I know, I know. I really debated on even writing this piece, and I KNOW it's going to spark a WHOLE LOT of controversy. But this is my blog, my thoughts, my place to vent, and my opinion. I don't EVER believe any of what I write is anything more than that. So please do not be offended by what I'm about to write. No, I did not vote this year. I had several people ask me if I did. When I responded, "No. I'm not voting" the look on their face was that of pure shock.
There were several reasons I didn't. The first was that I'm so sick of picking the "lesser of two evils". If one more person I talked to said, "well, what's the alternative?" I may have actually slapped them. I mean come on! Why should we as Americans settle for mediocrity at this point in the game? We are a nation that is crumbling, who's priorities are sidelined, and yet we continue to elect politicians who are so corrupt, that I'm starting to question why we don't let some of the animals housed in our prison system back on the streets? Honestly, it's no wonder other countries shake their heads at us! I am too!
The second reason I didn't vote was because I never feel like I have the correct information to make an educated choice. The ads on TV are so grossly misleading and the materials written for us to read are long and overwhelming. I'm a single mom of five. The last thing I want to do is sit down at night and read a LONG dissertation about some crazy politician that makes a bunch of promises he or she can't keep. Let's face it, the reality is that all the other crooks we elected can't get their shit together and actually make decisions that could help our nation and economy. Why aren't the members of Congress taking a pay cut? I bet they aren't worried about where their next meal comes from, whether they will have a roof over their head tomorrow, or whether their family will have health care. We have schools that are laying off teachers left and right, soldiers who aren't paid squat, police and fire squads running at bare minimums, small business owners trying to figure out how to keep employees and afford medical care, and towns ravaged by storms that have left families with nothing. Nothing! Yet a couple of politicians can raise BILLIONS for a campaign????
Someone please explain to me how two people can spend BILLIONS, yet can't pull a nation out of debt? Nothing makes sense to me when it comes to politics. And ALL of it disgusts me. The kicker for me is not only the ridiculous childlike mudslinging of grown men, or the blatant twist of wording in speeches, but the fact that the media makes it seem like if we don't live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Florida, that our votes don't count anyway! Or one step further? The fact that the Electoral College actually determines the President NOT the popular vote! Something just seems so wrong about all of that. Maybe I'm missing something. Or again, I'm not educated enough in politics to understand the whole process. But it sure seems to me that my vote actually DOESN'T matter?
And someone PLEASE tell me why we have the most archaic voting system in the world? And why we have to hear election after election about some state that counted wrong or ballets holes were misaligned? In this age of expanding technology, there has to be something more accurate.
I'm just frustrated with the whole system. I'm frustrated with every crooked politician. I'm tired of settling. I'm tired of my hard earned money paying some politicians kid's education instead of going for my own kids. I'm tired of hearing about all the wasted tax money going for some lavish business trip or meeting. I'm tired of hearing about prominent officials affairs, security breaches, and over the top expense spending. I'm tired of hearing about money being wasted on different laws and bills tied up in our government. Politicians remind me of selfish spoiled rotten children. They want the most toys, the best toys, and they don't care who they hurt to get them. They want their cake and to eat it too. Well what about the rest of us who just want the best for OUR children? I want to know that EVERY soldier is paid properly for protecting my family day after day. I want to know that EVERY teacher has the best tools to give MY kids the best education. I want to know that there are ENOUGH police and fire fighters to protect my family ALWAYS. I want politicians to realize that their priorities aren't in line with average hard working families. I want them to start making choices that affect us positively and not keep putting us in the spot light of over-the-top-thrifty-all-about-me spending. I really don't think I'm asking or saying anything that most people aren't already thinking. It's just MY thoughts written down so that maybe, just maybe, I can find an unbiased answer for me My hope is that next time there is an election I CAN make an educated vote and one that I feel actually matters and counts.
