Reading time -41 seconds . . .
Thomas Jefferson told us that,
“An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic. Self-government is not possible unless the citizens are educated sufficiently to enable them to exercise oversight.”
That means that we must educate the next generation so they can do their job. It means that we must stay informed about what is going on so we can do our job. It means that it is our job to “exercise oversight,” to monitor and enforce accountability. Now is the right time to do that. Of course, “now” is always the right time for accountability, but my reference here is about this week.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is election day. If you have not already voted, show up on Tuesday. Polls are open roughly 6:00AM – 7:00PM in most states. It is time to hold accountable those who have or would represent us and govern us. And because our politics is so broken, because big money influence is so pervasive and corrosive, our job right now is to elect those who would reform our crazy system. Many have already committed to reform.
Vote for the reformers. Here’s a link to find some.
If no candidate in a race where you vote has already declared that s/he is committed to reform, vote for the person most likely to be a reformer.
Vote for the reformers.
Nothing ls likely to get appreciably better until we get election reform. Your part is to send off to Washington and your state capitol the folks who will make that happen. Then hold them accountable.
Did I mention something about voting on Tuesday? Here’s a caution: DO NOT go to the polls alone. Bring your neighbor who needs a ride or who hasn’t been actively interested. Pick up your crazy brother-in-law on the way. Make sure your significant other does the same thing.
A while back you either took a civics class or citizenship was taught in another class. You had to pass a Constitution test in order to graduate, so I know that you know that it is both your right and your duty to vote. Do it this Tuesday.
————————————-
Ed. note: There is much in America that needs fixing and we are on a path to continually fail to make things better. It is my goal to make a difference – perhaps to be a catalyst for things to get better. That is the reason for these posts. To accomplish the goal requires reaching many thousands of people and a robust dialogue. Please help by offering your comments, as well as by passing this along and encouraging others to subscribe and do the same. Thanks. JA
Copyright 2024 by Jack Altschuler
Reproduction and sharing are encouraged, providing proper attribution is given.
2 Responses to You Know This, But Still . . .
dominick November 2, 2014
As we watch the many false propaganda ads on TV, the only hope is that the Dems mobilized enough people on the ground to help elect at least some reasonable people who also take money from our corporations. However, the problem remains that there is not a single member of Congress or any State legislature that has the courage to buck our corporate funded political system. And let’s face the fact that our corporate media toadies are not about to cut off their lucrative ad revenue by exposing the pathological liars that claim they represent the interests of the American people, instead of their corporate masters.
Jim Altschuler November 2, 2014
In California voting hours are 7 AM to 8 PM. In California absentee voting has been increasing rapidly over the last several elections, to the point where it is projected that over 30% of ballots that will be cast in the upcoming election will be absentee.
Do Californians care more about their representa-tion in Washington than other states’ voters? Are they more involved? They shouldn’t be. Every American has not only the right but the responsibility to express their opinions, to vote, for or against their proposed congressional representatives and laws that are proposed. EVERY American.
Each of us has the right to our own opinions. We don’t have to agree with one another, but we still have that right. We DON’T have the right to abrogate our responsibility to participate in the process of determining our laws and our representatives as citizens in this democracy. And anyone who fails their responsibility has no right to complain about the subsequent results.
If you don’t like what’s going on, if you don’t like the fact that people who have a lot of money are dictating the direction of this country and its laws, if you don’t like the laws that are being made or have been made, if you don’t like the way in which you’re being represented …
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! VOTE!