The Issues, No. 58 - Now's Our Chance

Election Day is next Tuesday, November 4th. It is our chance to let our politicians, particularly those in Washington, know just what we think of the job they have been doing. It's our chance to give all 435 Congressmen, 35 Senators, and the Republican administration their report cards.

For many of us it will be a time when we want them to know we are very disappointed in Congress and what it has done. We have two wars going on, a collapse of the mortgage market, and the resulting collapse of the financial industry all of which Congress is, at least, partially responsible for. So for those of us that feel Congress has let us down, next Tuesday is an opportune time for us to "throw the bums out" and vote for everyone who is challenging an incumbent. Of course, if you are satisfied with what your people in congress have done, you should vote for them.

For many of us it will be the time when we can say we are not happy with the way President Bush and his Republican administration led the country. So we can vote for Barack Obama and throw the Republicans out of the Executive Branch of the government. And, of course, if we are satisfied with what President Bush and his Republican administration has done, we should vote for John McCain.

The most important thing is that next Tuesday we vote. Maybe the most important responsibility we have as American citizens is to vote. It is our one opportunity every time there is an election to let the politicians who are up for election know what we think of their performance and our opportunity to get rid of those that aren't cutting it and replace them with those that might cut it. So, if you pass that opportunity up, you really have no business complaining about what you get. If you vote, at least you'll be able to say, "I tried". So, don't blow it! Get out there next Tuesday and vote.