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You all keep asking for it…

I don’t know why I keep being asked for my opinions on various political / societal matters, but you get what you ask for.

When people mention a “trickle-down” effect nowadays, they clearly aren’t referring to decisions around money, but rather the impact attitudes at the federal level begin to influence those below them. I have never seen such divisiveness when it comes to local and state elections, and the fact that people stoop to these levels saddens me deeply. The content being put on TV and socials for us to consume regarding each candidate is downright crude, the quality memes – while humorous – do not make up for the fact that it all sucks, and the first Tuesday in November couldn’t come fast enough.

When I talk with people living outside the U.S., it becomes bluntly obvious that the reason for our current chaotic state is because we the people have been complacent and allowed those in power to not only remain in their cozy offices, but enabled them to control the markets and stumble into truly murky waters of what politicians should / shouldn’t do in their spare time (let alone what they do when they’re actually at work). The colonists who founded our country got pissed at the Brits for taxes ranging 5-7%… now go check your IRS paperwork from last year and see what you gave Uncle Sam. Why aren’t we having a modern day tea party reaction to what our government is doing to us?

Most of you should know by now that I despise both of the camps that control this nonsense equally. They are BOTH controlled by people with more money than they know what to do with, whose agendas could not look any more different from the average American. They trot out candidates in the name of democracy, only to then undermine the very idea of democracy throughout the process. Third-party efforts continue to be scrutinized by everyone (and sued to oblivion when they actually pose a threat), even though most are sincere efforts to try and point out the flaws of the two that the majority of our voting population blindly clings to every cycle. Do your neighbors a favor and change your party affiliation on record, because they will keep the status quo as long as 80% of the country identifies with the elephant or donkey. A single party needs just 5% of our nation’s support to guarantee federal funding for future cycles – surely we can agree that would be a good thing to have.

Each of us has love for our community, and there are a variety of ways to show that love – some volunteer their time, some donate funds they can spare, some do a generous combination of both… it all comes from a place deep down of wanting to see things get better for our city / state / country. Please keep that in mind when you jump to respond to the latest viral video about something a candidate may or may not have done 20 years ago (which at this point, how do we even tell if the stories are generated by AI or are actually real). No matter where you live in the United States, put your time and talents where your mouth is if you are truly fed up with the system – don’t sit back and expect a red or blue “wave” in an election cycle to fix anything. Scream the phrase Term Limits until you lose your voice, because without those in place no substantial change will ever take place.

Perhaps, just maybe, if we had servants of the people who returned to the task of caring for those who elect them (and having that desire to care for them be the main reason they run for office)… we would all feel a bit better about where we live than we currently do.

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Positivity in a toxic climate.

Joe, I’m sorry that everyone is treating you this way. You have lived a wonderful life, filled with blessings and tragedies, and deserve to be somewhere peaceful making the most of what time you have left on this earth with your closest family and friends. Your resolve to make the United States a better place is admirable (whether we agree on any of the ways you plan on accomplishing that or not) and should continue to be commended. It really does bother me that so many in our society resort to hurling insults about your family and the personal obstacles you’ve faced instead of spending more time learning about the vision you have for our country.

Donald, I’m sorry that you’re in this mess too. You seem intent on staying as active as you can, and involving a ton of your family in the process – while I’m sure many of them love and support you, it must take such a toll mentally and physically. As it is with every disaster society faces every few years, you didn’t ask for the opportunity to lead a country through a pandemic – any of us would age 10 years in the span of a single year when trying to do what you have been tasked with. While your demeanor may not resonate well with many in this country, there is something to be said about the strength you showcase in many areas of life as you try to find ways for our country to rebound from the disaster of COVID-19.

Jo, Howie, Brian, Brock, Gloria, Don, and even Kanye… I am SO so sorry that our country can not mature enough to handle dialogue between more than two parties. You have gone above and beyond to get your names to appear on ballots throughout the country, even with so many people putting you down and trying to convince you that the attempt is futile. While many of you embrace platforms that could be considered too radical for much of the country to embrace right now, you are to be commended for sticking your neck out and taking criticism from all sides to try and do the right thing. I sleep better at night knowing there are people like you out there taking it on the chin while climbing uphill in the battle to bring dignity and fairness back to our election process.

You see, it is incredibly easy to get along with people (and even possibly pay them a compliment) yet still disagree with much of their platform and values. While I may share a meme or two that poke fun at some candidates, I also reason with my conscience on a regular basis and get down on my knees to pray for all those running for office as much as I can remember to. By stark contrast, the amount of funds being spent on mailers, spam messages, and commercials spewing catchphrases and slander by Republicans and Democrats is downright horrific, and should motivate all of us to be better.

What does that look like though? For some, it will mean taking the couple weeks of voting to volunteer at local polling centers to help the senior citizens who have done so for decades and have already done their part. For others, it will take a very honest and open conversation with their loved ones about the consequences of trying to run for local office because they feel that it is their calling. Though it has always been looked upon as an honor to serve, the conversations and culture surrounding holding office in 2020 is so toxic that it is scaring away many people (like myself) from considering such a run.

For most of us, being better implies that we need to be more thoughtful about the content we put out for the world to see – be it on our Facebook, Twitter, or front lawn. While it becomes quite comical at times to fall into the black hole that Reddit threads and photoshopped candidate memes can be… we as citizens of this great nation have an incredible chance to show the world that the federal election outcome this year will not reflect what we as a country want as our future – and it will start with our careful selection at the city, county, and state levels. Do just as much research about the neighbors running for city council, and have a conversation with them if you get the opportunity. Each small step will propel us further to a political climate that will make us believe it once again when we sing that we “are proud to be an American”.