Where do you make your decisions from? Who dictates what you like and you don't like? When the time comes for you to elect a new official, what criteria do you go off to make an informed decision?
What if I were to tell you the more and more people are becoming educated about the world around them and less inclined to rely on the memories of fathers wisdom and mothers great teachings. Would I be telling the truth, or am I simply a liar like the rest of the republican party... perhaps it was the democrats? I can never remember these details!
I find it funny when talking to my uncle, who so happens to be a staunch republican, that the term voter education and original idea seems to have been an idea long lost to the 'new' wave of thinking.
"Give me one good reason why I should vote for Obama!"
You see the rest of my family sings the chorus of the democrats, as for me? We I like to ride the fence posts, but every now and then I do catch myself in a rather precarious predicament when I should fall and end up with a fence post where fence posts ought not go, regardless...
I simply tell my uncle that he should figure that out for himself.
"Why? I didn't vote for him in the first place!"
So now it falls on my shoulders to enlighten him, do all the work so the HE can make an informed decision. Heck, I don't even know if I am going to vote for him, though he currently makes me a lot happier than much of the alternative. I try to keep an open mind, did I vote for him the first time? You bet! McCain was a dinosaur, in fact, still is, so of the two he seemed the appropriate leader. Will I vote for him again? Like I said, he makes me happy.
"So then who are you going to vote for then?" I like challenging him, the task of making my uncle think usually results in something getting thrown, or feelings getting hurt, but if no body took the time to start the engine every once and while it would most likely seize up for good.
"I am going to vote republican!" The triumph in his voice is almost convincing me he has a point. At this point the average man would have dropped the issue, that is that, no sense arguing with someone who has made up his mind, but I like to push people... I guess you can call me a people pusher.
"Why?"
Ladies and Gentlemen it is at this point of our story that I encourage you to take a reprieve, take 5 or so minutes to get something to eat, a beverage if you will because trust me, you could run to your local grocery store, cook dinner and dessert and still be back in time for this epic answer...
"I don't know I just like 'em..." I don't know what it is about people and their unabating desire to stick to their roots, without so much as casting doubt on the reasons behind their tendencies and nuances. I am sure you all have someone who relies mostly on their past, their fathers/mothers past or perhaps even grandparents for reasons as to why they do/vote the way they do. It is rather shocking.
"You'd vote for Hitler if he were republican wouldn't you?"
Like I stated above, I tend to ride the fence and the fence can hurt from time to time. However, I encourage you all to do the research, get educated and make the best decisions you can for no one else but yourself... and your family if you are so lucky.
I guess that's my rant, I am just so sick of people shoving their opinions down the throats of those when the basis to their arguments is, "…because I like 'em."