The Vote
A lot of us take for granted the many amenities we enjoy every day. Many have given up on voting because they think their one vote won’t matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Local elections are sometimes won by just one vote. The results impact our financial future.
I have among my many historical letters and documents a letter dated October 18, 1909 from the Democratic State Central Committee, M. V. Brewington, Secretary, appealing for Democrats to get out and vote. A hundred years ago, most people who voted did so down strict party lines. Either you were a Democrat of a Republican. This letter goes on to say that the Democratic party in Wicomico County stands for progress, good roads, good schools and low taxes and entreats fellow Democrats to get out and vote or else the election could fall into Republican hands with their 1400 negro voters which control the destiny of that party. Apparently, much unlike today, the Afro-American community was largely behind the Republicans. Much of this was because Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.
This shouldn’t make any difference at all these days. We should vote for someone with a proven track record that is going to be fiscally responsible with our tax dollars. The campaign brochure accompanying this letter has ten short biographies of the candidates vying for the various offices. Most fall into the “windbag” category of heralding their virtues. Nowhere in there is mention of past accomplishments beneficial to the taxpayers. We should be very careful of “false prophets” with their promises. What should matter is looking back on their accomplishments and deciding if that is the best path to a prosperous future for us.
Politicians have not changed much over the years. They make great promises; tell us what we want to hear. But we should be keenly aware of who has been a truly financial watchdog and has a proven track record. No matter how good a politician has been, they can’t help us if we do not vote them back into office. I think we have all had a bellyful of “change”. Sometimes the fresh face and smooth talk are not the change we want or need. Politicians want power and that doesn’t always mean their constituents will get a better life. Look at past accomplishments to see what a candidate has brought to the table and will more than likely continue to do so.
But the important thing is that everyone casts their vote. It is a freedom and a right that many men have fought and died for. The turnout at the polls in this country is abysmal. We should be ashamed that so few people exercise this precious right. Remember, if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about the state of affairs.
4 comments:
As it stands,we in America have the right to vote or not to vote.That comes with no penalty for doing either,but that needs to change.Anyone who chooses not to vote should be deprived of something.I'm not sure of exactly what that something should be,but it should continue until the subsequent election,when they would be given another chance to vote.If they again chose not to vote the deprivation would continue until the next election and so forth and so on.Legally they could refuse to vote,but it would not be in their financial best interests.
Remember, FREEDOM is the right to vote AND the right NOT to vote.. Personally, I would be happy to know that some certain people did not vote. You can't fix stupid.
I still believe we should be given the option of none of the above! Sometimes we are only given a choice between two (we)evils, by chance 'none' wins then new candidates need to be put up for the people don't want who the parties are backing!
During the 1950s and 1960s there was one primary difference between the USA and the Soviet Union: In the USA the people had a right to abstain.
My guess is that 9:18 remembers that difference, but has now immigrated to the USA.
Our government is totally corrupt and illegitimate. It no longer pretends to be restricted by the US Constitution.
Our ONLY option now is to abstain.
To participate at this stage of history is to provide confirmation of legitimacy.
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