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I don't vote for my tax bracket.*
I vote for the disenfranchised.
For the people who need welfare, and abortions, and education, and public transit, and public library access, and free museum entry, and HELP. For the left behind, who have no choice.
I also vote for those with choice, who have chosen to make more with less (teachers, artists). I vote to give them help in whatever way it is needed (better benefits for them and their students, grants, endowments, sponsorships and patronage of all kinds).
For judges = I print out reviews from the Woman's Bar Association of Illinois, and the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, which are OBVIOUSLY groups that evaluate based on the best interest of minorities. I am barely a minority (white female, doh) but as I said before, I vote based on their interests, not my own. Do I need marriage amendments or health (and death) benefits for same-sex (in some states unable to be married) partners or the right to be treated just like anyone else? No. Either I've already got those or they're not part of my life. But other people need those things and are being kept from them IN MANY STATES. Any judge those groups vote no for, I vote against.
For president = I vote on education and intelligence. And the fact that in EVERY election over the who-even-knows-how-long-but-let's-say "24" years, candidates have had to apologize for their education and make it seem LESS important is complete bullshit. Do not EVEN get me started.
The smarter and more learned you are, the more likely you are to be charitable, to be curious, to find out the most you can, and to make good decisions on both your behalf and others. This is an OBVIOUS effect of education and if you didn't have the chance yourself, you should want it for your children. Or other people's children.
And yes, I could have voted early for weeks now in Illinois. I like to vote on the day. I've got the time.
*If you're poor = it should go without saying that YOU SHOULD vote for your tax bracket. It's in your best financial interest; sadly there IS a point at which money makes the difference. Unfortunately in the past two elections, too many poor people voted for someone who did NOT have their interests at heart or benefit them in ANY of his preferred policies. And life is much worse for those people today.
Comments
Preach it, sista!
Amen! I'm also voting on the day in Chicago and I cannot wait. The people in my neighborhood are actually excited. I may not be the biggest fan or any politician, but seeing people get involved in the process is always a good thing.
That's the most eloquent explanation of the right way to vote I've ever read. Seriously. Ever.
I'm gonna go look up judge recs for my area now.
Nicely put. I completely agree on the education issue. Why oh why, do we NOT insist our Presidents be educated? Did we learn NOTHING from W? I'm embarrassed for my country every time that man opens his mouth...he doesn't even have command of the English language!
Oh my god, are you a socialist??
I'm so proud to know you.
Perfect!
You totally rock.
Wow. You pretty much expressed something that I could never verbalize properly. I'm definitely also going to go take a look at the organizations you suggested for the judge recommendations. Every time I have to vote for them, I have a difficult time figuring out how to go about it. I think last time I used the recommendations from a trial lawyers group and looked for judges that had a good record on children and family rights.
I like to vote on election day, too. This year, even though I know it will make it harder, I'm taking Zosia with me. I hope this election will be a very important and historic one and I want her to see the process and be as much as part of the process as she can be from as early as possible.
I love you.
This is so perfectly said. I've made the same argument far less articulately because I never made the connection to the intellectual framing narrative you've stated. I just sort of go with the greater good IS the common good. You rock.
I love it when you're feisty!
I'm in Lexington, KY and the local news had a story about people being arrested on the U of K campus for HANGING an effigy of Barak Obama. WTF!
I think we may need more feisty in this world girl!
Yes! Thank you for writing this!
And this is why I love you. Seriously!
I'm taking my neighbor's daughter with me to the polls and I'm letting her punch out the square beside Obama's name for me. She's so upset that she can't vote until she's 18 and her parents voted early, so being the coolest Auntie ever, she will be voting for me.
I'm sitting here trying to think about how to express what reading this post made me feel. I'm one of the many millions who don't get a say in what's happening in the US elections but know that the outcome will touch all the citizens of the world in some way.
So I thank you for voting exactly the way I would have if I could.
Amen. Heaven smiles on you, bestowing its imprimatur. Those who are about to vote salute
you.
So well written, thank you.
If I could reach through the computer and hug you, I would. Mwah!
nicely put.