Go Vote

Today is election day. If you can vote, you better do it. Here are my top 7 personal reasons to vote:

1. Because you're American. America was founded on the principles of democracy, rule by the people. Sure, it wasn't perfect like the history books said it was. But it certainly gave people the freedom to change it and amend the constitution as our society progressed. However, none of that would have occurred without people stepping up to their civic duty and voting.

2. Because people have died and are still dying for your freedom. Did you have fun watching the Phillies win the World Series? Did you have fun Halloween weekend? Do you enjoy not being oppressed? These priveledges didn't come without a lot of bloodshed by Americans and to this day are only being protected from a big bad world by the men and women in our military. I think you owe it to them to carefully consider who gets the power to put them in harm's way

3. Because you live in Philadelphia, and we need to carry on the tradition. Want to stick it to New York, Chicago, Miami, and L.A.? We are a battle ground state and Philadelphia and its suburbs are at the heart of the battle. Sure New York, you got 11 million people. But we have the Phillies and the greatest influence of any major city in the presidential election. There is a reason that the liberty bell is here.

4. Because waiting in line to vote is an infinitely more rewarding experience than sitting on Facebook for two hours. Oh, Jimmy and Jenna broke up? That's cool, I just helped decide the most powerful person in the world.

5. Because this election REALLY IS important as hell. In case you hadn't noticed, America is hurting. Across the board, from the economy, to corruption, to our wars overseas, to our civil liberties, we are in danger. I don't know if you buy into the Roman Empire formula (corruption, over stretched forces, wealth gap) but I do and we are scarily close to the state of the empire before collapse. The world is changing rapidly, and America's place in it will be decided in the next 4 years. I don't know about you, but I want to make sure I put a leader in there that will keep us on top, and not fall into the pack.

6. Because your vote is the great equalizer. Michael Nutter, Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, Karl Rove, Madonna, Chase Utley, Oprah, Matt Damon, George Bush, and you. We all get one vote. You can cancel out your parent's vote. You can cancel out your annoyingly liberal professor's vote. Those talking heads on TV? Cancel their vote. The bully who pushed you off the monkey bars in 3rd grade? Well, he probably isn't voting. But you get the idea.

7. Because if you don't everything that goes wrong in the next 4 years is completely on you, and anything that goes right is no thanks to you. If 501 more people rolled out of bed and voted in Florida in 2000, just put away their ipods or magazines and went out and voted, George Bush would not have been president. Thanks, assholes. Don't be one of them. It's a group effort, and it starts with you.

If you're not sure who to vote for, here is the best, most honest article comparing them I have seen to date.


My endorsement: Barack Obama, for several reasons. First, we need a change. George Bush and his administration messed up. The Republican party, including John McCain, stood by him as it went down the drain. Guess what party stood against him the most? The democrats. The Republicans were wrong, and the democrats were right. It's as simple as that.
I also do not believe the inexperience argument. Bush's administration was an all star team when it came to having experienced people in the cabinet. From Rumsfeld to Condi to Cheney, they all had a long background in politics. However, they lacked judgement. I trust Obama's intelligence and judgement over McCain's. McCain said he was reading Alan Greenspan's book to learn about the economy. Alan Greenspan just admitted that the free market economy doesn't work as well as he thought it did, leading to our current economic plight.
John McCain stood there in Eastern Europe and honestly did not know Czechoslovakia was no longer a country, and they laughed at him. These blunders are just unacceptable for a president of the United States.

Most importantly, Obama is just the right man for the job. In an increasingly globalized world, we need the respect of foreign countries or we will fall behind. Not only is Obama favored in all but five countries around the world , but also has a better grasp of how to deal with new players through diplomacy, as opposed to McCain's hawkish view of every power rival as a military threat.
Obama also presents the country with an opportunity to hope. Many people mock this slogan, and I can see where they are coming from. Any numb skull can stand in front of a crowd and make them believe in something with fancy words. But what tangible change is there to offer? This is one of the great debates with FDR. Republicans say all of his social programs and the new deal did nothing to bring America out of the great depression, that she was saved in a way by the great war.
Democrats remember that FDR helped the country get through those difficult times with his fireside chats and his pledge to help every American put food on the table. Of course middle and upper class Americans scoff at this hope thing. However, it isn't for them, it's for the individuals working 4 jobs to keep food on the table and their family insured. It's for the family who lost their home and moved into an apartment. If you don't think America will benefit from a leader who encourages people to pick their chins up and think about future improvement instead of past failures, you're not paying close enough attention.


Go Vote.