Tomorrow is Election Day. This is not a political blog, outside of my Advocacy for preemies, for earlier and more frequent ultrasounds for those pregnant with multiples, and for pretty much anything that will help a pregnant mother and babies. However, I do feel it is important to write about Election Day.
I consider our right to cast a ballot one of our most important duties we have as a citizen of this great country. But this is a difficult year for me. Because of the events in my life personally over the last year especially, but really over the last several years, I have found myself really changing my views on a number of issues. Healthcare in particular. Not receiving certain care that I should have had due to restrictions by insurance and then receiving almost 1 million dollars in doctors bills gives you a whole new outlook on how our healthcare system is set up!
But there are also so many other issues. The economy, the wars, the role of government in our personal affairs… and so many others. I find myself smack in the center, leaning more conservatively on some issues and more liberally on others.
Each side has done such a great job of painting the other side as such demons, I don’t trust anything I hear, and I have not had enough time to do a thorough investigation of each candidates policies and viewpoints. When the cynic in me shines through, she has decided it doesn’t even really matter because the candidates and their parties, the PACs, and any other group that decides to put information out there can say whatever they want to anyway.
However, cynicism aside, I have always, and will always value each citizens right to place their vote. It DOES matter. It matters because we need our elected officials to still fear the constituents. Our Founding Fathers held the belief that as long as the Government fears the People, we live in a democracy. However, if the people fear the Government, we are in an autocracy. By not holding the elected officials accountable through our votes, we are giving them more and more power. If we do not let our voices be heard by casting our vote, then we have made the choice to let them continue to do as they wish, without regard to an apathetic constituency that they do not fear. So let’s make them listen and be afraid!
I still have not decided who I will vote for tomorrow. I have enjoyed reading the posts written by normal people like me on both sides of the issues at Democrat Or Not? but I still have some research to do today, and some soul searching. But I WILL vote. I hope you will do the same!
Leave a Reply