Is Civic Duty a thing of the past?

Today was election day. When I woke up this morning, in my ear, I swear I heard my mother asking "Did you vote? I hope you voted, its important to vote."

Yes mother, I voted today. Normally, voting is a really emotional experience for me. I walk to the poll with tears in my eyes. I have tears of gratitude that I get to cast my vote, and make my voice heard, no matter how small, I still get to have my say.

Today, there were no tears, but there was sadness. I was so saddened that I pulled up to my polling place, and found a spot in the front row. As I walked to the entrance, I saw the signs posted to keep solicitors away. I stopped, glanced around and chucked bitterly to myself. Those signs were not needed. There was no one there to yell at me, or trying to influence my vote. No one was attempting to keep me from the polls. In fact, there was no one there at all.

As I walked into the polling office, I signed the voter roll, picked up my ballot, and filled in the blanks.  I went to the machine and as I scanned my ballot, the counter ticked up to number 44. Only 43 others took the time to vote today in my district. This evening, 6 hours later, P went to vote, and his vote was number 89. How very sad. In someways, it felt so very unAmerican, and in others, it felt very American. I fear that we have turned into a country of ungovernables. No matter who is in office, we gripe. Our guy, their guy, it does not seem to matter any more because most of us are not concerned enough to do anything about the situation. I fear that we have become too complacent to care.

I fear that we have forgotten the value of the vote, and the sacrifice it took to earn it. As a woman, it is an honor to vote, because so many of my sisters before me were kept from the polls because of their sex. They were kept from the polls because they were perceived to be to weak and too uneducated. Besides, why would they need to vote when their husband could do it for them. I think of Elizabeth Cady Stanton or Sarah Grimke. Women who fought and dreamed, and hoped that their daughters would have the chance to vote.

I wish that my experience at the polls today was different. I wish that I needed to circle the parking lot to find a spot. I wish that there were people with posters and signs, chanting, yelling, and beckoning me to come and listen for a moment. I wish the line of voters was out the door. I wish I had to wait to vote. I wish the poll workers were swamped with work to do. I wish there were more people out there who cared.

All over the world, right now, there are men and women fighting for freedom.  They are waking up this morning, and gearing up for another day of political activism. They are sacrificing their time, their money, their resources to fight another day. They fight to have a chance to have their voice heard. They put their children to bed each night and as they look at them, their strength is renewed, because they see who they are fighting for. To make tomorrow better than it is today.

I think about men and women the world over who live under dictators or monarchs who make their rules and decide the course of action for their people. I think of countries where elections are rigged, and the outcome is predetermined.

Right now, I am grateful. I am grateful that I used my voice, that I cast my ballot, and that I exercised my fundamental right as an American. This week, I aim to do an act of service for my fellow Americans every day. I vow to honor someone, to serve someone, and to give to someone. 

Happy Election day my dear friends.

I'm so sick of these jackholes

Frustration. Annoyance. Disappointment. Anger.  Rage. Fed up.

All of these words describe how I feel about 99.9% of the American government right now. I am sick and tired of the petty bickering, political posturing, and flat out lying that I see every single day from our elected officials.

If I have to hear one more left leaning liberal politician dodge responsibility for themselves, I may scream. If I hear one more right wing conservative whining, I may punch the t.v.

I have been consuming too much news the past few weeks, and I realized, I need a time out from the 24 hour news cycle that I am constantly listening, watching, and reading.  I have had my limit for right now.

Obamacare, sequester, filibuster, Syria, Recession, government spying, drones, or Debt Ceiling. Take your pick, its all bad. Democrat, Republican, Senator, President, Congress woman, as far as I am concerned,  they are ALL doing a terrible job, and they ALL need to be removed from office. If I functioned at work the way our government functions on a daily basis, I would be out of job and on the streets.

Something happens to our elected officials when they enter DC airspace. Its as if, they suddenly lose their minds, and forget who put them in office, and what we expect them to do. They become more concerned with keeping their jobs, saving face, and boosting their ego, that they are willing to take our country to the brink of disaster.

I am too much of a libertarian to trust the government.  I want fewer laws and more freedom. I don't want to be forced into things, I want to voluntarily do them. I don't do anything illegal other than speeding occassionally, and I don't want big brother aka the federal government listening to my phone calls.

I am sick and tired of paying taxes, just to see the money wasted. I am sick of sending money to countries who burn our flags, curse our country, and hang effigies of our presidents. I am sick and tired of sending money to anywhere else in the world, while we continue to rack up debt at a frightening pace here at home. I am sick and tired of a government forcing us to play by the rules they set, yet exempting themselves from those same rules. 

Normally, I can stomach quite a bit when it comes to our government, but right now, I am so frustrated by what I see and hear from these people.  What is so frustrating to me, is that, they fail to recognize, their actions, or inactions have real consequences. They really do affect people. Its getting to the point where, I feel as if I have to safe guard myself from my government. This body, this entity was created by the people, for the people, and that seems to be a forgotten notion.

I am stepping off my soapbox now. Someone, please tell something good thats happening for you!!