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Published: April 04, 2008 11:34 pm
DAY: It is our right to vote
Learn about the candidates
By RAY DAY
Tribune guest columnist
With the May primary coming up here in Indiana, I have to take notice of what we need to look for and need to know so that our vote will not be wasted and regretted for four-plus years.
Many times most voters will come out and vote for that person whom they think will be the best without thinking it out first. I was like that when I first started voting, and I really did not think it out first. The person was running, and so I thought that he must be OK. He was involved and willing to give of his own time to be my representative in government.
Since then, I have taken a deeper look into whom is running and why that person might want that position.
Now, let me get started by saying that I believe that any person running, other than the incumbent, should not already be serving a term in office. If you are elected for a four-year term by the voters in your state, then you should serve it and then afterward, make the move to run for a different office. Too many times we vote someone in to represent us, and that person decides to go up the ladder on our time and our vote.
That should never happen. They should serve their time and then go for the brass ring.
How many times have we been fooled by those who want to help us, and then they do what a group wants on other policies? How many times have we voted a person in because of his or her convictions and later found that we were fooled into believing that he was going to do whatever was needed to turn this country around? Do we just vote a person in because of his or her party affiliation, without finding out if he or she could work together with all representatives who were voted in to represent those who voted them in? Do we really look into the past or closet of those who want our vote?
We should take the time to find out this year. There are three people wanting to be the top man or woman to sit at the head of the table, and what do we really know about them? Do we care that we could put someone else in that spot to decide if our country deserves to stay free? Is that person qualified enough to decide whether or not we try to live in peace or we go to war again? Do we want someone in that office who had a grudge against another country? Do we want someone there who is still wet behind the ears and who could push the panic button too soon? Do we want another person in that position, who gives all our money away to other countries and lets those in this country do without medical help and supplies?
How many times have we gone to the well to help those overseas when a tragedy occurs, and yet have to take time to check out the perils of our country before giving aid? Folks, this election will be one that could be a healing one, or it could be one that will send us further down the beaten path of agony. We need to open those closets, and we need to look under the piles and on the shelves to see if there could be something there that will hurt us later.
As one who will be there to cast my vote, I am looking and will continue to do so, and that when my vote is counted it would be for that person who is the most qualified to head this country where it should be. I don’t want to regret my vote like I have the last several years. Now it is your time to decide how to vote and for whom.
Ray “Uncle Ray” Day of Kokomo is a weekly contributor to the Kokomo Tribune. He can be reached by
e-mail at uncleray@skyenet.net.
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