As I listened to TV this morning, I opined to Ed that hucksters in the commercials often used voice tones and terms that one might use when talking to a retarded child. Then I said, “Well, when I see how people vote, maybe they have a point.” I was, of course, thinking of the recent Massachusetts election and if those voters truly honored and respected Ted Kennedy and his vision, why in Hell would they ever vote for Brown? Retarded is too kind.

When we came down to Florida, we changed our driver’s license registrations to Florida to take advantage of a substantial yearly homestead tax exemption available only to Florida residents. (I was in tears driving away from the DMV because I had forfeited my official connection to NYC.) The DMV also included a party affiliation and I registered as a Democrat. Ed registered as a (oh, vomit) Republican. When I asked why, he said it was so that he could have some influence in who they ran by being able to vote in Republican primaries, and it didn’t mean he was ever going to vote for the Republican candidate.

Because he is a registered Republican, he gets mail from the RNC chairman, Steele and other party officials. Often they included a questionnaire, seeking presumably to acquire information of the status of thinking of registered Republicans. But the questions are so skewed in the way they are posed, that it is obvious to anyone with an oz. of brain (oh, wait, they are writing to Republicans) that they want to control your answer. So they obviously do not want to get honest answers, but only ones they can use to bolster an agenda already set.

Here is an example of one question:

“Do you think the record trillion dollar federal deficit the Democrats are creating with their out-of-control spending is going to have disastrous consequences for our nation?” (Ed answered “no”.)

Their use of the phrase “out-on-control” is intended, of course, to frighten the responder into a knee jerk reaction of “Oh, no, the Democrats are out of control!!! Help!!!

They also included questions regarding your position on faith-based initiatives, family values, and gay marriage. Ed did not answer evangelically.

These questionnaires are designed to be analyzed by computer and there is no way to ensure that personal comments will be seen or acknowledged. What a pity. I would have been tempted, if I were the respondent, to circle the questions concerning one’s private accommodations (faith, values, sexual orientation) with the comment that none of these issues belonged in a political assessment of voter concerns.

Well, most of you already know what I think. Now you have an insight into the way the Republican party approaches getting genuine answers. They don’t want them.

Since Ed’s responses will be part of numbers totals and most likely not looked at specifically, they won’t get the culture shock they deserve unless of course great numbers of Republican responders answer similarly.

Meanwhile, Ed ignored the section about a "most generous contribution" and did not even volunteer the $15 to help defray the cost of processing "my Census Document".

Sheesh, what an ingrate seeing as he was selected to represent Republican voters in this Congressional District.


What can I say? Way to go comes to mind.

xx, Teal