THE FRINGE

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Democracy

It’s amazing how well democracies are governed considering how little time the average citizen spends on getting informed on the issues and candidates.

Only a few electors actually meet the vote-seeker, even a candidate who is diligent with door-knocking. Turnouts at all-candidate meetings are low and rallies of the party faithful are just that.

“I would have voted for Blotz but he looks just like that nerd whose farm is fence-to-fence weeds.”

“We had six candidates and I didn’t know anything about any of them so I voted for Myra Bell because she has a nice smile.”

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Producers face the reality of shifting grain price expectations

Significant price shifts have occurred in various grains as compared to what was expected at the beginning of the calendar year. Crop insurance prices can be used as a base for the changes.

“Smith says he will reduce taxes and build us a new school and I’m in favor of that.”

“What this country needs is more jobs but not petrochemical or nuclear or forestry or heavy industrial or strip mining or fur trapping or sealing or non-organic farming. But I can’t find any candidate who is in favor of all that.”

Voting used to be based on the assumption that we were illiterate. We marked our ballots with an X rather than a “yes” or “this one.” Now counting is done electronically. Does this say something about the counting ability of today’s returning officers?

Instead of an X we have to fill in an oval next to the favored candidate’s name so that the computer can read the choice and tote it up.

My teachers used to bawl me out for filling in each ‘o’ in my textbooks. Now it is part of our sacred democratic procedure.

Let’s see now. We have two blondes, four brunettes and seven bald guys on the board now.

Let’s vote for the redhead.