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Your Vote Does Count
From Issue: Volume XX - Number 19
9/21/2012
By Taylor Ramsey
Now that the Republican and Democratic National Conventions are history both parties are laboring to get you and me out to vote in November. The presidential race seems to be “neck and neck” which leads me to believe all of our votes will count. How about you, think your one vote will count?
We have some recent history for review indicting voters who hold the same ideals, values and goals can come together to make a huge difference. I am referring to those who are members of, or who fall in line with, the Tea Party. Whether you agree with them or not, you must admit they “got er done” in 2010.
In November of 2011 I read an article by Tammara Phillips, who at the time was the liaison for Occupy Long Beach Civic Engagement, where she wrote quite an opinion about why her group had recently occupied a Long Beach City Council meeting.
She stated, “Many of us have come to realize that we’ve lost the power to influence our government through the old paradigm the one that instructs us to vote and to trust that the constitutional intent of people to self-rule is still in play. I wonder if we’re ready to admit to ourselves that in America we no longer have a government by the people, for the people”.
I do not believe Ms. Phillips was thinking her thoughts all the way through regarding her comment about voters losing the power to influence our government. Quite the contrary, influencing our country’s direction has been exactly what the Tea Party and voters who share their values have done! She may not agree with the Tea Party’s agenda, but she must acknowledge that in 2010 the swing in the U.S. House of Representatives changing the majority of members from Democrats to Republicans was, in large part, a result of the Tea Party’s effort.
Think about this too ... if the new Republican members of the House fail to adhere to their campaign promises they know they will face a strong possibility of losing their congressional seats in following elections due to those same “voters”. The Tea Party’s history illustrates that voters can influence the direction of our government which is a stellar example of the constitutional intent of the people to self-rule.
Before entering the voting booth I do my best to use the different media available to determine if the candidates from both sides are actually conveying the truth and whether the final outcome of their proposals will truly benefit all of us in a positive manner. Voting by “sound-bites” and advertisements on TV is a poor decision making process and can hurt us. Do proposals merely “feel good” or, when determining the bottom line, will the final affects genuinely help, do good and measure up to your values?
Please do your homework and demand as much from the people you vote for as the Tea Party and their followers do. It requires work instead of simply looking for the familiar name or feel good proposal and placing an X next to it on the ballot.
We must do our job as responsible citizens and voters before Election Day because our one vote does count.
taylor@longbeachcomber.com
Blog: www.lettertotheeditorblog.comTwitter: @TaylorPRamsey
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