Be an Informed Voter...and VOTE!!

As we get closer to Election Day, the hype and the accusations and denials all get ratcheted up.  I read an article the other day that made the claim that it appears people are starting to ignore the "fact checkers" because people expect the candidates to skew information, bend numbers, and offer empty promises.

Now, though that may be unfortunately true, but it does not release us from the responsibility to be an informed voter.

I heard a woman on the radio today say that she was shocked that a family member was going to vote Democrat, since most of the family was Republican.  The elderly uncle, who had fought in WWII, told her that his father had always voted Democrat so he was going to as well.  In my opinion, that is just foolish.  Not just because he is voting Democrat, but because he is doing it for a foolish reason.  Let it be noted that I feel the same way regardless of party.  What if the candidate doesn't stand for what the uncle believes in?  Does the uncle even have issues important to him?  A person should never vote for a candidate because he is black/white, by religion, by ethnic background, or simply because he belongs to a particular party.  Like Martin Luther King said, you have to judge a man by the quality of his character, not by anything else.

I have always prided myself on educating myself on the candidate and voting for the person, not the party.  I recently sent in my absentee ballot and voted for a candidate from the opposite party because I knew him personally, knew his character.  I knew what kind of job he will do.

I think it is important that we find the issue or issues most important to each of us and then find out how the candidate stands on those issues.  Is there going to be a perfect candidate...no!  Are we basically picking the lesser of two evils...probably.  But then choose the candidate that best fits your idea of an ideal candidate and vote.  It is totally useless to say, "I don't agree with either one of them so I won't vote".  If you don't vote, you have abdicated your right to complain later on.  Don't disrespect our forefathers who fought for these rights by not exercising them.

At the end of the day...you should be able to look a person in the eye and tell them you voted for candidate X because of A, B, and C.  Hopefully none of those reasons will be for anything other than issues you believe in.  So educate yourself on the candidates by maneuvering through all the BS the media puts out...and VOTE!!

I'm Mark, and I approve this message.