negating election malpractice
engagement one step at a time.
I am not always the most culturally up-to-date observer as my kids will tell you. Ok, it’s worse than that: they maintain have an open text string about things Mom wouldn’t understand (obviously it’s a comprehensively fascinating topic keeping them in touch from coast to coast). I appreciate that memes and various emojis are beyond me. I don’t follow the indie music scene and increasingly get irritated at crossword puzzles that use a seemingly unending list of actors on contemporary television shows (none of which I have heard of unless they are perhaps news programs).
I do know one thing: it’s hard to find a political chasm regarding the future much deeper than what we see in the United States this year. That split is guaranteed to provoke massive misunderstanding, frustration, or anger—if not worse—between people who will be living in this country on 21 January 2025 and beyond. And I hope we will all be around to see the day.
So I have what I mean as a logical, relatively simple suggestion.
Become more than an uninterested, uninformed participant for the next ninety days. Ninety days doesn’t even have to include each and every day.
At least read the candidate websites for the local House seat to have an idea how similarly or different their positions for this election. Where does your candidate, regardless why you have chosen that individual, stand on at least two issues? I am positive the information will be available to you in your couch in the privacy of your home at 1230 am after you watch late night television rather than requiring a trip even to the postbox. Just having an idea what the person wants to enact and even a single indication of how he would get that in place is a major step in being an educated political consumer.
Ask as many questions about something you hear but don’t grasp rather than assuming the worst or best on the part of the person who issued the words. Follow up with candidates’ campaigns to ask about a proposal that concerns or intrigues you. In today’s internet world, it’s possible to do that relatively simply. If the answer you receive doesn’t make sense, ask again. The genuinely committed campaign staff will be thrilled you care. inquiring for specifics puts a successful candidate on alert that you are paying attention rather than electing that individual to do whatever strikes her fancy once in office.
Or, become involved active in a campaign if you have time. Join a door knocking campaign on behalf of your preferred Senate campaign. Become a caller for your House seat to assure your candidate’s supporters remember to vote (by November, people wish it would all go away, you know). If you are so inclined, helping the local campaign office take the recycled paper to the bin is even a task someone needs do.
If it’s not too late in your jurisdiction, undergo the education to become an election judge, one of the most sacred acts one can pursue these days as too many of us shy away from being publicly committed to institutions.
Volunteer to take one of your elderly neighbors to the polling station if he is unable to do it on his own. At least be aware who he should contact to get the person to the polling station if you can’t do it yourself.
Commit to your jurisdiction to remove the thousands of yard signs after the elections when the choice is made but the bloody signs still stand as an eyesore.
Be an active member of our community because building and maintaining our political system comes in many big and small ways.
We have outsourced too much of our individual responsibility in elections and governing over the modern era, whether to consultants, glitzy but misleading adverts, or to inertia because we don’t think it matters. Yes, we are busy but are we really that busy?
Every single vote is crucial and is a privilege of citizenship. Ask any Chinese, Russian, or venezolana living under regimes holding sham elections. But voting is only a single aspect of the political process.
It all bloody well matters a great deal. Regardless what or who we support, abdicating everything to someone else from start to finish is election malpractice on of our parts, I fear. Yes, we do not mandate election participation but we probably should also remember that if we don’t vote, we really have no valid reason to kvetch.
Without these relatively small (or grand, if we so choose) acts, we lose much chance of crafting the world we desire. Put another way, taking the most micro of steps improves our system when done 340,000,000 times.
Actions create consequences.
Thank you for reading Actions today or any other day, whether as a subscriber or occasional viewer. I appreciate any thoughts, rebuttals, questions, or suggestions you have so do forward them.
Be well and be safe. FIN