to Roanoke, VA and I didn't get my registration changed in time.
1992-Clinton/Gore
1996-Clinton/Gore
2000-Ralph Nader
2004-Kerry/Edwards
And I am glad to say that today, 10/20/2008, my 46th birthday, I took advantage of early voting here in my home county and I cast my ballot for Obama/Biden. I'm beyond elated that I voted for the men who are going to lead us out of the mess that George W. Bush and and John McCain have gotten us into. I am also glad to tell you that the line to vote early was a long one today, it was nearly an hour before I finally got in to cast my vote, and according to the voting officials the lines have been long ever since early voting began in TN last week. Long lines mean heavy turn out and heavy turn out means a Democratic victory.

If you can take advantage of early voting where you live then I encourage you to do so. If you have to wait until election day, then please make sure you get out and vote. One of the guests on Bill Moyers show the other night said that the best way to make sure that the Republicans and the Libertarians don't steal this election is to have a heavy turn out, so get out and vote people and make sure you encourage others to vote as well.

A sure sign Obama is going to win

The area of Tennessee where I live is very conservative, there has not been a Democrat elected to Congress from this area since the Civil War. The statewide election strategy for a statewide Democratic victory is win big in west Tennessee (Memphis), hold your own in middle Tennessee (Nashville), and don't lose too badly in east Tennessee. Given that type of climate no small business in this area would ever put sign up expressing support for a Democratic Party candidate, until this election that is. I nearly fainted when I saw this up at a local business near my house:
When businesses in one of the most conservative areas of the country put Obama/Biden signs in their front windows then it's, as we say down here, all over but the shoutin'. It's going to happen people, we're going to kick the Republicans asses in a few weeks but we can't get complacent, get off your butts and make sure you vote and remind every person you know to vote. The more votes we have the less likely they will be able to steal this one from us.