Blog 2558 – 10.30.2022

Everyday People Need To Be Heard

I promised myself seven and a half years ago that I would spend a few minutes each day writing and endeavor to post something entertaining, enlightening, and encouraging every day. I realized then and still do that those three goals do not guarantee an audience. Controversy and blaming all the ills of the world on the “others” sells better, but I have a different prize in mind, the greater good of all, if you will.

In a little over two weeks the mid-term elections will determine the political direction of the United States of America. Progress seems a three steps forward two steps back proposition at best in the political arena all around the world with a lot less emphasis on the greater good of all and a whole lot more on “me and mine.”

I recently requested a mail in ballot and took my time blacking out entirely each box of the candidate that I wanted to receive my vote. Last night I received a voicemail message from the county in which I reside saying I had forgotten to put my I.D. Number on the envelope so my ballot is invalid, but that I can still vote early at a designated polling place before November fourth when early voting ends or vote on Election Day November eighth. I have not always thought my one voice mattered, but I hope it does this time and that there is a record turn out around the country. Even if it does not go my way, a majority of the voters should decide what direction that we want things to go.

Complaining is not enough, we must make some effort to right the boat if we feel it is going in the wrong direction or not getting where we want to go fast enough. I am not one who wants to go back to some mythical time when things were “better” or “greater.” I believe in a continual process improvement program or as I like to correct the “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” folks, “If it ain’t broke, make it better.” There is always room for improvement and extending the blessings of liberty and justice to more and more, not just to me and mine. Democracy is messy and even a Constitutional Republic is a very difficult form of government to make and keep working for the greater good of “all the people” and not just a privileged, rich, and powerful few. Those few rich, powerful, and privileged are always fearful of terms like “reparations”, “redistribution”, and “justice for all” and prefer stacking the deck and the courts against such changes. To them newcomers are always a danger and a threat. They really don’t trust people to vote correctly on the issues and prefer government to stay in the hands of those who “know which side their bread is buttered on” and who “play by the rules,” the perverted golden rule in particular, “He who has the gold makes the rules.”

Well as the old fella said when the preacher’s message got a little to close to home: “Preacher, you done quit preaching and gone to meddling.” I will not belabor the point, just encourage everyone who has a stake to vote. Every election should reflect the true will of the people and not just the special interest groups, lobbies, or the two percent at the top. Want to make your one voice be heard, speak up, use the ballot box.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SmFdCz7FBsmPMcvte0eAFGVqQcCvW-GW/view?usp=drivesdk

Everyday People