GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!

If you've been following my journal for any length of time, you know that I have very strong political convictions and opinions. You also know that I source the material presented as facts to document their validity. There is no question of the values and morals for which I stand.

But there is one very important bottom line . . . regardless of which candidate you support, I believe one of the most important freedoms we enjoy is the freedom to choose our leaders. There are so many in this world who do not have that privilege. I've personally heard immigrants from some of these countries say the same thing: "You mean you can vote, and you don't?" Wow. What an indictment of American apathy. It sickens me when the turnout statistics are released and more Americans did not vote than did. Is it any wonder Washington is in the mess it's in???? "There's no one to vote for" is an excuse I hear often. There's always someone you for whom you can vote. Anyone who can think for themselves will not agree 100% with any given candidate. I know I don't!!! But, you can find a candidate whose values and those of his/her party platform most closely align with your values and beliefs. The important thing is to vote. If we don't use it, we'll lose it. We may not think that can ever happen here, because after all, this is America. There are so many freedoms that we've lost in our lifetime alone that we never thought we would lose, because after all, this is America.

"But I'm only one vote . . . it doesn't matter." There are many, many elections that have been decided by one vote, fifty votes, one hundred votes. What if 500,000 Americans did not vote because they are only one person. This is not "what if". There ARE 500,000 Americans that don't vote because they are "only one vote." Half a million votes can decide a lot of things.

Not voting allows a small number of people to dictate who governs the rest of us.

This is the most critical Presidential election I've seen in my lifetime for many reasons. It's more important than ever that we all get out and exercise this valuable right and freedom. There's been too much blood shed and too much suffering right here on our soil for the right to vote to sit at home. There's too many sacrifices made by our military personnel, past and present, around the world to ensure that we keep our right to vote. Don't make it all in vain - VOTE!