It should come as no surprise that the first and most important thing We the People should do to fix our dysfunctional government is vote. After all, when we don’t vote we are sending the message to our elected officials that we don’t care what they do in our name. Voting should be our highest priority when it comes to fixing our dysfunctional government.
When it comes to voting, We the People have the responsibility to make our vote an informed vote. Just like not voting, a casual vote says we really don’t care. And, haven’t we all heard someone else say that “they don’t pay too much attention because their vote doesn’t matter anyway.” Well, that is just not true! Our votes all count and the way we approach our voting responsibility says a great deal about who we are and what is important to us.
Recently, a poll showed that the approval rating of Congress was down in the single digits – LESS THAN 10%! Over 90% of us are dissatisfied and yet we send the same crop of ideologues back for another term. Doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result is a definition of insanity. None of us would admit to being insane and yet collectively we are voting as if we are insane.
Look at the voter turnout in your precinct. When you listen to the conversations around you, are the people interested in voting responsibly or are they casting a casual vote? Is your vote a responsible vote? What can you do to fix the problem?
Start by gathering together a group of friends who want to make a difference. Agree right up front that you may not always agree and that disagreement is not personal. In fact, it might be good to celebrate the disagreements because that is one of our most important freedoms here in America. Agree that the information each participant brings to the discussion will be delivered in context so that every discussion will be fair and thorough.
Study the questions that will be on your ballot. Choose the person who will best represent your interests. Try to find the choice that best reflects a preference for none and respect for all of our citizens as you consider each measure on the ballot. Ask yourself who will uphold the process defined by our Constitution and seek compromise that is in the best interest of our United States of America. Do this and you will be making a difference. Do this and your vote will matter.
The Sausage Grinder is Broken – will you help to fix it?
Transparency is the key to reduce the backroom shenanignans in government spending in less than 20 minutes to a major part of the literate and understanding world.