It just occurred to me that I live in an English-speaking household where I'm the only native English speaker. In case you are wondering, my other roommates are Taiwanese, French, and Dutch, it is like that movie "Auberge Espanol," except that I think my flat is much better furnished and there isn't nearly enough drama in this household to provide material for a movie, at least not a very interesting one.
The other day, I received my absentee ballot in the mail, along with an "I voted" sticker, and I was soooo excited. Never have I been this excited to put on my "I voted" sticker, but I am resisting the urge until I actually mail in my ballot. Later that evening, my French roommate asked if I knew if there was going to be some sort of rally or event on election day because that would be so cool and he would definitely want to go. I did a Google search, but the only thing I could pull up was the Democratic Progressive Party, which is a political party under fire right now in Taiwan due to the last president's (of the DPP party) embezzling scandal. Still no luck in finding an election day party.
A few days later, the Dutch asked if I was going to vote and then asked to see my absentee ballot. When he returned my ballot, he said that there were simply too many things to vote on. What do you mean too many things? Well, apparently an American ballot would drive the Dutch mad, they don't want to have to make so many choices, they would much rather elect someone to make all these decisions for them. No, no, no, that would not do in America, at least not for some things like tax hikes, bonds, building more prisons, same-sex marriage, and the like. Then we got into a discussion about the voter turnout rate, which I know is dismally low in the U.S., struggling at around 40-50%, which lamentably, is worse than India's. In contrast, around 90% of Taiwanese vote. So how does a democratic nation function when only half of its population bothers to vote? Whose voice gets heard? You can bet that MY voice will be heard, and I look forward to wearing my little sticker!
Check out the voter turnout in US federal elections
How the US compares with other democracies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout
You too can get your roll of 1,000 "I Voted" stickers...woohoo! http://victorystore00.stores.yahoo.net/roof1ivost.html
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