Please vote if you haven't already!
Whatever someone's political philosophy, I hope that if they live in a country that allows them to have a choice in what their government does through their ballots, they exercise that right. It has not always been possible, and in some places is not today possible for citizens to have a voice in picking their leaders.
Recently we watched the Russell Crowe version of Robin Hood, which I recommend very highly for the acting and history as it told the familiar story with a twist. Some might see what Robin Hood did in turning outlaw as applicable to today. It is not. Back then a king was not elected. He had absolute power and rebellion was the only way to fight it when it was corrupt.
Today some claim that is the case with our country, the United States. If the vote doesn't go their way, they talk revolution or secession. These people even sometimes call themselves patriots but they are not. They are poor sports who don't like it when they lose and suggest a Second Amendment remedy to that. Amazingly some of them are even running for powerful offices at the same time. And that they call themselves patriots is even more amazing.
In our country, we vote. We try to persuade others when we can, but in the end, we accept that other than where the Constitution establishes the rules (and it does), the rest is up for a vote and the majority wins. It is the American way, and it should not be forgotten.
People who don't bother to vote do not deserve the country where they live. Those who talk revolution when they lose don't either.
There is no excuse for not becoming informed on the issues (and that doesn't mean through slick ads on television). Find out what these people stand for, at least read the Voter's Pamphlet, and then have the guts to take some responsibility for this country's direction and cast your vote for the ones coming closest to your goals.
Contrary to a lot of talk, we are not really a democracy but a Republic. We vote for leaders who decide the significant issues of taxes, wars, and laws (except where the Constitution has already spoken and in that case, to be changed, it must be amended like giving the votes to blacks and women). A republic depends on wise leadership and thoughtful voters to make sure it stays that way.
Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose; and when you lose, you just have to try harder the next time to encourage leaders to run who you believe can do a better job according to your values, and then convince others to vote for them.
If you truly believe in this country, you do not get out your gun when it doesn't go as you might wish! That's the way of anarchy and tyranny. You vote!
Update: I got the following YouTube off Ronni Bennett's blog, Time Goes By, which is alongside here and writes about the Saturday rally to restore Sanity and/or Fear. She had this song imbedded that Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow sang and it pretty well says all that I have heard about what that rally tried to accomplish.
We should all hope it succeeds because miserable as the next two years might be if they are filled with subpoenas and attempts to make our president look bad, the future is what is really at stake. It isn't too late to change that but it takes us changing as a people. Caring has to lead to action. Whether you believe in the tea party cause or the Democrat one, you have to stay active and be involved because nobody can do this by themselves. When we sit back and wait for results, we get what we deserve.
14 comments:
I did not watch the Stewart Colbert rally in DC this week-end mainly because I was busy elsewhere but from what I have been reading about the Sanity rally and fear rally, it was about thinking and using your head, not becoming overwrought, using logic to make choices and being responsible for those choices. I will try to catch it as it is repeated as it sounds like a message our country desperately needs-- left and right.
Some where disappointed that it wasn't more 'political'. What it sounds like it was was a call to rising up our intellect, our courage to be responsible and doing what we all said had to be done after the last election-- us doing it.
People don't tend to be that way. Left or right we sit back complacent and expect someone else to do and then we get out the pitchforks when they didn't. From what I can tell that rally was telling us all that didn't work and won't work. I hope enough Americans get the message.
I think that these rallies (of whatever stripe) are pseudo events and don't accomplish a lot. I use my intellect with or without Colbert and Stewart-the same goes for Glenn Beck. As a citizen, I feel that I have an obligation to vote. :-)
Well something needs to convince Americans that watching Dancing with the Stars is no way to get informed on issues that will impact their lives. The election this time is about a lot more than our own state but a whole direction for this country. I think sometimes people get numbed by dumb down entertainment and forget they do have a responsibility. Others will be voting. We need to be sure we are. And I think rallies like this can be important to remind people of some of these things.
We watched the rally and were quite moved by the intentions of those who had gathered. The message was very hopeful, sane, and reasonable. We plan to vote tomorrow, bright and early. Always grateful for the opportunity and the reponsibility.
I watched every single minute of the rally and loved it. I'd like to think that most of us agree with it's message. And yes, I'll be at the polls tomorrow. I double dog dare anyone to keep me away!!!
We like to say we have elected Representatives here in the US, but in reality we mostly just send the same people back to keep doing the same thing. That is why Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy, John McCain and Joe Biden had such long careers in Washington. The old Soviet Politburo had more turnover than the US Congress and they only had one guy on the ballot. But they were dying in office faster than our guys.
The founding fathers did not intend for Congress to be a job for life. You were supposed to go for 2 or 3 terms and serve and then go back to your life. Little did they know we would get a bunch of clowns in there looking to cash in for life.
It was GREAT! And I have voted! so If my votes are not in the majority I will have every right to complain. Those that do not vote HAVE NO RIGHT to complain. I told that to my grouchy Son in Law. He NEVER voted, just bitched. So when I called him on it, he shut up registered and now votes. May not always agree with him, but NOW I listen to his side.
It's called living on the gravy train Ing66 ...:-) I hate to sound cynical,but to a large extent I agree with Will Rogers when he said, " We have the best politicians that money can buy" and like you said we keep putting them back in year after year !
I watched streaming audio/video of the "Sanity" rally. I thought a video segment and Stewart's final commentary were the most meaningful and significant parts of the program.
I completely agree with their premise that people can still have strong passionate emotions and beliefs associated with their personal point of view and present their perspective in a civil manner. There is little value in name calling, raging and blustering since the only people who will pay attention are those who agree. Isn't the point to try to influence the views of others who may have a different perspective? If so, I think it would be best to engage those individuals not aggressively insult them. I'm certainly not inclined to want to listen to someone raging at me and calling me names. I doubt that most others are either.
Hooray for Colbert and Stewart trying to make that point. What they do on their comedy shows full of satire is quite different from many blogs and what ordinary people do, especially those Jerry Springer-like political shock jocks of varied political persuasion festering all over TV, especially cable -- anything for a dollar.
I can't think of an election more important or heated than this one. It is important to validate legitimate criticism of the Obama administration and also realize that the alternative is the end of a true democratic Republic. When it comes down to it we vote Democrat at the top tiers because we know that the alternative is fascism. Obama has two years to prove otherwise. Postponing the inevitable is a 'just' moral decision. Voting is our first and last freedom. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE
I totally agree, MandT. I find what the Democrats did in the last two years disappointing and look at what they have led us to as maddening. There is no alternative for me other than voting for Democrats but that doesn't mean I approve of all they have done. I just look at the alternative.
I would like a new system put in place where we can vote None of the Above. and when we do, a totally new slate has to be put up with nobody on that one eligible to be on it. It might make the parties less prone to put up candidates that infuriate us but we are currently stuck.
I really enjoyed watching the Rally on TV, but it was Jon's final speech with his analogy of cars taking turns to go into the Holland Tunnel really resonated with me.
I voted by mail a few weeks ago but I am distressed to see that so many Dem seats are going GOP. Not unexpected, but disappointed.
We just have to hope for the best.
Amen sister sledge.
I so agree and I voted too!
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