Why Vote?

The 2016 presidential election is now only a few days away. Both the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, have generated a large amount of controversy. Clinton continues to be embroiled in controversy – being called corrupt, a habitual liar, and other things not fit to be reproduced here. Trump is not without his share of controversy either – often speaking without thinking, being labeled a racist, etc. With so much that is negative, many have decided to just not vote at all, since they don’t like either candidate. But is this a proper attitude? Let’s look at some other aspects of this election.

First, if you decide not to vote, then you are letting other make the decision for you. In effect, you are saying that you are willing to accept the impact of the election results regardless of what happens. And, while it’s nice to think that voting for one of the “third party” candidates might be a good option, realistically none of them has any chance of winning (that may not have been true in a few past elections, and it might not be true in the future, but it’s not for this election). So that is just another way of letting others make the decision, albeit while registering some small measure of protest. Is there really no difference between Clinton and Trump so that you’ll accept either one and let others decide?

Second, while the president has a lot of power in our country, we are not voting for a dictator. Whomever wins, they will have to work with many others to get things done. So one needs not only consider the single individual at the “top of the ticket”, look also at their running mate and the others whom they are likely to consider for various cabinet positions or senior staff positions. Those people who currently surround the candidates are another good measure of thinking about “what you see is what you get.”

Third, look at the policies that are being proposed by the candidates and their political parties, as these are the “platform” that they will rest upon after election. Do you agree with the candidates’ positions on things like immigration, the economy, abortion, health care, “big government”, entitlements, etc.? And while you may not agree with a candidate about all of these, is there one that more closely aligns with the principles that you hold?

Fourth, look at not just the next four (or eight) years, but the longer term impact that each candidate may have. One that’s been talked about a lot is the issue of Supreme Court justices and what type of individuals each is likely to nominate. But the economy, foreign relations, and other issues are also ones that will have long term impact. Think of the impact on your children and grandchildren.

Finally, remember to consider the “down ballot” candidates – races for the Senate, the House of Representatives, various state offices. If you do not go to the polls on Election Day then you also rob yourself of the ability to vote for these other offices – and where there are some good candidates who are asking you for your support.

There is certainly a lot not to like about both of the major party candidates. But when I think of all the above reasons, I plan on voting on Election Day. How about you?

I’ve tried to make the above party/individual neutral, because the reasons for voting are not partisan ones. Now I’m going to list my own reasons for why I plan on voting as I do. If you do not want to read any further, that’s fine with me. But at least consider the above and vote.

Here are my conclusions in the same five categories as above:

First, the choice between Clinton and Trump has been likened by some as the choice between taking a pill that is guaranteed to kill you and taking a pill that has a 50% chance of killing you. Clinton has been labeled a habitual liar and I see little to convince me otherwise. She is all about her own personal power and wealth and really has little concern for others. Trump, on the other hand, is sometimes like a “bull in a china shop” but he has shown a lot of concern for others over the years and many of his employees have come forward with stories about him that are very positive.

Second, I look at Kaine, Abedin, and others who Clinton surrounds herself with and contrast them with Pence, Ben Carson, and others who are advising Trump. In my mind, there is no comparison.

Third, I believe that the federal government has gotten much too big. Whether it’s Common Core, the EPA, or many other government agencies, the philosophy that the federal government should be in charge of everything doesn’t sit well with me. They take our tax dollars (in increasing amounts), keep a bunch for themselves for “administration” and then dole out as they see fit. The level of debt is now approaching $20 Trillion. I think it’s time to scale back. On other issues, I also tend to favor the Republican platform – not on everything to be sure, but most.

Fourth, I vote with the long term in view. As my wife will tell you, I will often make decisions that are not in my personal best interest (such as voting in favor of things that may cost me money), but decisions that will be best for future generations. I’m not only concerned about the direction that the courts have been taking recently and I want a president who will nominate candidates who will keep the US on track.

Finally, I want to be sure to vote for the other candidates on the ballot. Our current PA Senator lives in the same township, just a few streets away. I have been in our PA representative’s office on occasion and he knows my name. And our local state officials are ones that I have supported in the past. At the more local level I am much more about voting for the person, not the party and I know these people and what they stand for.

This election has been historic in many ways. The number of dollars being spent, the vicious name calling, the number of controversies – it’s hard to keep track of it all and I have lost more than a few nights of sleep trying to process the latest news. But I know who I am voting for and why. Do you?