Vote.
Someone recently told me that he/she refrained from voting because, "they are all crooks." Another person claimed that they, "all lie." There are so many sides to the "American" coin and there is no panacea for all problems. But if you say that you won't take a stand, for the country that provides you with all of perfections and imperfections you have been blessed with, simply because they are all liars or crooks, that sounds like cop-out to me. I'm not an openly political person and I won't sway you in any direction except to have a legitimate reason to take action but, will admit that this post was inspired by Michelle Obama's speech on 9/4/12.
The political landscape is mired with complications, is frustrating, filled with corruption and other "wonderful" human characteristics, will never be perfect, is expensive, and is exhausting; and for those reasons, in the past, I did not spend the time to research the agendas of political hopefuls or vote. I used the same excuses. They are crooks. They are corrupt. They are idiots. They liars. And if these were all true, by my negligence to vote, I put them in office.
Today, I vote. And sometimes, the people I vote for don't win. Double U, T, Eff?! Imagine that! I mean this is another reason why I shouldn't vote, right? Wrong. In the process, I learn valuable things like the state of our economy, health care mandates, gun control concerns, ideals of same-sex marriage proponents, our relationship with the rest of the world, job market, taxes, capitalism, socialism, small businesses, big businesses, the world energy crisis, and so much more. Does it make me worldy? I believe so. Are some of these topics daunting and bigger than I? They are. However, do they affect my actions as a citizen in the U.S.? As a health care professional? As an avid beach-goer? As a friend? As a son? As a homeowner? As fellow driver? As a small business patronizer? As a day dreamer? Absoltively. By me taking an initiative to vote, I begin a small chain reaction. It makes me a better person. It changes the course of my actions. It makes me more aware. So take a stand. Be a Republican. Be a Democrat. Be otherwise. Whatever you do, be informed and DO SOMETHING. Vote.
The political landscape is mired with complications, is frustrating, filled with corruption and other "wonderful" human characteristics, will never be perfect, is expensive, and is exhausting; and for those reasons, in the past, I did not spend the time to research the agendas of political hopefuls or vote. I used the same excuses. They are crooks. They are corrupt. They are idiots. They liars. And if these were all true, by my negligence to vote, I put them in office.
Today, I vote. And sometimes, the people I vote for don't win. Double U, T, Eff?! Imagine that! I mean this is another reason why I shouldn't vote, right? Wrong. In the process, I learn valuable things like the state of our economy, health care mandates, gun control concerns, ideals of same-sex marriage proponents, our relationship with the rest of the world, job market, taxes, capitalism, socialism, small businesses, big businesses, the world energy crisis, and so much more. Does it make me worldy? I believe so. Are some of these topics daunting and bigger than I? They are. However, do they affect my actions as a citizen in the U.S.? As a health care professional? As an avid beach-goer? As a friend? As a son? As a homeowner? As fellow driver? As a small business patronizer? As a day dreamer? Absoltively. By me taking an initiative to vote, I begin a small chain reaction. It makes me a better person. It changes the course of my actions. It makes me more aware. So take a stand. Be a Republican. Be a Democrat. Be otherwise. Whatever you do, be informed and DO SOMETHING. Vote.
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