Post-Election Post

So –  it’s not going to surprise anyone who knows me that I’m NOT PLEASED about the outcome of the election. I’m mad at McCain for his crappy campaign, mad at 52% of voters who picked the wrong guy, mad at the media for their failure to remain impartial (hello Chris Matthews!), and actually pretty mad at myself for not getting more involved sooner. 

As I commented earlier in the week at Sundry’s blog, there is not a lot of incentive to vote here in my little blue state, and the lopsidedness leaves me feeling rather disenfranchised. I know my vote doesn’t make a difference here. So in addition to voting, isn’t there something else I could have done? Yes, of course there was, I could have voiced my opinion sooner and more often to more people.

I’ve had a passion for politics since I was about 10. My family always discussed it around the dinner table, and I was never shy about voicing my opinions around them, or sparking conversations about it with my classmates. Needless to say, at that age there really weren’t too many other children who cared about it, but some of the few that did became lifelong friends. I majored in political science at a very liberal university and enjoyed the heated debates that ensued in my classes there. After graduation however, it became apparent that speaking your mind about certain issues wouldn’t get you very far in the business world, and I kind of tucked my beliefs under the rug. I felt it was important to maintain a professional persona for many reasons, and until recently I thought it in my best interest to “keep quiet” about things. What has happened during this election season has changed my mind about keeping quiet, and I am now resolved to get a lot more involved with how politics are shaping my life. I cannot sit back and trust that others will push government to develop in a manner that is in my best interests, and if I’m not brave enough to enter the arena, well, how can I be surprised when things don’t go my way?