Vote for Your Nation

This year's attack attack ads have been brutal as ever. They may cause some to consider turning their backs and not vote. Resist that thought.

Vote.

The attack ads might make you want to vote for a third party candidate as a “protest vote.” Unless you honestly believe that the third party candidate is the best candidate (and has a real chance to win) don't consider voting for them. You'll only succeed in allowing others to choose the winner. A “protest vote” says nothing, and may just result in a truly bad candidate being elected.

If you're a single issue voter, please stop. Our nation (and our world), is an increasingly complex place, with many interlocking parts. Voting for a candidate based on a single issue is dangerous, as you're ignoring many other issues which may be equally – or more – important than your single issue.

Ignore politicians who say that they have a “simple, common sense solution” to deal with an issue or a problem. Our world is complex. There are no “simple solutions.” A politician who believes that there are clearly does not understand the problem.

Cutting taxes (for the wealthy), to solve every problem is not a real solution, no matter what a politician might say.

Explore where your candidate stands on all the issues, not just your core issues. Also consider our nation's Constitutional protections. If your core issues become become law, are they likely to pass constitutional muster?

Consider the issue of gay marriage.

Many religious leaders were (and are) against gay marriage. One of the core groups in the Republican base is religious conservatives. In addition to providing some funding, religious conservatives provide a strong block of votes for Republican candidates. It's imperative to the goals of the Republican Party that they keep these key members of their base happy, as there aren't enough rich white men to allow Republicans to win elections.

Republicans initially had great success in pushing through anti-gay marriage laws and constitutional amendments in many states. They used deeply religious citizens to supply needed votes. Clearly, the Republicans, and the voters in those states which passed such laws, were putting their religious beliefs (or their lust for power) ahead of our nation's Constitution. Eventually, the courts will reverse the unconstitutional laws.

I find it sad that some continue to want “their” religious “laws” written into our nation's laws. If allowed, what's to stop a future religious group from subjecting future generations to “their” religious laws, rather than “our” religious laws? Only by keeping our nation's laws separate from religious “laws” can our nation hope to offer religious freedom for generations to come.

Remember, when you vote, you're helping to set the course for our nation. Do you really want to vote for candidates whose party thought it was okay to start two expensive wars, while for the first time in our nation's history, cutting taxes (for the wealthy)?

Deficits were not an issue as a Republican administration was borrowing money to pay for our nation's wars - and our nation's tax cuts (for the wealthy). But, deficits became important very quickly when a Democrat was elected to be President. 

Republicans were more than willing to shut down our government if they couldn't have their way. And, Republicans even threatened to allow – for the first time ever – our nation to default on its debt, a strategy which experts said would plunge our nation – and the world – into an economic depression.

I fail to understand how voters can justify such reckless, and nation weakening, behavior by politicians that they choose to repeatedly re-elect.

I encourage voters to look closely at those politicians who claim to be patriotic and speak about supporting our Constitution, yet repeatedly act to weaken our nation and disrespect our Constitution.

Vote for candidates who will move our nation forward, not for ones who would destroy it. Contrary to the views of most Republicans, our nation is strongest when our government (of the people) is strong. Vote for country, not an for unproven ideology. 

Vote. Always vote.