A Political Rant: It's Not the Cream of the Crop, It's the Pick of the Lot!

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote - George Jean Nathan

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill

The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them - Karl Marx

The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis - Dante Alighieri

Voters don't decide issues, they decide who will decide issues - George Will
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Today was an unusual day.
It was unusual, not because I attended 2 different political forums, but because of what I heard said.

One person, a liberal, said she couldn't decide between two candidates, so she wasn't going to vote.

Another, a conservative, said she didn't like either candidate, so she wasn't going to vote.

Huh and huh? Why do these people even go to a political forum?

Not voting for any reasons dishonors our very heritage!
Our founding fathers -and mothers- fought the revolution so we could determine our own destiny as a nation!
Originally, only landed men could vote.
Then other groups, including women, were allowed to vote, but only after struggles that lasted for years.
And now they don't want to vote?
What is that about?

If we get the government we deserve, don't we deserve the best?
I don't get it.
Here we are the land of the free, and we use that freedom NOT to vote!
Amazing, but not illegal.
And, not a rare occurrence these days.
Maybe we should give tax breaks for those that vote?
That would be better than penalties for those that don't vote, wouldn't it?

But, by not voting, we are all getting penalized - every one of us!

For example, my liberal friend who couldn't decide and therefore won't vote, is essentially deferring her choice and letting others determine who will represent her.
If she's later not happy with who gets elected, whose fault is that?

Not voting at all is even worse than voting for a 3rd party candidate with no chance of winning, which allows someone she doesn't like to win out over someone who was her second choice.
Then, if she is unhappy with who is elected, whose fault was it?

REMIND YOU OF ANY RECENT ELECTION?
[HINT: Ralph Nader was the 3rd Party Candidate]

It's almost as if my liberal friend would like a chance to become a victim, isn't it?
You know, maybe by not voting, it will turn out OK.
But, if it doesn't, she will become an instant victim of the 'system'.
What an awful chance to take!

Then, let's take my conservative friend, who is not going to vote for either of the candidates because they are 'too liberal'.
I'm willing to bet this person rarely gets any candidate she's willing to vote for, who has half a chance of winning.
Sound familiar?
Know where I'm going with this?
You got it!
This one gets to be a permanent victim!
How nice.

Because no one is elected whom she can support, she has endless reasons to complain about her representation!
Now, I ask you, is that what our democracy is about?
Is that why untold thousands of brave souls have fought and died for our freedom?
So we can waste it by playing victim?

That is what my two friends have in common -they are both victims!
And, by their own choice.
Now, that my friends is true freedom!
And, its wasted.
What a crying shame.

Please don't choose to be a victim.
Not only because it might not be fun for you, but not fun others as well.
Everybody loses when enough people decide to exercise their freedom in non-productive ways.
Under those conditions, not even the 'pick of the lot' are elected sometimes.
That affects all of us.

And if we don't use our freedom carefully, it atrophies.
After enough weakening, it can die.
Then we are all victims.
And without a choice.

Please don't let that happen!

This is serious business folks, just like IKE said over 50 years ago:
'Politics is a profession; a serious, complicated and, in its true sense, a noble one' - Dwight D. Eisenhower