IT’S ELECTION DAY…KINDA
(…but the way both parties have campaigned about it…not clear if we’re suppose to vote -AGAINST- something, or- FOR- something…or some such. It’s hard to tell.)

There was a time when Election Day, even for a mid-term one, meant something, and everyone went to the polling places on that day to do their civic duty for this great republic of ours. There was no …early voting…no mail-in voting…, and the only “absentee” voting was for our citizens serving in the military, and for a few “expatriate” types as well. In short, everyone, young and old alike, was expected to get off their asses and make an effort to show up and do what all citizens were expected to do…vote…in person. Employers even did their best to accommodate employees so that they could take time off (without penalty) to do so. That process gave -voting – the significance it deserved. Not so today.

Election Day and voting are now treated as a chore, an imposition, society places on us. So, state and local authorities go out of their way to make the process as insignificant as possible, encouraging everyone to enjoy the “convenience” of voting early by mail, as if they were promoting a massive sale for yet one more cheap, low-quality, Chinese import at a WalMart or Target store. In short, the cornerstone of our grand democracy has been devalued to the point where it hardly matters anymore. Or so it seems to be. Of course, perception, can often lead one astray, so I can only hope that is the case. Yet, it’s hard not to feel that perception is correct when showing up at a polling place, where a poll worker casually only asks for your name and address, before handing you a ballot while directing you to one of the voting booths to do your thing. How does that worker know it’s really you? Or that you’re entitled to vote? Even when I’ve voluntarily produced a proper photo ID, most workers just look at me as if I were some kind of nut job (okay, sir, just move along… we don’t have all day…)

As for the oceans of money poured out by every candidate or special interest, promoting this or that agenda, these don’t seem to understand that, the way things work in this country today, rather than paying for those pricey TV and media ads, they would get much better results if they cut out the middle-men, so to speak, and just gave it all directly to each and every voter instead. Thus candidates or special interests making the biggest such handouts would win, hands down, and voter turn-out would never be a problem. Like they say… money talks…BS walks…and that’s as “democratic” as it can get.

Well, it’s Election Day…kinda…but the way both parties have campaigned about it…not clear if we’re supposed to vote – AGAINST – something, or – FOR – something… or some such. It’s hard to tell.

CENTURION