Why should the Right to Vote be so special to Americans.
You’ll never know until you understand what it has cost America? What is the right to Vote? What does that even mean? What has it cost us? Why do we care?
All these questions about a single word that has shaped and molded our lives more than anything else, short of the Bible.
There is no freedom, where there is no vote. Your vote is your expression of freedom. It is what makes you relevant. It is what makes you an American, and as such, no man can take this right.
While it is true that we gather at the Polls to elect this or that politician, to this or that office, the real significance of your vote is the far reaching expression of your will.
Exercising your free will may be the greatest gift of gratitude you can bestow upon those who’ve guaranteed your right to do so.
Maybe we should talk about those folks a little bit. I honestly had never thought about it in this level of detail. And yes, I’m more than embarrassed to admit that. But, I’m thinking about it now, and it makes me feel unbelievably sorrowful.
I’ve included a few 
websites below for you. And you might want to look at these. The sheer enormity of casualties is almost mind-numbing.
An estimated 2,852,901 Soldiers were either killed or wounded in conflicts since the Revolutionary War.
I know this number is almost incomprehensible, so let me put it into perspective for you.
Imagine Chicago, Illinois went to war for you. Now, imagine that no one came home.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war
What is so sad is that it continues to happen daily. Frankly, I can’t even imagine the dedication it took to be one of the 2,852,901 Soldiers who’ve been injured or died for our country.
MY GOD, think of that. If that many people CHOSE to lay down their lives for this freedom thing, maybe we should treat it with just a tad more respect.
All this talk on Voting got me to wondering, how many people even voted anyway. So, I looked.
According to The Statistic Brain Research Institute, the following statistics are accurate.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/voting-statistics/
Voter Registration Statistics Data:
Total number of Americans eligible to vote, 206,072,000.
Total number of Americans registered to vote, 146,311,000
Total number of Americans who voted in the 2012 Presidential election, 131,144,000
Percent of Americans who ACTUALLY voted in the 2012 Presidential election 64%.
Any way you cut it guys, that’s not a very good stat folks.
I know, it’s better than the average turnout, but it’s still just south of PITIFUL. We simply have to do something about this. There are 75 MILLION Americans Eligible to VOTE, that DON’T VOTE!
The old excuse, “my one little ole vote won’t matter no way” loses some relevance when there is some 75 Million other lil ole votes to go with it, “And that will matter”.
Guys, it’s time now. We really should get off our asses and get involved, both we as individuals, and we as America, are in imminent danger.
Our world has some real problems. We’ve not been good to her, now she’s hurt and needs us.
Not just her environment. Mankind Itself has put into jeopardy the very survival of Mankind Itself. Why you ask? To feed the excesses of Mankind Itself… It can no longer be so.
Some say we can save her, some say no. Either way, I’m thinking it’s time to try.
There are 59,761,000 people in America that are eligible to vote that don’t even bother to register to vote. Why? Damned if I know and frankly, I’ve done it myself. But, the future of our country may very well depend on our ability to find out.
COMMENTARY
I have to say that at 68 years of age with a broken body, and somewhat less than average mental abilities, I am seldom moved by anything short of a bout of gas, but the research for this post has been deeply concerning to me on several levels.
The first being, “How could I not know this stuff, and why wasn’t I curious enough to ask?”
The second being, “How can hundreds of millions of citizens pass through our illustrious educational system and wind up knowing so little about our Country, our Society, or our Humanity, the very foundations of AMERICA.
I think if people were reminded of the real cost of freedom every once in awhile maybe voting will catch on.
Make no mistake about it guys, the ONLY CHANCE WE HAVE to do the right things, is to VOTE.
There will be no violent overthrow of our government, nor should there be. Hell, most of us are too old and tired to fight anyway. So what do we do? The simplest most effective way to control our destiny, is to vote.
Yes, I believe this is a splendid idea, now, how to spread news of my idea?
I’ve seen all the idiot-proof commercials TV has to offer, and I don’t like them, for lack of a better word, they are Stupid. Truth be known it’s doubtful that most folks watch them anyway. Not gonna do it that way.
In fact, I’m not gonna do it at all. You are. And I know just how you’ll do it. Just play along and when we’re done, you decide whether the freedom to vote is worth your time and effort.
You only have to do one thing more. During each and every conversation in which you are involved, you must mention voting in some context. You must keep the idea of voting in the public consciousness, at least in your part of the public.
In the shadow of 2,852,901 dead American soldier, we really don’t have to do that much. Our issue now is time.
All you have to do, is just keep your inner-circle appraised of what this voting thing has cost us. Be assured that at least part of these guys will pass it on, and so on and so on. Even those who do not, will have something new to think about. Perhaps the best part is that you’re doing it for the best reason possible, the common well-being.
Guys, I’m gonna start this off for you.
As you know, I’ve been researching this stuff for a while now and I gotta tell you, that until we completely eliminate outside campaign contributions from anyone not a U.S. citizen, including (corporations) we will never truly know who, or what, to vote for.
In a previous blog, I outlined a possible solution. But frankly, it’ll take smarter folks than me to figure it out.
The bottom line is that if we continue to allow Large Corporations to buy our politicians through the use of Super-Pacs, they will someday soon, own our country.
And this is exactly how they’ll do it: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Here is what it is: https://youtu.be/1co7bMQplwQ
In other words my friends, this law must go.
Dark money talks, and unfortunately our politicians are well-endowed with willing ears.
We’ll talk again soon guys….
Meanwhile, here’s a little abut our election woes
How Citizens United vs FEC made Citizens, Irrelevant.