My Final Thoughts on the 2012 Election

Every election year, I've been writing a pep talk of sorts to the American people. That may sound grandiose, but during a contested election it helps me put the whole ugly process into perspective, and with any luck I'm helping you as well. It seems every election has grown in importance and cruciality since the last one, and the need to our faith in the state of the nation via voting constantly grows more imperative.

With Decision 2012 looming near, a fair percentage of the nation is pretty distracted. Hurricane Sandy and the lingering superstorm has caused great duress along the eastern seaboard, providing a sobering alternative to non-stop election coverage. When compared to the petty bickering and character assassination that dominates modern politics, the endless cycle of lies looks petty and irrelevant when you see the damage done in Staten Island and certain parts of New Jersey and Delaware. From the perspective of a native Illinoisan, separated from various natural disasters by hundreds of miles in every direction, part of me wonders whether I'm lucky to be where I am, or if a comparable tragedy is overdue. I'm don't feel I'm the right mindset and more than likely neither do you.

With that said there's an old saying that when if you don't vote, you lose your right to complain for the next four years. In today's polarized political arena, that couldn't be more true. For every person that intentionally stays home, a tiny sliver of democracy dies. Public opinion of President Obama and Governor Romney borders on apathetic, and their support mostly begrudging, but we have to exercise our right to vote regardless. The stakes are too high to pretend to not pay attention.

This will probably be my last missive before the election, so I implore anyone reading this to vote on November 6th. Regardless of your opinion of either presidential candidate, the fate of the nation rests in the hands of its people. As exasperating as the current establishment may be, you have to believe in America, and this is the best way of expressing that faith. Is our country better off than it was four years ago? You can tell me on Tuesday.

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