Make elections work for us — as they should
For almost 250 years, this nation has been striding into a bright future — while teetering on the brink of disaster. It’s part of our national character: perpetual progress but always close to collapse.
This balancing act has kept America on track. Now is always worse than ever before. Every president since George Washington has been both exalted as the greatest and hated as the destroyer of the nation. America survived these problems because we did something about them. Rarely, someone with more hot blood than cool brains turns to violence, but that always seems to make matters worse. We can stay positive and do what always works when we all do it together: Vote.
Every two years, we stage a more or less polite civil war called an election campaign; this year we have local, state and congressional races. It’s a vicious fight, with metaphorical eye-gouging and poison gas. Humans adapted to long-bows, cannons, machine guns and now nuclear bombs as normal in hot wars; we’ve accepted outrageous and obvious lies and character assassination as par for political pugilistics. Weapons now include international chicanery, along with cyber-cutlasses and stilettos of psychology, on top of traditional double-talk.
Hardest thing in the heat of an election is not to lie about the liars and swim in the mud with the mudslingers. Best way to do that, most folks say, is recognize dirty politics for what it is and stay clean. That means fight hard but fair, even if the other guy cheats.
Impossible, you say? We can’t win; America already is wrapped up and sold to the highest bidder, whether paid for in dollars, rubles or spacecoins? Not if you don’t believe it. You are “We the People” in that Constitution presidents still swear to protect and defend.
Some states have tried to sneak in
laws to keep part of We the People from voting. Some of We People say “I don’t care.” To a true spiritual son or daughter of Washington, Jefferson and the rest of those Founders, that’s like saying, “Don’t breathe air.” You fight for it because it’s a life-ordeath matter. Voting in elections, local, state and national, is what citizens (in free countries, that is) do. Not voting is like not breathing. Voting is why you pay taxes, wait in lines and listen to blathering candidates.
They’re sales agents, trying to sell you something. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need or can’t afford. If the sales pitch doesn’t ring true, just say no. That’s voting in a free country — listen, think, vote.
If they talk nonsense, vote for the other candidate. If they sound too good to be true, question their honesty and pin them down. Don’t take somebody else’s word for it, either: What does the candidate himself or herself actually say? Ask questions. If you can’t get to the candidate, listen when someone else asks what you would ask. Think about the election and the people who are running for offices, high and low. You think hard about buying a new car, a new house or marrying a life partner. Elections are at least that important. Not voting is voting for tyranny and totalitarianism.
Talk to people. Get facts. Discuss them like grown-ups. Resist the temptation to attack another citizen who disagrees with your views, or get down in the gutter with slurs, fake “facts,” rumors or racism. Even if you think they’re wrong, respect other American voters. They’re just as good as you, just as smart, and may even see your point of view when you explain it calmly and logically.
Not everyone will agree with you. You’re looking for truth, not a prepackaged party line created by someone who wants to get rich or collect power at your expense. Check the records of career politicians: Have they helped you or hurt you? What next if you vote for them? Can you trust them with your future?
Every candidate for every office has good and bad points. Even the person you think is best for the job has a fault or two. In fact, anyone who claims perfection is someone to avoid; you know it’s not true. Keep listening, keep thinking, keep doubting what you hear others say. Pick the best candidates. Then don’t shrug it off or give up. Vote for them, and help others vote, too. We the People can make this election work for us, like it’s supposed to.
Bill Dunning, retired broadcaster, educator, formerly The New Mexican arts editor and music critic, lives quietly in Eldorado and supervises low-powered ELDORADIO 1660 AM, providing to the golden community easylistening music all day with no political ads or controversy.