Heather and I drug 5 children to our early voting location yesterday and stood patiently in line for an hour to cast our votes. The younger children were fine but the older children were asking why we had to endure this long line with all the babies just to vote. I told them it was our "Civic Duty" to vote. That is the short answer and the one that matches their attention span when it comes to politics.
As I was marking the little boxes I was thinking how much power there is in these little unassuming boxes. They are meaningless just sitting there by themselves on a piece of paper until we come along and provide meaning to it. They are more than a check mark in the box, they represent ideas. I understood fully why I put a check beside the names I did, it was not because I like them on a personal level, it is not because they are charismatic, it is not because of their race, it is not because their gender, it was not based on popularity, it was not based on what the news media spins about them, it was because I believe in the ideas behind that check mark.
Yesterday I voted for all of the unborn children that will never have a voice because their life was ended by the choice of a politician, their collective voices were heard through my marking of an unassuming box. The next President will appoint at least one and perhaps 4 Supreme Court Justices in their first term in office. This is the arena where the fate of these unborn children will be decided. I voted for a smaller government which means spending less and taxing less allowing us to keep more of our money in our pockets and letting us decided what to spend it on. I voted for bringing our troops home in a way that will leave a democratic and stable government in Iraq so that my children do not have to fight this war again. I voted for the protection of our homeland without the depletion of our freedoms. I voted against the redistribution of wealth. I voted against socialized healthcare. These are some of the things that these boxes mean to me. Rather than looking at the people I looked at the ideas behind the people. I know what the boxes mean to me and I hope as each American goes to the booth they know what the boxes mean to them and are not just making the boxes about who they like because they look good on TV, or that they are so disappointed with Bush that they are simply voting against him. The boxes have ideas behind them and the ideas affect us all. I am not telling you who to vote for just to make sure you understand the ideas behind the vote or don't vote at all. Vote with wisdom and knowledge.
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2 comments:
well, I am being honest. I really am not looking forward to another 4-8 years of an uncharismatic leader. You and I disagree on some political issues and it makes us better. I am completely 100% against biased media, even the red media. That is why I always ask you when you tell me stuff in the news I am missing, "Ok, what is your source?" I am proud of the way you have started thinking about political issues without allowing biased media to frame your outlook. We should always be sure we are getting the whole story, even if it means we have to read it on Fox news and read it again on CNN.
I did find some time to investigate the candidates. I didn't vote for McCain because you threatened to leave me on the curb if I voted for Obama. I voted because of the supreme court justices.
I'll never forget the first time I watched Clinton give a State of the Union address. You were out with the band and your groupies (what was Jon's stalker's name, Vaughn?) so when you came home I was like, "This Clinton guy is awesome! He is going to do this, this and this!" You were like, "Heather, oh dear impressionable girl. First of all he is charismatic and he makes people feel good no matter what he says. Second of all, 90% of what presidents say never comes to pass b/c of the power congress holds."
That stuck with me. So this year I have been thinking, "Does it matter what the president is for or against really? It matters more who is in congress. How many brilliant ideas of presidents got shot down before it even went to congress? If our president is just going to be a talking head, why not have a charismatic talking head again?" I find Barrack and Michele very interesting.
Why I could not check the Obama box was because of the high likelihood of several supreme court justices being appointed. These are people with real power. Imagine if they overturned RvW? Just IMAGINE!
I looked at all the issues and sided more with McCain than Obama. I don't know if it is going to ultimately matter if it is a democratic congress, but I have to vote with conscience.
Since I have become a foster parent and deal with standardized health care and the inefficacy of the government every honkin' day, I would be so disappointed to have a standardized, government run healthcare system. Something needs to be done, but that is not it.
And ultimately, it comes down to the life of children. Bottom line.
So thanks for driving me to the poll even though you had no idea who I was voting for.
do we really have to bring up that crazy chick all the time? Really??
Good Read Bro....Still not sure you're really my brother writing this good but, whoever you have writing it (Heather...wink wink) it's good stuff. Keep it up
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