Let’s see. I’m a Democrat, and I just voted for Obama. By Republican standards, I just broke the law. Compounded by the fact that I just did so by fax, with no photo ID.

Everyone should vote, no matter what. It’s something that Americans should do just as a matter of principle, if nothing else.

Ironically, aside from that, there was very little motivation for me to vote, as I vote in California, and in a district which is staunchly Democratic (Democratic candidates typically get about 70% of the vote), so there was pretty much zero concern that my vote would sway anything one way or the other.

However, there was one factor which did motivate me more: the popular vote. Even if my vote does not mean the difference in electing who I want for the House, the Senate, or for president, there is the factor that the popular vote is seen as a contributing factor in terms of the support of the nation as a whole—something which Republicans, who sneered at the idea in 2000, will use as a cudgel against Obama should he with the electoral but lose the popular vote.

I must have passed this place near the south exit of Shinjuku Station a dozen times, and never noticed it—until today:

This is one of those ones where you wonder if the sign is intentional…