It’s hard to believe that it has been four years since I wrote the essay below. I wrote it in August of 2012 and never did anything with it. By a strange confluence of events I rediscovered this last month and was amazed to see how relevant this still is today. It actually feels more relevant today than in 2012.
Our leaders in Washington have let us down and placed this country in deep peril. This can be seen in our approval ratings of Congress which have been as low as the teens. We basically have no confidence they are doing their jobs.
Now, the 2016 Presidential election is upon us and it is clear this country wants a big change. The problem is our choices are more polarized than I can remember in my lifetime. So, as I thought about it, I decided to put the essay I wrote in 2012 out there for us to contemplate. Again, I offer the challenge of showing our politicians what we really want.
My hope is that we do come together as a country and provide a clear mandate of our preference.
Here is the essay I wrote in 2012.
As you begin to read this, please be assured that I have no interest in trying to persuade anyone to vote for a certain candidate in this upcoming presidential election. While I do have my preference, I believe there is something even more critical to this election than who wins.
Make no mistake, I will be disappointed if my candidate doesn’t win, but that would only be a short term set back. The longer term issue that needs to be addressed is the apathy that has infiltrated the citizens of this country.
As I write this I am struck by the fact that I am not “Mr. Patriotic”, yet feel compelled to try and get a message out to the rest of the country to bring to light an issue that I believe can be a “tipping point” for all of us.
There is so much going on in the world right now and within our own country. I believe we have a chance to demonstrate to the rest of the world why we can remain leaders of the free world. However, this isn’t about the right political answer. It’s not about Democrat or Republican; Liberal or Conservative: It’s about voting.
As I watch what is going on around the rest of the world, the Middle East, Europe, etc. I realize how fortunate we are to have a system that gives the people the opportunity to decide on how we are governed.
I am aware of some of the flaws in our system, such as the Electoral College; however, that is relatively minor compared to the broader issue. This broader issue is about a lot of us being too apathetic to vote. We’ve all heard the excuses, the most ridiculous of which is “my vote really won’t matter.”
And, that is what brought me to write this, in hope that I can help these people see a different point of view. Yes, in the big scheme of things, one vote may not make a difference in who wins in a particular state; although, if enough of these people don’t vote, it could influence the outcome.
The more important point is to show our candidates and, ultimately the President and the world, what the mandate is of our people. If more than 90% of our eligible voters actually voted it would be clear what we want.
Yes, I know there are many reasons people vote for candidates, but that’s not important right now. What is important is to demonstrate that our style of Democracy works and we can let our leaders know where we stand. This only can happen if enough of us vote.
I would like to set a challenge for us as a country that would be a “tipping point” for the future: In the 2012 presidential election more than 90% of American eligible voters go to the polls. Regardless of who wins, at least we would know what the majority of Americans really want. And, more importantly, it would show us and the world that we are unified around our political process.
For a change, let’s take the action and show up in a way that demonstrates we are citizens of a great country and want to show our leaders that we truly care and they need to listen!
Originally written
August 27, 2012