Why bother to vote?

Every four years our precious Constitutional Republic, the United States of America, holds an election for President; while Congressional elections occur every two years, and various state and local elections happen yearly. Although some rules vary, you’re typically eligible to vote if you’re a U.S. citizen, meet state residency requirements, register to vote, and are 18 years old on or before Election Day.

And as our country’s upcoming November 5, 2024 Presidential Election ever so rapidly approaches, history strongly suggests that the response thereto of “We the People” will again be a mixed bag of responsible and irresponsible behaviors.

Yes, many will do their best to become fact-based informed and cast rational votes, while the response of a number of others will be irrationally rooted in emotions, and/or otherwise influenced in large measure by ignorance, falsehoods, greed, intimidation, etc. In turn, a disheartening many caught up in the pitfalls of apathy and complacency will simply choose to not participate. As still others will for their respective reasons struggle with “why bother to vote at all.”

Of course, the reasons and importance of casting rational and informed fact-based votes are many. None the least being to ensure that “government power” is entrusted solely to truly trustworthy representatives of “We the People.” That is, placed in the hands of those faithfully dedicated to governing in accordance with our U.S. Constitution, and thereby protecting, preserving, and defending our precious republic, liberty, and freedoms.

Yes, by November 5, 2024, once again billions upon billions of dollars will have been spent, and untold campaign endeavors undertaken, in an unrelenting effort to, by way of our votes, determine who will until the next elections control the reins of “government power.” Power crucially affecting, but not limited to, that regarding: taxes; regulations; health care; food supply; transportation; infrastructure; banking; government agencies; investments; agriculture; energy; communications; environment; small/large business; government budgets/spending; national debt; foreign aid; wars; border security; immigration control; economic growth; inflation; interest rates; employment; unemployment; size/cost of government; crime control; justice system; educational institutions; elections integrity; and overall adherence to our U.S. Constitution; etc.

And, if by chance the above random examples fall a bit short of touching upon some meaningful reasons to not only vote, but to do so responsibly, then hopefully some serious pondering of the following three cautionary quotations reportedly from not so long ago will be of some aid: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” --Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” --Susan B. Anthony; and, "The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.” --Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

                          —William James Moore, Parsons, KS 09/08/2024.

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"Click" on below image to access publication of above article in SE Kansas newspaper, the Parsons Sun: