We’ve likely all heard the old saying, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.” Well, it sure looks like there are far more complainers than voters right now. The complainers seem to have it all figured out, they know what “we” need to do to fix all our problems. Sure, you bet. My dad used to have this goofy saying “They had all the answers, but they didn’t know the questions.” That silly one-liner may apply today, what is the real question? I think the most important question we face is why the heck don’t more people vote?
Voting is much more than a justification to complain, it’s about taking ownership in what’s already yours. As American citizens we all have a stake in how we govern ourselves.
Most of us were born with that small slice of ownership, so we may not think much of it. Look at it this way, if you own your home, do you participate in the upkeep? Do you try to improve its value? Do you take pride? Citizenship works the same way. The Founders put a system in place that gives all citizens a real, tangible opportunity to be part of something much bigger than themselves, to be part-owners in something they can be proud of, our system of democracy, or our constitutional republic, to be more specific.
Here’s the catch, citizenship comes with duty. The largest and most basic part of that duty is to vote. To me, it’s Personal Responsibility 101. Please stake your claim in our democratic process and exercise your right to vote. I firmly believe that the more people that vote, the better the end result. I just ask that you make a responsible effort to make educated choices. In today’s age of smart phones and Google searches, there is no excuse to be uneducated. Don’t let your voice be bought off by the partisan PAC money that has poisoned our politics. Make your own choice; you will feel better if you do.
The vast majority of people appreciate and admire the sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country. Let’s try to emulate their sense of duty by fulfilling our duty as citizens and voting on Nov. 6.
