COLUMN: Luck be a lady on election day
Is it possible to be politically starved in Utah? With a healthy republican-voting population the obvious answer is yes. Gary Herbert and Mike Lee are leading by such huge margins it would either take an act of God or an endorsement of Coroon and Granato by the First Presidency of for Herbert or Lee to lose. And Matheson, well, there are worse Democrats that could be representing us in Washington, so my conscience is clear on the Second Congressional District. Of course there are a few tight House and County Commissioner races but for the most part, Nov. 2 in Utah will be a bore, so I took off to Las Vegas to find some political action. Aside from my beginner’s luck at the craps table and gorging at all-you-can-eat buffets, I have been feasting on the tense political climate surrounding the Senate race between Sharron Angle and Harry Reid.
I want to make it perfectly clear I am not affiliated with Sharron Angle’s campaign in any way. I am working with an independent expenditure campaign and were I on her campaign, or even not legally barred from contacting her campaign, I might have a strong word or two for those responsible for advising her to avoid the media during the home stretch of the election.
Unions and a high percentage of minorities make Nevada prime for democrats. Republicans here are not only poorly organized, but virtually have no presence. On the national scene, “Angel” is Fox News’ favorite buzz word, but all of the out-of-state donors in the world can’t get her elected if Nevada voters don’t get out and vote. That is where I come in. I have been working tirelessly on “Get out the Vote” strategies by organizing volunteers to canvas neighborhoods and pass out literature at community and sporting events. Wherever you can find locals on Halloween weekend, we are out in full force.
Word from poll-watchers is unions are rounding up all of their casino employees and bussing them to polling locations on Reid-decorated buses with the promise to pay them for the time. Other groups are canvassing black neighborhoods and taking vans full of voters to cast their ballots for Reid. Republicans have thus far not done anything even close to this scale of organized voter turnout. In my not so humble opinion, I can’t help but ask, “Aren’t these the people that should b the most outraged by Sen. Reid running their state into the ground?”
Nevada has the highest unemployment in the country at 13-15 percent, depending on which poll you look at. As just one example, Reid’s push for universal healthcare has cost casinos and businesses even more money and has inhibited them from hiring any new employees. Those hit the hardest are minorities, the working poor, minimum wage earners and the general lower social strata. All of which historically vote democrat.
Angle is not exactly my ideal candidate to pull our nation out of this spiraling mess Democrats have got us in to. However, I would much rather have someone in office who will cast the right votes, have absolutely no seniority or power, and might make some really stupid comments every now and then, versus a senate majority leader with bukoos of power to implement his extreme liberal agenda as well as a mile-long track record of costing our nation, and the state of Nevada, billions of dollars.
To all of you who think my work in another state is a mercenary act or who think I have no place attempting to influence the outcome of an election in a state where I have no voting rights, let me remind you that the decisions made and votes cast by a U.S. senator have national repercussions and affect me in little old Logan, Utah. The decision to legalize abortions, allow for gay marriage, implement universal healthcare, and end Bush’s tax breaks DO play a part in my life and I have the right to petition my government (I would also expand that to my fellow citizens) to express my views and encourage them to consider the possible ramifications of their vote before they head to the polls.
This is the election the nation will be watching this Tuesday and I will be right in the mix of it all. It will be epic and historical regardless of the outcome. In addition to my continued efforts to increase voter turnout for Angle, all that is left to do now is sit back and see which proves to be a stronger political force; the enraged tea party movement or the Obama powerhouse. My bets have been placed and I’ve doubled down on the tea party and main street America. Come on big money!
Renae Cowley is a senior majoring in public relations. She can be reached at renaecowley@gmail.com