Are You Registered?

Are you registered to vote in the upcoming Presidential and General Election?

The Consitution of the United States guarantees each citizen's right to participate in the political process. Some choose to run for office, while the majority of citizens 'merely vote.' I say 'merely' in a facecious tone because the right to vote is an incredible thing.

The framers our our government (the Founding Fathers) proposed a thing so completely unique that many observers doubted it would actually work...the power of the citizenery to choose who would lead them.

Over the course of the United States' history, the outcome of our elections has been good, not so good, and sometimes downright bad. Not all elected leaders at any level are exactly who they profess or try to be. The weighty responsibility an elected official has must be tremendous. I've personally known some good men and women who have served in varying levels of government, and not one of them didn't feel a terrible burden every day in office. Not all of them kept their priorities intact either. But at least they were out there trying to make things betters, and to do the best they could.

When we as a voting constituency decide that registering is too bothersome, or that getting to the polls is too much of a hassle, then we are letting ourselves, and our community down. Can you choose not to vote? Absolutely! That's your right.

But if you choose to sit on the sidelines on any election, then I personally feel that you have absolutely ZERO right to complain about the current state of politics on any level. If you want change, then you must participate--even if you are simply casting your vote; because if you don't care enough on election day, then you certainly don't care enough about any issue that affects you on a community, city, county, state, or national (and even international) basis.

Educate yourselves on the offices, candidates, and issues in your area. And PLEASE, get registered. You only have until 30 days prior to the election. Then, on November 4th, make it THE priority to get to your local polling station and utilize that awesome right (and responsibility) and cast your votes for offices at all levels.