It’s almost that time again folks. Next week, the GOP establishment will invade Tampa, Florida for a week-long extravaganza of tea drinking and liberal bashing. Then a week later, the Democrats will have their own love-fest in North Carolina where they will bash the conservative agenda.
Big Whoop-Dee-Do! Every four years we hear the same rhetoric by the same people.
We’ve also heard stupid gaffes made by members of both parties. From the Joe Biden (D) “Put you back in chains” comment to the doozy that Senate candidate Todd Akin (R) made about “legitimate rape”. And THESE are the people we have to choose from in order to determine who is best suited to run our country?
Folks, we are in serious trouble.
No, I’m not telling you who to vote for. That’s completely up to you. What I am asking though is for you to do your homework and to PLEASE, PLEASE not follow blindly along based on a party affiliation. I know for many of you, that’s probably hard to do. You listen all day long to whatever is spouted by your favorite political commentators. It gets ingrained in your head and then you go into that voting booth and blindly press the “D” or “R” lever.
But here’s a thought: how about instead of just exercising your right to vote this year, you do some research first? First, find the list of candidates that will be on the ballot in your area and then actually find out what they stand for. For one week turn off Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ed Schultz and Media Matters and compile a list of the issues that matter most to you and then find out where each of the candidates stands on the issue. You have two months; I know you can do it.
In the end, you probably will wind up just voting along party lines, but at the very least this exercise will leave no doubt that you voted for the right candidate and not just who Glenn Beck or Rachel Maddow told you to.
And here’s something else to think about. Want to know just how badly these guys want your vote? By the time November 6th rolls around, these two parties will have spent close to ONE BILLION dollars (most of it in TV and radio advertisements) just to elect a president that half of the country is going to HATE. Think about that for a minute. Then think about what else one billion dollars can actually do.
It’s YOUR vote, not theirs. Make it count.
go.Jimmy.go 
Thank you for the plug to end ignorance and group-think
People have really got to start paying attention and not just being led along by what someone on the radio says.
Very, VERY well said Jim! Couldn’t agree more!
Media blitz will be in full swing soon………………indeed ………..thanks jim for the reminder not to be infulenced by others ….
Great post, Jim. I completely agree. I feel like every election is a choice between the lesser of two evils, never someone I completely believe in. Still, you feel like a loser if you don’t vote. And the money spent is revolting. Think of what a difference it could make in the lives of millions of people.
It really is the lesser of two evils. It makes me mad when I see people acting partisan every election without doing any research.
And would it hurt to use some of their PAC money to make this world a better place?
I am sorry but you will have to leave the pool of eligble voters. You seem to be too smart to cast a ballot!
I have always been amazed at how relatively intelligent people will vote straight party line without reading position papers or platforms. We, as a nation, have lost the ability to compromise and, as a result, we elect people who stonewall and belittle instead of govern.
Nice job on your blog, I have read a couple of your posts today after seeing you were “Freshly Pressed”.
Thanks Michael. I appreciate it. I’ll be checking out your blog as well. It really is amazing how people will just vote based upon what someone on the radio says.