In my mind, my vote is an endorsement.
Puts the act of voting in a whole new light, doesn’t it? Think about that – we give endorsements here at the ‘Grok because we think those candidates believe as we do. We want them to win by lending our voices to theirs. We hope that the folks that read us and Trust us will consider our endorsement and vote for that person, or set of people, as well. We have changed our endorsing paradigm. It is not to just have a person win, but to say “we Trust this person – we don’t have to worry how they will vote on important issues”. Plainly said, “We can always count on that person”. And if that wasn’t bad enough, then THIS was the next line:
My vote says nothing less than that “I trust this person with my life and the lives of my loved ones.”
Oof. Gut punch – and gut check, isn’t it? Puts the act of voting in a whole new light, doesn’t it? Translation: “I entrust you to do the right thing because your vote WILL determine my future and that of my children”. While few get endorsements, a lot of people still get our votes that we haven’t (or would have) endorsed, simply get our vote. But that above line puts the act of voting in a whole new light, doesn’t it?
In this light, a vote has a brand new cast to it: not just to be able to say “Hey, we were on the winning side”. Not enough to be able to say “we won – our side can set the agenda”. Simply tossed off as “Problem is, how often have we been so disappointed – and how often have we felt betrayed? Betrayed because we voted for someone that, later on, didn’t keep their promise. They violated what we thought was “The Brand” under which we thought they were operating. We spent our vote poorly
It really says that we should, and we must, value our votes far more than “just doing our civic duty”. Government has become so large and so intrusive, the time is long past to consider it merely a mark on a ballot – can we depend on this person? Not agree some of the time, most of the time – but DEPEND on this person?
Puts the act of voting in a whole new light, doesn’t it? It helps to change the voting paradigm – the candidates (nor the Party) should not just demand for our votes – more than ever, they must earn them. And if not earned, the lever should not be thrown.
