by Daniel G. O'Leary

Created on: August 30, 2010

The question; "Why should everyone vote?" The quick answer; Because the strength of any democracy is directly reliant upon the participation of its citizens. Every citizen is significant, their opinions and suggestions are significant, and when the citizens know they can speak and be heard, they participate. Their participation, with their varying opinions and suggestions demands debate, examination, compromise, and ultimately, solutions!

Does not a Farmer know what is best or needed for his farm to be productive, solvent, and passed on to the next generation. Does not that Farmer know better than some Banker or Barber what's at stake if his farm fails to produce year after year?

Does not a Banker in a town surrounded by failing or healthy farms, know first hand the financial strength or weakness of the community in which he is a part? Is he not in a position to see the true domino effect of a farm or a business failing within his community? Are not that Banker's opinions or suggestions valuable to a political debate by candidates running for office representing the community in which the Banker and the Farmer live? Of course they are, because he, as is the Farmer, are significant.

With participation, interest is stimulated, and the added interest makes more people curious, which allows more people to become better informed. The more informed the citizens, the greater the participation. The greater the participation by the citizens, the greater the strength of the democratic process, the greater the confidence and the trust of the citizens in the democratic process, which in turn stimulates an even greater desire for participation in every manner; opinions, suggestions, inventions, debate, compromises, solutions, results.

Participation starts within each and every one of us; voting is a key way to participate. Some think not voting is a form of participating, I beg to differ. When you don't vote, when a community does not vote, the will of the people, the voice of the people is, sometimes, not heard or misunderstood, and those seeking elected office get the wrong message or signal. Bottom-line; by not voting citizens can ultimately empower those they had opposed, and weaken the democracy at the same time (creating a double edged sword onto which their decision not to participate, not to vote, will, at some future point cause them to fall).

This Nation, Our Nation, a Nation of "We the People..." (from the Constitution), is as strong or as weak as We allow it to become. It is a Nation made of you, me, and Our neighbors. Every single one of us is significant, does have a purpose, and when We are true to that purpose, when We participate however and whenever We can, when We let Our voices be heard, Our suggestions, Our opinions, Our outrage, things happen.

We can be part of the solutions or part of the problems; in our homes, Our communities, Our States, Our Nation. Freedom is not free, it requires participation, participation requires effort, effort requires a decision to act. If you go through all the time and effort to make a decision to act or not to act, have you not already exerted effort? If you have already exerted effort, have you not already participated? If you have already participated, wouldn't you be silly not to benefit from your participation? Vote, exercise your right and privilege to be heard!

Dare to be different, dare to be bold, dare to be true, dare to be you! I believe in you! I believe in me! I believe in WE! Let's strengthen Our Nation, shall We begin? Of course We should, vote! It's significant!

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