What voice will you use in your presidential primary? What voice do you use every day?
In New Hampshire, we host the first in the nation presidential primary. By now, no doubt you’ve heard the pundits analyzing every angle (at least for those of you who live in the United States).
After voting yesterday, I got on a flight to Texas to attend the annual Profiles International conference in San Antonio. The few people I talked with at the hotel here weren’t that interested. They knew it was happening but weren’t all that wrapped up in it.
Totally understandable. Politics can be maddening.
I had planned to include a picture of Grace burying her head, indicative of the sentiment of how many people feel about the process (but I’m having trouble accessing the pictures from my iPad while traveling, will have to work on that!). With historical low voter turnout in our nation’s elections, it reflects the apathy of citizens. Or perhaps the feeling that one vote doesn’t matter.
I disagree. Romney won by eight votes in the Iowa caucus. Every vote does count. And I don’t think we should waste the opportunity to be a part of the process, even if it’s a frustrating one.
In several commentaries and interviews I listened to prior to yesterday’s day of decision, voters talked about selecting the candidate they felt was most electable rather than the candidate they were most aligned with. It was a bit disheartening to me that a person felt they would be wasting a vote by choosing the candidate of their choice.
In our workplaces, employees often remain silent, too. We should look for ways to encourage active engagement in the things that matter. When we don’t speak up, we give away our power to make things better or prevent an issue we see brewing.
Use your voice. Speak up. Share your ideas with your co-workers. Vote when your primary is held. And be true to what you believe.
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The connection you make is really interesting, Robin. Essentially, we “vote” about things every day, and there’s little room for apathy if we really want to make a difference. People stay silent, or take the path of least resistance, or simply muddle along with little passion. I think raising this simple awareness each day –for ourselves and for those around us– can lead us to a more involved, more caring place.
I love your connection to ‘a more caring place.’ It makes it more human. Thanks, Michael.
Bravo. I agree; the silent majority has basically surrendered and accepted a position of “I can’t do anything which translates to ‘I don’t matter.’
What a cop out… At work, at home, locally and beyond. Once again, well said Miss PeopleSense.
Thanks, Annie, always fun to see you here with your thoughts!
It wasn’t until we moved to NH that I began to really understand and personally experience the electoral process, get involved and participate. Did I vote while living in NJ? Yes, of course. But I didn’t have that “up close and personal” feeling that I’ve experienced here. I watched the debates and attended a house party. Gosh, I was even interviewed by a Swedish reporter while standing in someone’s kitchen waiting for Jon Huntsman to arrive! (Toto — we’re not in NJ anymore!) My awareness (and passion) has been elevated, for sure, by living in a NH primary. It’s given me a deeper appreciation that we all do have a voice, a say, in what we think is best for our country. It’s helped me broaden my thinking about issues and what’s most important to me. We are so very blessed to live in this country and I sincerely hope that, as the candidates stump through the states these next months, we the people stand up and embrace that which is most aligned to our passion and most aligned to our core values and not lean toward the one who is touted “most electable.”
It’s true that being in NH makes it especially exciting, where you can hardly turn around — even in the most rural areas — without having the opportunity to meet and personally talk with a candidate. I think that supports the rationale that being involved in any process makes it all the more interesting and meaningful for an individual. That would apply to politics or our work. Thanks for sharing your view on this, Renee, very interesting.
We get TV updates of what’s going on with your electoral process every evening, although I have to admit I half listen to them. At least for now…I think the world will be more interested as you’re approaching the big day, and bets will be held over whether Obama will hold his seat or who’s going to be the next US president…However, I agree that every vote counts. We live in an area where, statistically, most people would vote for one specific party (not our choice ;)), but in the last elections, ‘our man’ only lost by a few dozen votes…If a few people I know could be bothered to go out and vote (rather than say that ‘we’ve got no chance against the majority, anyway’), the outcome might have been different…
And yes, always be true to what you believe. Always. x
I agree Robin. I vote in every primary and election the I am allowed to. Speaking up for youself is one of the most powerful things a person can do.