Grammar.police's girlfriend took off today to monitor elections in Ukraine. Wish her your best! For what it's worth, Ukraine could teach us a thing or two about partisan politics—the main presidential opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, was recently poisoned with ricin. And yet Susan would be the first to tell you that she's all too eager to be leaving the hell on earth that is the 2004 American presidential election, and not just for the Beluga caviar at Bessarabka. (Actually, not at all for the beluga. She'd rather try ricin. Beluga's what I'm hoping to get out of this deal.)
One reason is that the upcoming American election has come to be a target for mockery/lame-ass excuse for nations who engage in electioneering shenanigans as a matter of course. When Vladimir "Mistakes Weren't Made" Putin is sneering at us, we have problems—so if there are any lawyers, law students, or paralegals reading, I'd encourage you to check out the Election Protection Program, which trains the legally oriented among us how to serve as election monitors. It's very simple and does not require much of your time, and those of you living near minority communities or willing to travel can serve an especially important function. Now, if there are any Ukrainians reading, you'll have to explain this whole ricin situation, and while you're at it, why Osetra caviar is so much more expensive than Sevruga when Sevruga is superior. [adjusts monacle]
Posted by Kriston at October 26, 2004 2:11 AMYou better get the Beluga while you can. If Kerry wins, it won't be allowed into the U.S.
The government has temporarily decided against reducing or banning imports of prized beluga caviar, despite having agreed to list the beluga sturgeon six months ago as a species whose survival is considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act.I hope the Ukraine does better for itself than Belarus. And I hope Susan blogs about it all at some point. --s Posted by: j.scott barnard at October 26, 2004 1:35 PM
Actually, Election Protection doesn't require any legal background to volunteer, although they do have a cadre of lawyers standing by for serious problems.
My role, as probably appropriate for a 1L who knows very little about election law, is just to be equipped with information about voters' rights (in a handy-dandy handout) and to watch out for the people who get overenthusiastic about challenges.
That NYT article, incidentally, obliged me to switch from Philadelphia to Cleveland. Eh, who needs sleep? or study?
Posted by: PG at October 27, 2004 12:14 PM