Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Speaking for the Dead

When I saw the ballot this election, I was surprised to see that one of the positions being voted on was County Coroner. I suppose many of you were asked to cast a vote for your local coroner. For whatever reason, it didn't strike me until now:

Why is this an elected position?

What the hell do I (or the average voter) know about what makes a good coroner? Is this some sort of check and balance on whether or not we like the way that he or she pronounces people dead? I mean, I actually saw signs up around town for one of these candidates -- the whole ball of wax.

I was a little too young to remember watching Quincy. Were there ever any episodes about him trying to get re-elected?

And here's perhaps the best part: on the ballot, it actually showed the political affiliation of the coroner candidates. Can this possibly matter?

"I think this man died of a homosexual disease."

"I think he died of a lack of government-sponsored health care."

Puh-lease.

3 comments:

Kathy said...

What an excellent Orson Scott Card joke!

On our ballot, there were about twenty judges running unopposed, with the question, "Should ::so and so:: retain their job?"

I mean, what am I gonna say? There wasn't a lot of info about the judges (I looked for it). And what's the alternative if they're voted out? They appoint someone else? And I don't get to know who that is before I vote out the current judge? Seemed like theater to me.

Trundling Grunt said...

I am amazed by all these ballots that you guys have to endure - so much for a meritocracy. Someone round here what happened if you kicked all the judges off - did they get hung or something? That would make these ballots much more interesting.

GiromiDe said...

Hilarious! My ballot here in Cook County had no such position.

Meritocracy is an illusion. Public office is for sale. Placement in a university is for sale.