An Open Letter to Eligible 2012 Voters

Dear Voters:
You are within spitting distance of deciding who the next President of the United States will be.  Though it seems impossible, November will descend upon us almost as quickly as Herman Cain's campaign went down in flames.  And that smack was FAST!

No matter if voting in this election makes you feel all warm and fuzzy or angry and bitter, you must, above all, remember it is a privilege to go to the polls.  People in other countries stand in awe of our freedom to vote;  this responsibility is something we should never, ever take for granted.

Neither should we shy away from the polls because our favorite candidate isn't on the ballot.*  We show up, pony up a vote (even a not-perfect one), and thank God for whomever is elected, affirming him in prayer during his entire tenure, according to scripture.

And, even though this political season has been a hotbed of allegations, some false and some true, we have to ignore the distractions to get to the truth about the people who are running.

One fact I can darn sure gar-un-tee, that will set some of you on a cursing streak the width and breadth of the Mississippi, is this:  our next candidate will be in the 1%.

If you critically think about it, campaigns aren't run on sunshine and smiles.  They are run on money.  BIG money.  Huge war chests.

I will concede that the best man for the job may very well reside on Main Street in Plainville, USA earning $45,000 a year.  But we'll never know his name because the money doesn't back him, even though he has sound values, makes righteous decisions, and still exercises common sense.

Now, do I necessarily think it is RIGHT that, for the past 150 years or so, our candidates have come to their positions via wealth?  No.  But, it is reality.

So, let's lay this whole "1% vs. 99%" business to rest.  If you don't like this fact, it's time to fight for sweeping campaign reforms. 

We also need to forget all the chatter about tax returns, especially the BS Warren Buffet is slinging.**  If any of these candidates was filing inaccurate returns, paying less than they owed, or bilking the system in any way, they'd have a target the size of Massachusetts on their head.  And, the IRS would have aimed, fired and shot.

These guys are paying WHAT IS OWED.  When they earned the money, they paid a higher tax rate, probably in the 20-35% tax range.  That was taxation number one.  Then, after investing and showing a gain, they were taxed at a lower rate because they had been PREVIOUSLY TAXED AT A HIGHER RATE.  That's called basic tax law.

If you don't like that, fight for tax reform.  But, remember.  You have the same opportunity to pony up a higher percent of taxes on your earned income and invest the money, allowing you the privilege of being taxed a second time on the gains at a lower rate.   

And, further, just because someone is wealthy and has invested well, he isn't automatically the devil.  It makes him wise.  Blessed financially.  Possibly lucky.

So, with those issues aside, you have choices to make.  Are you going to look at the heart of the person?  Their values?  Their morals?  Their past decisions regarding issues that you feel are important?

Or, are you going to follow the campaign ads and the tweets and the accusatory language of the opposing candidates?

I would strongly urge you to do the former.  A site I discovered that might be helpful is called Vote Smart.  It allows you to find your "presidential soul mate" via a quiz of sorts, devoted to a bevy of issues and their importance to you v. the candidate.

This is going to be an imperfect election during imperfect times.  Not much new under the sun, frankly.

But, what shouldn't be imperfect is the passion of the people to grab their freedom by the horns and use it.

Show up.  Vote.  And let the chips fall where they will.

And, may the best man win.



*My current write-in, Abraham Lincoln, is most definitely too dead to actually serve.

**That argument is such political crap it makes my head hurt.  If Mr. Buffet wants to pay 30% on his earnings or gains, just frickin' do it!  But he knows as well as I do, that he has EARNED THE RIGHT TO PAY A LOWER TAX RATE ACCORDING TO THE IRS.  Don't bust every one's chops and start a controversy that has no basis in fact just because you have a bazillion dollars to blow, dude.