This is September 2015. The presidential election is not for over a year. Yet, I am receiving tons of phone calls for polling and seeing debates on television and reading many articles on the candidates. I feel it is too early. I don't remember how it used to be, but I can't really believe that this campaigning has always started this early. It has been going on for months. I am already sick of it!
In California, our primary elections aren't until June 2016. By that time, it has really pretty much been decided who will be on a ballot in November. But I still exercise my vote and I give my vote to the person I like the most. I don't go by his religion. I don't go by his name. I don't always go by his popularity. I don't take your word of mouth who is the best. I do research. Though, I have to say, the last few primary elections, my vote has pretty much been lost in the system. It really didn't count much. But I did cast my vote for who I thought was the best candidate. That person may not ever know who gave him that one vote, but I know. Hopefully he knows that at least one person was listening to him and liked what he had to say and didn't go with the popular vote.
My vote this year....next year!!... is really a hard one for me. I am torn for really the first time in my adult, voting life. I do have issues and I do see things from a different prospective and I do want to see some change and I do want to see tolerance and acceptance.
My parents and most of my grandparents were democrat. Though, I regretfully announce that not of a lot of them ever used their constitutional right. I don't remember ever seeing my mother or father vote. Of course, they had opinions about how things were run; but the older the got and the more I understood, I realized their bitch meant absolutely nothing. You cannot complain about something you did nothing to fix. You cannot take credit for something you did not support. If you did not cast your vote, being either for or against, you cannot be responsible nor feckless in what has happened. You literally had no say in the action. Your complaint, your bitching, your disgust fall on deaf ears. If you did nothing, I don't want to hear from you.
I am a Christian. I am a woman, middle-aged - thank you very much. I am middle class. I pay taxes. I work. According to my state statistics, my family household earns above median income. I am not a 1%er. I own property. I vote -- every single time. In my state, I am not in the majority. I am mostly conservative, with a few steps to the left. I am Republican; card carrying.
My issues for the next election include, but are not limited to, marriage equality, border issues, abortion, health care, the national debt, war/peace, welfare, gun control. I will not go into my stance on all of these subjects, not today anyway.
I will say this -- I have a gay son. I want him to love and to marry as he wishes. I don't want anyone to stand in his way. I will fight for his right to do so. I will fight for his right to adopt children as he and his (future) husband see fit. I will fight for his right to be noticed as a citizen of the United States, not some second-class no one. He is equal. He is equal to me. He is equal to you. His life matters. It should not just matter to me, it really should matter to you as well. If some elected county clerk (I really, really have a lot to say on this subject, but it just angers me to very much, I cannot even talk about it without my heart just racing) refuses to give my son a marriage license because of who he is marrying, the elected official is not doing their job and should be released - immediately. I really don't care what side of the marriage equality issue you are on - you should ask for any ones resignation, or demand it, if they are not following the laws of the land.
- Do I particularly like going 55MPH? No, I don't. Do I always go 55MPH? No, I don't. Am I subject to a fine if found guilty of not going 55MPH? Yes. Does this change if I am a man or a woman? It better not. Can I be angry if I am fined? Oh yes, I can and will be. Will I go 55MPH from now on? I would like to think I would really try. Can I do anything about the speed limit? Not really, I can just obey the law.
- Do I like to shop? Very much so! Do I like to pay $150 for a pair of shoes? Ummmmm...no. Do I ever put said shoes into my purse without paying for them? Ummmmm...no. If I did, could I be subject to jail time? Yes! Can I do anything about loving and wanting $150 shoes? No. Can I do anything about not spending time in jail? Yes I can, I can obey the law.
If you don't like the fact that gays are equal and can marry, do something about it. But don't refuse service for my son or others just like him. Again, I cannot reiterate enough how much I feel every single American should feel this way, I don't care how you feel about gay marriage - you should respect the law. You can protest all you want. You can send money to the county clerk to help with her legal fees. But, my gosh, you should certainly stand behind America and obey the Constitution. If you can't do your job -- there are highways going north to Canada and south to Mexico, hop on one. I have to sometimes work on Sunday. Do I like it? Nope. Can I refuse to do it? Sure, but I will lose my job. Can I do anything about it? Quit and find something else. Will Mike Huckabee come to a rally and defend my right not to work on a Sunday? LOL -- I don't think so. Okay, off my soap box now.
The only other thing I will say will be about gun control. I am a gun owner. I legally possess guns. They are registered in the State of California. They have been obtained legally. I follow the rules of owning a gun. My husband makes sure I am confident in firing my weapon and he makes sure that I know the safety rules and regulations and he knows I know how to use it and will. Does the gang member who is in possession of a gun follow the same rules? I am pretty much guessing not. Do there need to be stronger gun control laws? Probably, but definitely not to those who already follow the rules and live by the laws of the land. Should the government be able to take my guns? Only if they can 100% guarantee they get every single other gun off the streets, with no exceptions. Are there senseless, cruel, terrible murders happening every day to innocent people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yes, my goodness, every day you read about someone who was shot or a group who were shot for no reason at all. Does this need to stop? Oh my heavens, yes it needs to stop, it needs to stop tomorrow. Are taking my legally obtained, fully registered guns the answer? Absolutely not. I don't really know what the right answer is here, but something needs to be done and quickly. And fairly.
Okay then....there you have my thoughts for the day! I don't know how I am going to vote in 14 months. I do know I am really going to listen to what is said and I am really going to weigh the things that I find important and finding the best candidate that fulfills most (I don't think we will every agree 100%) of my biggest issues.
For those that read to the end....I wish I could give you a prize!! For those who didn't, I will catch you the next time.
XOXO
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