By Pat Larsen
For Capital Region Independent Media
Here we are folks, in the home stretch, just a couple of weeks away from this year’s all-important election cycle.
I’m guessing many have made up their minds regarding who they’re going to cast their vote for to make that all important “S…election”this year based on the ferocity of the campaign ads trying to redirect our considerations.
The contentiousness of the current TV commercials has increased to a level that is cringeworthy. I have wondered how some of these candidates and their families have managed to withstand the degree of personal bashing throughout these past few months.
Honestly, I often just lower the volume until the weather report comes on since that’s the only reason I’m watching TV in the first place.
My thoughts are that in the week before the election, if we focus on the issues being promoted by each of the primary candidates, the dust will have cleared so we can further understand each of their positions. That will then help us to decide what makes sense.
As the oldest voting body who are still quite knowledgeable about the importance of getting out to vote, it will be without question that OUR votes will still matter very much in this election cycle.
You understand that, right?
Thinking that you’re going to “sit this one out” is just not an option.
You might not even be around in four years to straighten out that mistake.
After watching the reporters on college campuses offering microphones to young students who have little to no mileage or voting experience yet or an understanding of the value that is placed on voting, I clearly began to understand the importance of getting out to vote as a collective generation of Baby Boomers.
Sweeping generalization on my part?
No! When they were asked about their reasons for choosing this candidate or that one… the response was typically a one-word answer, none of which were based on policies that would further influence their lives in any way.
I’m guessing the next thing they did was to look to see how many “likes” they received on their social media page.
Back to us… the Baby Boomer/Senior voters this year.
Let’s start by taking all the important issues into consideration that will impact us as the aging population, along with how this year’s decisions will affect our grown families and then our grandchildren down the line.
We know money doesn’t grow on trees. We also know that lots of extra printed money means paying the piper down the line that will directly affect us as consumers on limited incomes. That’s not whining or being deliberate about one choice or another, it’s simply the facts that we’ve had to live with over the years regardless of who signed the bill to hand out more monopoly money to play the game of keeping this country afloat.
OK… so in terms of S..election day coming up. Please, don’t get all grumpy about having to go out to vote, or to have to stand in a line, or to carefully color in that stupid little circle on the enormously oversized piece of paper to slide into that machine that might reject your ballot once or twice before being accepted.
Please vote, Baby Boomers. Please.
While you’re voting, please also take that minute or more to read Proposition 1 before voting no or yes.… I have read it already, re-read it, and shook my head in shock at what was being proposed.
Sometimes we just forget that important stuff, the really significant stuff that gets worded in these propositions that are hard to follow, so we ignore them or just out of habit vote the same old way.
This year, please read this particular one. The voters will ultimately decide by their vote, each of our very important votes needs to be part of this decision… so please read it.
I was taught many years ago that we have the right to vote in this country and that it is our duty to do so as Americans. I also was taught that once the votes were counted and the people had spoken, we should then respect that decision wholeheartedly and move forward together as a United States of America. In my family this is what was taught and what we carry forward teaching each of the newest voting members of our family.
Most of all, we teach to get out every election and take that time to vote. I know you understand that, fellow Baby Boomers.
Please get out this year. If you need a ride, call me.
Pat Larsen is a syndicated columnist in Greene, Albany and northern Ulster counties. Please call Pat at 518-275-8686 to chat.
