On Politics

So you know who I'm defriending next on Facebook? The next person to write, "OMG, I'm hiding all of these political posts because I can't believe my friends have opinions!  And they are DIFFERENT than mine! #IDontCareAboutPolitics. Except enough to want to defriend you over it."

And after that?  The next person that posts this e-card on their Wall:

From Someecards.com

Did you really think that your friends were mindless dolts with no relevant thoughts?  Were you not aware when you hit "accept" that these people might not share the same beliefs, thoughts, or political views?  If you hate their personalities, why are you friends with them anyway?

The third group that may lose the illustrious title of my Facebook Friend in this Election Year is the group that continues to post something along the lines of, "Like your Facebook status is really going to change my mind!"  Am I the only one who believes that debate and the exchanging of ideas and information is what will move our country forward and get us out of this Partisan Disaster?  What's wrong with reading an article on someone's Wall and saying, "I feel that is biased because it was reported by XYZ News Outlet...here's a post from the other side."  Or, "Here's the full text of Candidate A's comments, if you read it all, you will see that he is misquoted in this snippet that you posted."  Or better yet, if you're the one that posts a misquoted snippet and is called out, wouldn't it be nice to respond, "Oh wow, I see how those words were misconstrued or taken out of context."  And finally, if you really disagree, "That's against how I feel or believe, but to each his own, maybe if you understood where I was coming from you would understand why I feel this way.  Perhaps we could talk about it sometime." If we insist that what we believe is always right without listening to other opinions, we will never achieve compromise or progress, in my opinion anyway.

And for those of you in the #IDontCare camp...shame on you!  Perhaps you should move to a Communist Country where you don't get to have an opinion since you're happy to move along in his world without a thought.  We live in the Greatest Country in the World!  One where our candidates can argue on a public stage, broadcast by multiple TV networks for the entire nation to see, and then shake hands at the end.  While there are some that will disagree with me here, I don't believe for one second that you decide to run for President of the United States of America if you don't genuinely believe that your ideas are what is in the best interest of this country and it's people.  Here's the deal, we only have two candidates with a chance of winning...one of them will win...which means one of them will be leading us Americans.  Have a say, will ya?

Many people say they don't vote or can't choose someone because they don't fully agree with either candidate.  Unless you actually are that person, NO ONE believes everything their chosen candidate says or does is what's best.  But you don't need to vote for someone because you share all of the same ideas, you just need an educated, logical reason.

So here are my suggestions on how to be part of the system without me (or anyone else who gives a damn) dropping you from our friend list:

1. Think about two things: What issues matter most to me? and What issues matter most to this Country?  (There are many items to choose from: Foreign Policy, Health Care, Citizens' Rights, States' Rights, Unemployment, a Balanced Budget, Women's Rights, Gay Rights, Gun-Owner Rights, Agriculture, the Environment, Public Health...and so many more.)  
2. Once you have a priority list, do some research as to which candidate seems to have a plan that is aligned with your belief system.  (Word of caution here: In the month of October, candidates are trying to win over people "in the middle" so answers you find in the media might be a little vague.  A quick trip to the candidate's website should clear things up.)
3. Choose the candidate that seems to have a plan to help you with the issues you've chosen as your top priority!  It's okay if you're split on #1 and have to go down your priority list a little further, it can happen.
4. GO VOTE!  On election day you don't need to disclose to anyone who you voted for, but you will know that you voted for someone based upon your priorities and beliefs.  Should someone ask you and you wish to disclose you can confidently say, "I voted for Romnibama because I support X and he does too." Or, "I think Obaney's plan for job growth will positively impact the industry from which I am currently jobless."  
5. Do not judge those who voted for a different candidate than you did, they have their reasons and priorities as well.  Perhaps you can even have a discussion about why you each voted the way you did so you can achieve a greater understanding of the other.
6. Don't whine if things don't go your way.  Don't threaten to move to another country (unless you are the a fore mentioned thoughtless, absent-minded person that posted #IDontCare, then by all means, go on not caring somewhere else.)  Just because one party wins over another, it doesn't mean that your thoughts and ideas are gone now too, it just means that you need to continue to be involved about what matters to you and how the political system can help you as a citizen achieve what matters to you.

Now get to it!  Below are cheat-sheets to help you with item #2.  You don't even have to use Google. 

http://www.barackobama.com         http://www.mittromney.com