ELECTION DAY - NOVEMBER 4, 2008 (and 2016 update)

This is your opportunity to significantly participate in democracy. Yes, your vote really does count. I know I'm writing this mostly to myself, since I see no interaction from others on this blog site; however, I will still say it -

I love the fact that every four years we have the chance to:

• have a bloodless revolution
• bring about regime change in our country
• restore the errors of our leaders if they swing too far to the left or right

and when someone takes us down a path we would not travel,
and when that person takes on more power than he/she should have,
then, we have the chance to:

• return our nation to a constitutional government that recognizes and respects the authority and privileges of a three-branch government: legislative, judicial, and executive.

Every time you get a chance - VOTE! It matters!


11/8/2016 update:
     Today is another election day and the above statements are still true for me.  After eight years of the past administration, I'm still glad I voted as I did and am thankful for the many positive changes that have been made.  May it continue.

I VOTED TODAY AT ABOUT 7:00 A.M.
     Since then I have banned myself from news.  I refuse to watch the roller-coaster ride of pollsters and pundits, and the major networks competing for our attention with their often "made-up" news stories. Most of our political "news" is not really news, but a re-hashing of old events with more opinions, comments and arguments from people who are not willing to work together.

     Networks need to report the news, not make the news.  There is much more happening in the world than just the U. S. elections.  Perhaps we should become more aware of the concerns of our other neighbors who share this planet with us.  I know that I can't ban myself from political news tomorrow, but it would be wonderful to have a vacation from political news for a while.

I'm still hoping that sometime in the near future we will do two important things:

• cease campaigning in the final weeks before an election, and 
• not report any election results until the last voting poll in our nation has closed.  Our western and Pacific states and territories are often voting after a winner has been declared.  Imagine going to the polls to vote, knowing your vote doesn't really matter.  You might as well vote for Charlie Brown (if he qualified).

     Last night, I read through our nation's Constitution.  The final thought that I had was this:

All the Articles and Amendments were put in place with the purpose of guiding us to become "a more perfect Union."  That "perfect Union" is a distant dream at this time in our history.   

     Tonight I have listened to Bach's Magnificat and a large portion of Handel's Messiah.  As comforting as those musical selections are to me, my mind continues to turn to our greatly divided nation.  I wanted to express these words without the weight of a declared winner or loser:  

     Folks, we have to learn how to get along again.  We have to learn again the lessons of our founders. We have to find a way to govern ourselves with civility and cooperation.  We have to STOP BEING OUR OWN ENEMY.   

     It is my prayer tonight that as I wake to a new day tomorrow, regardless of the winners and losers, that we will all begin to win together - that we will put aside our petty differences - that we will mend the broken fences together - that we will value people who are unlike us and who have other viewpoints.  I pray that when I wake tomorrow that God will find a reason to bless America.