The last four years have all been about “HIS story”: Donald Trump’s story, Donald Trump’s alternative facts, alternative science and alternative reality.
Between now and November 3, 2020 we have one last chance to turn HIS-story into YOUR Story, OUR stories and HISTORY!!!
Let’s change the course of history and turn our focus to rebuilding our great nation, to fixing all the flaws that Trump’s time in office has laid bare. Exposing those flaws may be Trump’s most important contribution to our nation: he helped us to see more clearly than ever before the many weaknesses of our system of government.
Out of the chaos and crises that have been the hallmarks of the Trump presidency, we have some huge opportunities to re-think and remake ourselves and our nation.
The magic that has been the driving force of the American story is that we were a people who voluntarily chose to over-throw despotic and unrepresentative rule in favor of the challenges, risks and opportunities of government of, by and for the people.
We can be that people, that country again, but only if we chose to be that country again. The way we make that choice is by voting on or before November 3rd. Each of us has the opportunity – and I would say obligation – to VOTE, to help our country chose who we are and who we want to be.
Will your story be that you stood on the sidelines when you had the chance to vote? Of did you stand up and be counted in your country’s hour of need, and vote?
Did you help someone vote who could not fill out the ballot on her own or get to the polls on his own? Did you call your friends and co-workers, clients, customers and patients and encourage them to vote? Did you contribute $1 or $10 or $42 to the candidates of your choice up and down the ballots?
Or did you stand on the sidelines and let other people chose for you?
Do you think it is too much trouble to vote or that your vote can’t make a difference? If so, please rethink.
Every vote actually counts. Your vote or mine alone will not sway the election one way or another. But our accumulated votes – whether they favor Republicans or Democrats – will send an important message to our leaders and our nation about who we are and what we want and expect from our government and from each other.
No candidate can satisfy every preference of every voter. But there is always one candidate who is better than the other on most of the issues you care about. You may not like choosing the least bad of two candidates, but isn’t that better than allowing yourself to be a victim of the whim of other people with more willingness to stand up and be counted?
Do you eat where and what other people tell you to eat? Do you drive the car other people tell you to drive” Do you root for the football team that someone from Iowa, or Virginia or New York or Florida, or someone on FOX or CNN tells you you should root for? Or do you make those important decisions by yourself?
If you make those important decisions yourself, doesn’t it make sense that you should vote and help chose your next President?
Once the vote is in, we have another critical choice to make. Do we want to fight each other on every new issue and on the battles that have already been fought? Or do we want to find common ground, compromise and make life better for everyone?
Given the many challenges facing the nation and the world, we cannot afford to spend time and resources fighting over the same issues over and over and over again. Instead, we can and should find common ground and compromise on as many issues as we can. We need to prioritize our challenges, we must triage them. Then we can allocate our resources and energy to address the most compelling and life altering issues with the most resources while still addressing a broad array of issues.
The question for this election is really simple: who are we and what do we want to accomplish with the precious gift of life each of us has for a short time on this earth?
Shall we watch re-runs or new episodes of attacks on the rule of law, facts, truth, science and common sense? Do we really believe that the media and anyone who dares speak a word about anything contrary to the momentary beliefs and tweets of Donald Trump is our enemy?
Or shall we get off our couches and get to work, talking to each other, listening to each other and doing the work together that is necessary to build our country and the world into the dream we have imagined? Shall we make our dreams of a better life reality, by caring enough to vote and do the work that our gift of democracy has bestowed upon each of us?
Are you happy with the life our nation has been living or watching on TV for the last four years? Are we truly being the best that we can be? Or are we falling short. Do you want the chance of living a better life and creating a better reality?
The choice is yours. It is time to stand up and be counted. Vote!! And then the real work begins regardless of who wins.