Why I Didn't Vote

I realize that a huge price was paid so that I could have the right and privilege to let my voice be heard by voting.  As a woman, this is especially true since this is a fairly new development that gave credence to me as a woman.  That being said, this is not something I take lightly. My decision was not apathetic or lazy, but it was well thought out and carefully considered.  By not voting my voice is still being heard, my ballot has been cast and I chose no one.  I am not going to cast my vote for something I do not agree with.  I am not going to vote for the sake of voting. 

However, no longer is my ability to make my voice heard limited to the ballot box.  There are so many forums that give place for me to stand on my soap box.  It does not matter to me that congress, my governor, nor any of my elected representatives will ever read this, or even if they do that it would ever influence them.  I am but one person and I cannot and refuse to offer that which they crave, power and prestige, for I have none.  Yet even if I had any it would not be mine to give away.  I feel both are to be earned and simply being elected is insufficient in to grant you either.  You may wield power temporarily, but that is not true power, it is fickle and waning.  Once you leave office that power is gone and unless real power has been earned your influence ends when you are voted out. 

I am tired of choosing the lesser of evils.  Politicians no longer represent the American people.  It is not my interests they are concerned over.  They care more about preserving power than doing the right thing.  By right thing I don’t mean voting one party’s line or the other.  I may not like the stance you take, but I would still consider it the right thing if you stick by your guns and fail to be swayed by special interest groups whether that special interest group is conservative or liberal.  It is your community that you represent.  I don’t really care what the other guy did or didn’t do.  I care about what you did or will do and not just empty promises.  Don’t promise me the world if you can’t deliver.  You may or may not be able to effect change, but I do expect you to have a back bone. 

An election is a mere popularity contest, the man comes down from the hill to mingle with us common folk and then once elected returns to the top of his mountain and forgets the ones who put him where he is.  Tell me how a career politician is in touch with the needs of Main Street or understands the goings on of Wall Street?  They are largely untouched by the decisions they make as they know the ins and outs and how to work the system they create.  If it is such a good thing for America, why is it not good enough for you? 

Unfortunately the kind of people we need in politics are those people who are turned off by the process and the political games.  If ever they do venture and make it, it is not long before they too like the rest forget what it was that got them where they were in the first place.  That kind of power corrupts and if a cucumber sits in brine long enough, it will become a pickle regardless of his intentions.  There is talk of term limits and other measures, but we forget the power to make those decisions is the hands of those who will stop at nothing to protect the power they have.  Is a career politician really going to vote or even consider bringing a bill that will diminish the power they so crave?   

Politicians care about power and once they get a taste they don’t want to let go.  It becomes a quest and they will stop at nothing to get it.  I am sick of back room deals and closed doors.  You represent me remember?  Are you afraid I might find out what is really going on?  Well I hate to tell you but you can keep no secret.  Eventually your hidden works will become known.  I understand the sensitive nature of some tasks our politicians deal with but not everything is equated with national security and requires a closed and padlocked door. 

So no I didn’t vote and I will continue to not vote until you give me something worth voting for.

PS I do not absolve myself of liability of having something worth voting for and I do realize that not only candidates are on the ballot.  In the future I may consider voting on just the issues and not the politicians, but I have to give that more thought....