I’m going to try to write this without expressing my desires for you to vote for any particular candidate, yes it would be nice if you voted for the correct person, but it’s really just important to vote.

In 2008:

• 56% of the population (eligible voters) actually went out and voted.
• 49% of eligible young people (18 – 24) voted
• 69% of people 45 and older voted

You should also know that:

almost half of the people in congress are millionaires.  

There are 362 Men and only 76 Women in the House

There are 17 Women and 83 Men in the Senate

• 44 of these folks are Black
• 27 are Hispanic
• 9 are Asian
• and 1 is American Indian

The average age of our representatives is 60

Yes, young people, us old people want you kids to get off our lawns.

I know you’re thinking, that’s nice Jamez but why should I care who voted that shit doesn’t matter. Lets stop and think about what these elected officials get to decide about you, your rights, your money, your wants and needs. The people of the government, not just the President and not just congress but all of them together get to

change the speed limit, change the drinking age, increase  or lower your taxes, go to war, land use, property taxes, change which lightbulbs are made, keep your medical information private (HIPPA), the FDA approves drugs, how much time you get off for pregnancy, how much you get paid for overtime, your roads and the roads all over the country, your taxes and taxes of people not like you at all, the safety of your … (car, school, job, hospital)… the list goes on and on this site Government is Good will show you your average day and how government was there.

If you don’t vote then you don’t really get a say in what goes on in this country. Sure you can whine about it, that’s the American way anymore. But if you want things to change you have to stand up this year and vote.

But here’s the key, be informed, don’t take any political ad that you see on TV, the internet or a newspaper as fact – my opinion is that all politicians can stretch the truth like you wouldn’t believe. And remember, just because your friend posted it on Facebook doesn’t make it true either… Find a nonpartisan (that means: not biased or partisan, esp. toward any particular political group) website like Vote Smart or PolitiFact and research the person you’re thinking about voting for. Don’t have a closed mind about this, try to think about real issues they believe in, not just whether they drink the same soda as you or have hipper clothes.

Look back at the top of this post where I breakdown the demographics of Congress, are those the type of people you want making decisions that affect not only our Nation but the world at large and even those closest around us.

I say again, VOTE it can really make a difference.