It is Election Day here in this great United States of America.
Today is the day we get to go out and voice our opinions about our elected officials - those who substantively are entrusted with the trillions of dollars we give them to run the country. We are, without a doubt, the greatest democracy on this planet. I want to thank our forefathers and -mothers, those who went before us to establish this one-of-a-kind land. I especially want to thank the members of the armed forces who have sacrificed so much to get us where we are today. I unequivocally support the armed forces, the job they have done, and the job they continue to do. They do as they are told. Make no mistake: many of them have no choice as to where they are stationed, or against whom they are fighting this very day. As such, it is my job to tell my elected representatives that I feel they have made a mistake, and that it is, indeed, time to start planning for a redeployment to get the troops back home.
I don't believe we can cut and run, but I do believe we cannot stay the course. The former will leave a failed state in place, that will only further descend into anarchy; the latter - well let's just say that we have bloodied our foreheads enough against the brick wall. I'm in agreement with Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times, when he says that we need to set a firm timetable. Setting a firm timetable will foster action, and will ensure that this action is complete in a timely fashion. I believe that the current Republican-led congress will not pursue this option - they've had a chance to do so, and have chosen not to. It's time for replacements to be sent in, so that we can get a change in the strategy.
Some people I know have chosen to protest the election today by not voting. They feel that the machines are either rigged, or, at the very least, provide misleading results. While I lean towards agreement that our election system is fundamentally flawed, I do not support the claim that not voting is a valid protest of the election system. Not speaking your opinion does not equal someone not hearing your opinion, or hearing the wrong opinion, or someone intercepting your opinion and telling someone else that you said something you didn't. Not speaking your opinion is simply an abdication of the duty you have to input into our democracy your choice in how you feel things should be done here. In short, save the protest for after the election, and then work to get the system changed.
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