The ethics question of the day: Should you forget to tell your Honey to vote if you know Honey is voting for the evil other candidate? The best part of a relationship is the functional collective memory of the couple. "Oh yeah, Saturday, we're going to that thing with the Andersons. Thanks for reminding me, Honey." What if you're the member of the couple that reminds the other Honey to vote?
Tuesday, November 8, 7:00 a.m. your brain clicks like an alarm clock. Honey is walking out the door, you're walking out the door; okay, you're walking out the door together and this is the time for you to say, "Oh Honey, don't forget to vote!" Or, what if you make Honey late so he doesn't have time to vote? (No, let's not get hung up on that one).
But you know Honey is voting for Evil. You have strong views about Evil. Evil will embarrass the nation, lie to us, prove to the world we're incapable of voting for anything but Evil. Every vote counts. If Honey forgets to vote, it's another vote for freedom, democracy, and the nation. It also strengthens your vote rather than dilutes it. Should you put the nation over your duty to remind your Honey to participate?
You fought for your Honey. It wasn't smooth sailing from dating into marriage. You weren't an old school arranged marriage. You two didn't grow up together in Canarsie. Honey is from a different race, a different religion, a different part of town. Honey comes from a broken home. All dating obstacles were overcome, even through all forms of: "Honey's from a different world. What do you know from these people!" But you didn't realize when you moved in with Honey that Honey has very different political beliefs; and now, Honey is voting for Evil. How did you not know? (Alright, we're not going to get hung up on that).
This election is like no other election. We really mean it this time. It's Good versus Evil. How can Honey vote for Evil? You never saw it coming. You're a colorblind, atheist, open minded, xenophile (lover of other cultures and people, for the dummies voting for Evil). You're in a serious relationship with your special someone who swears: Honey is voting for Evil.
"But Honey, Evil hates you. Evil hates me?" You've tried everything but you're hitting a wall. You know once Honey's in a voting booth, it's over -- Evil gets another vote. Yes, there is a Bradley effect, (no one will admit to a pollster they're not voting for the non-white candidate). I'm certain there is a version of that going on in this election. But Honey's not embarrassed. It would be easier for Honey to admit voting for Good, not Evil, just like you.
We should all vote. The only time we have any real say is in the voting booth. Shouldn't there be a uniform encouragement to vote? Shouldn't we have voting all week long and anywhere, at any time -- once. We have the technology to vote anywhere, anytime -- but there are those that obstruct (but don't get hung up on that). You know if you fail to remind Honey, Honey will forget. You're not going to actively confuse Honey by saying Honey should vote on November 28. You're just going to say nothing, and let Honey take its course.
One of the best comedic philosophers of our time, George Carlin suggested we shouldn't vote. Voting demonstrates approval of the system, and George wanted no part of it! Leave him out of the disfunction that is Washington politics. This is the time where we miss George the most. He would've destroyed in all senses of the world, Donald, Hillary, and our Libertarian third party candidates (but don't get hung up on that). To not vote, is voting.
But Honey relies upon you to remind Honey to vote. Who says you have a duty to remind Honey to vote? If Honey wants to vote for Evil that much, "Go vote, Honey" -- but you want no part of it. Your ethical conclusion is up to you. No one will really know how subtle you were in your obstruction or failure to remind Honey.
If this article has foiled your plans to fool Honey into forgetting to voting, I apologize. Unless Honey was voting for Good, and then I regret it. God Bless your Honey and the United States of America.
Robert Buschel is an attorney. He is a member of the Florida and California Bars. His first novel By Secret Majority, a political thriller set in the White House was published in August 2016. Now available in Audio format Narrated by actor Ray Porter. www.bysilentmajority.com