I'm by no means a political guru and I'm happy to admit it. I realize everyday in the newsroom how little I know about the subject and I try to learn from my co-workers. I know, that's kind of ironic for someone in the news business, but I'm getting there.
But like everyone, I have an opinion on the subject.
Since I've been back home, I've had a bird's eye view on politics. I'm on my second tenure as a news reporter and in between the two, I worked for the city of Maysville.
You can't get much closer than those two environments; you see a lot and hear even more because people are always wanting to offer up their opinion about where you work, how it needs to change and what a poor job you do.
And it makes you sit back and wonder: if people feel things are that bad, why don't they get out and run for office?
I don't have that answer, only they do.
What I've seen in this presidential election is that people do want change. Period.
They are tired of the same old stuff (S.O.S.).
The American public is sending out a new distress signal: We Want Change.
Obama's key phrase of his campaign has been he's going to change the way things work.
McCain's speech Thursday had the same message; it's time for a change.
Change is needed, at all levels of our government, not just Washington, D.C.
Politics is a machine that no one person can change, no matter what your values, morals or intentions. It's a machine that sucks the life out of some politicians. I think former President Jimmy Carter is the most glaring example in recent times of how the political machine can stifle and polarize one person's good intentions and Christian values.
I've voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, when I voted for the first time. I swore I would never, ever, not for a million dollars vote for either Bill or Hillary Clinton. And I'll say this in public, I'm very disappointed in George W. Bush.
I ate crow in May during the primary. I voted for Hillary, not just because she's a woman, but because I believe she has the absolute nerve it takes to make things happen.
A man by the name of Ronnie R. gave me an editorial piece by Charlie Reece over the weekend. Reece's point was this: it isn't just the President of the United States who makes things change in America. It also takes the 545 members of the United States Congress to make things change.
If you want government to change and you want new ideas and leaders in place, maybe it's time to change the way you cast your vote.
Is the person in it for your community or just to have power and draw a cushy pension?
Are you voting for the person just because of your party affiliation or are you voting for the person and letting party affiliation go by the way side?
Get involved in your community, attend governments meetings, read a newspaper, watch television, go on-line and track your representative's voting record for yourself.
Don't believe everything a politician tells you, because they've all been telling us the same thing for a very long time and nothing is changing.
I'm not sure who I will vote for in November. I want to hear a plan of action from both Obama and McCain on how they are going to change the system, not just lip service.
Because lip service from any politician is the same message we've already got: S.O.S, which isn't helping the average American family.
Reader Comments
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.
Kiki wrote on Oct 10, 2008 3:12 PM:
" Excellent point. We should be as concerned, if not more, when voting for our reps and senators. Frankly, I'm tired of the word "change". I prefer "action". "
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