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Ugly Ducklings Get Roasted
There's a certain member of my family who doesn't vote. I won't mention his name, for fear of retribution, but he knows who he is. He's the ugly duckling of the family. He claims that one vote doesn't matter. He says he doesn't want to vote for any candidate, because they're all sneaky, lying politicians. As ridiculous as that theory sounds to dedicated voters like myself, it's not all that ridiculous to the majority of Americans. Many people make the same decision around election time. But in my eyes, you can't give up on democracy just because of a few bad apples. Sure, politicians sometimes have to go back on promises, or go against what a lot of people want, but that's what happens when your job requires you to make tough choices for others. Most people only pay attention to politicians when there's a big issue at stake, and most big issues are split fairly evenly among the voting public. So think about it: half the people want better roads (requiring a gas tax increase), and the other half want lower gas prices. No matter what the politician's decision is, roughly half their constituents will be upset. That's a tough job to have. Don’t get me wrong. I'm not here to defend the politicians. That's what they have public relations people for. I'm just trying to show non-voters that if you don't study the issues and vote, you're not even giving yourself the chance to be satisfied with your government. But if you look at the issues, find out what's important to you and vote accordingly, there's a chance the person with views most like yours will win. If they do win, then you'll have a lot less to get mad about over the next few years. Voting and having your candidate elected is a genuine stress reliever that won't cost you a dime. All you need is three minutes out of your day to go and vote. I know some of you have a different problem: you don't want to be labeled as "liberal" or "conservative." Well, nobody requires you to become a Democrat, Republican or Independent. You can switch back and forth as much as you like. I'm one of those "bleeding heart liberals," and even I don't mind if you switch back and forth In fact, I encourage it. People who vote based on each candidate's merits make a stronger democracy, because they're always weighing their options. So what are you waiting for? Mark November 5 on your calendar, browse a voter's guide (which we conveniently provided for you in this issue), and get ready to mark your ballot. If you don't, you'll be stamped as an ugly duckling for the next two years. And in this case, the ugly ducklings don't become swans in the end. They just get roasted.
(Want to see what the column actually looked like when printed in the newspaper? Click here.)
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