It is election day ! Hooray I get to speak today. My voice will be heard. There was a day when I didn't give that a thought. I just went along merrily with my life, ignoring my civic duty and then complaining. Sounds like a good number of people in this country doesn't it ? Yes, I am no different. But at some point that attitude changed. I don't know when that happened exactly, but it happened. I have voted in every presidential election since I was eighteen. The mid-term contests are the ones that got ignored. I do think this all corresponded with my understanding of government. The more I knew about how the government actually works, the more important I felt it to vote. I now know that controlling the house and senate does not guarantee your party's success, but it does get you heard. And that is the important part of the process, just getting the voice ! First you must be heard.
It is easy to become jaded with the whole process and idea. My vote doesn't count is commonly heard. The truth is that your vote does count. That is why the politicians spend so much money campaigning. If your individual vote wasn't valuable, wouldn't they target their funds elsewhere ? The real issue here is the reasoning behind that. The truth is that we live in a republic. A simple majority will win the election. That is the important part, to gain that voice. It is the first step. But in a republic a simple majority will not get legislation passed. That requires that two thirds vote that you hear about. Starting out with 50% sure is an advantage. Then I only need a portion of the opposition to agree. And that, my friends, is politics. And that is where a lot of people get confused. Contrary to what you hear in school and speeches all the time, we are not a democracy. We are a republic ! A republic means , by the people, not by a simple majority. Fifty one per cent will not cut it. Two thirds is required. You do get to vote, a voice in that process.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. That is an old saying and one that holds a basic truth. Be that squeak ! It is the malcontents that holler the loudest. It is also those that feel they have the most to gain that will be heard. That is human nature. The rest of us need to remain calm and vote ! Your vote should be a reasoned choice. What is the best course of action to be taken ? Choose the candidate that best represents your vision. They don't call them representatives for nothing. They will represent you !
That is my election day speech. Thanks for listening. And please, vote.
It is easy to become jaded with the whole process and idea. My vote doesn't count is commonly heard. The truth is that your vote does count. That is why the politicians spend so much money campaigning. If your individual vote wasn't valuable, wouldn't they target their funds elsewhere ? The real issue here is the reasoning behind that. The truth is that we live in a republic. A simple majority will win the election. That is the important part, to gain that voice. It is the first step. But in a republic a simple majority will not get legislation passed. That requires that two thirds vote that you hear about. Starting out with 50% sure is an advantage. Then I only need a portion of the opposition to agree. And that, my friends, is politics. And that is where a lot of people get confused. Contrary to what you hear in school and speeches all the time, we are not a democracy. We are a republic ! A republic means , by the people, not by a simple majority. Fifty one per cent will not cut it. Two thirds is required. You do get to vote, a voice in that process.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. That is an old saying and one that holds a basic truth. Be that squeak ! It is the malcontents that holler the loudest. It is also those that feel they have the most to gain that will be heard. That is human nature. The rest of us need to remain calm and vote ! Your vote should be a reasoned choice. What is the best course of action to be taken ? Choose the candidate that best represents your vision. They don't call them representatives for nothing. They will represent you !
That is my election day speech. Thanks for listening. And please, vote.
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