Just one man’s opinion
My grandfather, my old man, and generations before them strived to provide a better future for their kids. This is the United States of America for god sakes and that goal for our children has made this the greatest country ever.
We weren’t much different as parents, we wanted our kids to do better and have better. So when we were raising them, we made sure they had everything they needed, and in most cases everything they wanted. We tried to instill the difference between "I need" and "I want," at times a hard concept for them to perceive.
The latest computer, then the biggest laptop and then cell phones, then I-Phones, and instant access to the world via the internet... we in part created the atmosphere and attitude of instant gratification. Patience, planning and due diligence is not a resonating trait of our kids and most of their friends.
In 2008, our children raised their heads and caught the fire of the Obama movement and the dream of change. They planted signs, stamped envelopes and voted for Obama and change, proud moments for parents who have been politically engaged for decades. On election night, they celebrated with the old folks a hard fought victory. We thought we’d turned the corner and finally what they’d heard most of their lives were going to stick ...that politics is what would change this county. It’s not pretty, but it is what it is.
Last week we were talking about voting, and to our chagrin both children signaled that they probably weren’t going to vote. Oh the HORROR. Seems that the "change" message is taking too long. Lord!
There was the fact that after college would there be a job for them? What if they lost there job ...would there be another out there? What about the tax burden that "I’ve" got on my back? Blah, Blah, Blah ...Blah, Blah
So like good democratic parents we start naming what’s been done in the last 22 month. Healthcare ...well, you guys know. Bottom line, the kiddies are going to vote, but it took sometime to get the across what been done in the last 2 years, we ain’t exactly been sitting on our hands! (See below)
I’m going to blame the diminishing youth vote in this election on two things; the Washington D messaging machine who probably for decades haven’t ventured out of the beltway to get the feel of the insecurities of our youth vote and how to speak to them,
The second thing, me ... it takes time to pay for a car or a house, it takes time to save for a vacation or an education. Something I fear that we didn’t do a good enough job as parents, at least us, that change doesn’t happen overnight, that sometimes it’s hard work and a real slog to move toward real change and that sometimes you’ve got to take a charge at a problem over and over again ...until you win, even if it takes a decade.
Nobody has said it better than our beloved Bubba yesterday.
He said that 'You gave them eight years to dig this hole, and to double the debt of the country, and not to produce any jobs, and then to have a financial collapse and all this calamity. At least give us four to dig out of it. We Arkansawer’s love Bubba.
I know there’s lots of the demographic that I’m talking about living here, but I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the parents of those kids who stepped up probably for the first time and voted in ’08 and helped us all elect President Obama --- otherwise we’d have McCain and let’s not forget PALIN --- again, OH THE HORROR!
Please, before November 2nd, find out what your kids are thinking and assure them that there will be more change, but change takes time and implore them to come out and vote. Whether they are 18 or 35, they're still our kids, and it's a responsibility we should take seriously as parents and grandparents ...it's important.
They’ll be the difference in whether we continue the march to change or get stopped dead in our tracks, cause there is no way the Republican’s are going to let Obama have anymore victories to run on in 2012 --- I’d bet the farm on that!