It may not seem like it is worth it anymore. Voting seems like a long shot in getting your voice heard. It is understandable. Look at how deep the political circus has become. It is an embarrassment to every single American, The plagiarized speech doomsday reports, boos resounding through a hostile crowed after a heroic withholding of an endorsement. This is where our votes currently lie. We watch with our with mouths wide open; these are the highlights of the Republican National Committee. Defiant and smug, Donald Trump, proudly to the dismay of many, accepts the Republican nomination for president. The Democratic National Committee doesn't appear as if it will disappoint by way of crazy behavior either. Already, we have learned that the head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman is in the midst of a horrific storm (that she caused) after her emails were leaked to the public. Debbie was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, the lead plotter in the plan to derail the Sanders campaign.
Donald Trump has hopped on this bit of information, further strengthening his claims of "Crooked Hillary". The Democrats are refusing to accept the incident as truth having mistakenly allowed Debbie to speak at the DNC; she too was met with boos. Why they allowed her to speak is beyond anyone’s guess. It will be interesting to see how the rest of this convention plays out. There are already thousands protesting outside of the DNC calling for Sanders to be reinstated and Hillary to step down. Some are predicting that the debacle that was the RNC will repeat itself during the DNC. This is one of the times where one has to wait and allow things to play out.
Regardless of the facts, one thing is crystal clear: there are two people running for president who aren't well received and are not really generating much excitement. Who will win? Who will bring us up, or bring us down? Who has the better campaign? Who is more believable? Right now, I personally am not certain myself, but there is one thing I am certain of: I will be voting. I will pay close attention to the facts and fact-checkers out there that provide all the information. I will not take it at face value what one candidate says about the other. Right now, there are thousands of memes running rampant on the internet where people are joking about moving to Canada if one or the other candidate wins the election. There are people who hear a blurb on the news, or maybe some rumor, and quickly judge as to which way they will vote without further investigation. The responsibility to be well informed is on the American voter. To be well informed helps make decent choices.
It is OK and understandable to be upset over the ones who didn't make the cut, like Sanders. However, just because your candidate did not receive the nomination, it is still up to us to vote someone into the White House. It is understandable to be afraid that one may be a bigot, or another untrustworthy, but the key is to wade through the rhetoric and get to the heart of the issues being discussed. Which candidate is better equipped at helping with something you personally have issues with? Which candidate seems to have your interest at heart? Even if you cannot decide, do the homework before quickly rushing to judgment.
No matter what you may feel, trust, distrust, etc., it is of the utmost importance that you vote! This should also prove a lesson, that the importance is not solely placed on voting during presidential elections, it is in voting whenever there is the need to. Each branch of the government is connected from the top down, and vice versa. By participating in the voting process for the smaller offices, allowing your voice to be heard on the issues that may appear small, does in fact have a great impact on the bigger elections. Finally, get involved. You may opt for working to support a local candidate or someone "bigger". You can hold neighborhood and church meetings, and then take your concerns to your local government. Or, you can throw your hat into the political arena. That is what I intend to do. After law school, local politics will be my next step. Until then, pay close attention, not just to the news programs that have the same political views as you, but pay attention to the opposing side. Hear everything from every single angle. You will find a decision is easier to make that way, even if none of the two running are your first choice. Just remember, it is not only a right, but your duty to get out there and vote, vote, vote, vote, VOTE!
