Someone just walked into my office and asked, “Scott, did you go vote yet?”
“Vote?” I replied.
“Yes, vote. Today is Election Day.”
I pretended to look stunned, and said, “No way, really?”
We both had a little chuckle as we shared thoughts on how anyone could not know today was Election Day after being bombarded with negative ads, robo calls and more junk mail that I’ve even seen during a campaign season.
I have to admit that this election cycle has put a taste in my mouth similar to that of 36 lemons topped with rubbing alcohol and vinegar. I’ve never been a fan of politicians – any of them. They all talk the talk while they’re on the proverbial campaign trail and as soon as they move from the trail to the gravy train the talk takes a different spin.
There’s an old joke that goes, “How do you know when a politician is lying? His lips move.” It’s not really a joke, it’s the truth. But you may say that “my candidate wants to get in there and help people.”
Yeah, so do people who want to rescue cats.
I am a firm believer that you can take the most honest person, put them into office and within a year they are as corrupt as the rest of them. Lets be truthful with ourselves here for just a minute. People run for office for personal gain. People are staunch supporters of those in office because they have gained personally in some fashion by the person they’re supporting. These supporters are on Facebook pitching their favorite candidate down all their friend’s throats, sticking signs in the ground all over town and littering the polling places with handbills. (These happen to be the same people who conveniently forget where they put those signs, making all of us look at them until they rot.)
Instead of voting today, I’m gathering up all the junk mail I received this past week and am sending it back to the candidates and organizations who sent it to me along with a note asking them to refrain from sending me any more trash. I would rather waste time doing that then being partially responsible for sending yet another self-interest-serving individual a government paycheck every week.