Vote For Me And I'll Set You Free!

I am eligible to receive a late arrival of up to two hours to go vote on Tuesday, February 2.

Sweet! Get to go into work at 1PM. I should be sitting around somewhere trying to figure out what I will do with the extra hours in the morning!

Of course, I have taken this opportunity to ponder the thought process behind my voting.

The Vote or Die campaign started a few years back was an ingenious (really it was, I dig the method, even if I don't dig the man) method to inspire the "hip-hop generation" to get involved with the political process. America was preparing to enter lands to spread democracy and quell terrorism. On the homefront, however, things were not quite as noble. Students were poorly educated because schools were poorly funded, dot com businesses were fizzling out, and social security was maxed out by baby boomers. The future for my generation looked pretty bleaked. We were told, however, that we had power when we voted.

Let's revisit that theory. The first election I was old enough to vote in gave Bush a victory he did not rightly deserve due to some 'fuzzy math' in Electoral College 101, in which the wishes of the POPULAR VOTE were not carried out. Another election, Bush won again (seemingly legally) but, again, even if the President is the head of a party which you don't consider yourself a member of, this is a democratic repulic where the people's desires should be met on SOME level. Not so. Last year, like millions of people Barack Obama was voted into office, for the chance at 'change'. Well, a deepening recession and national waves of unemployment, sort of has me feeling some kind of way about Mr. Obama, but more importantly, questioning the millions of people who (after 8 years of Bush) voted for Barack with faith.

Looking back now, I do regret my decision. And here is why. As a nation, we have been sequestered into a pattern that has us voting for people that are necessarily qualified to run the nation, but voting for who we consider to be the lesser of two evils. And this is a habit that I don't think I can consciously support anymore.

Does this mean I cease voting, a right that so many people died for me to have? I have been trying to come to a conclusive decision but I just don't have one! If I vote on Tuesday (granted, these are local elections) I would just be voting down the party line (which I don't have a party) or even worse, voting for whoever is endorsed by the Sun-Times or the Tribune. Right now, I just don't know what to do...

Peace.