Stop Complaining and Get Involved

Get involved. Stop sitting on the sidelines and complaining about how things have changed and you can never make a difference.
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Synoptic Gospel extols a timeless clarion call, "to whom much is given much will be required, and to whom much is entrusted much will be asked." Amidst a lassitude courtesy of the summer solstice among other things, voter turnout for the fall is looking more dire. Political history forecasts less than 60 percent of the electorate turning out; these figures taking into account both the spasmodic economy and high polarization.

Though the democrats seem to have recently regained momentum with Chief Justice John Roberts seemingly jumping ship to vote with the progressive wing of the court, any single news outlet would have you believe that somehow not only did Democrats lose, but the country was set back, and Obama his headed back to "the South Side" next winter.

Look no further than Obama wetting donors with frantic calls for funds, just days after the court's decision, and what looks like another month of being out-fundraised by the Romney camp. Now, this is no attempt at "gonzo" critique but rather a harsh reality. Somehow along the way the fate of the Affordable Care Act got sliced into a nebulous joust pitting Democrats against Republicans, conservatives against liberals, with independents and the rest supposedly largely indifferent. What ever happened to civility, helping the uninsured, cost control, and the meaty underpinnings that buoyed the debate over much of the last century; last three years?

Regardless, much of the latter is subterfuge meant to elicit a timeless concept -- get involved. Stop sitting on the sidelines and complaining about how things have changed and you can never make a difference. Tell that to the 70-something year old district leaders I met over the last several months who believe that after forty years of hard work in their community, to them this election is more important than ever. Do not forget student loans and infrastructure legislation affecting millions which was effectively pushed to the corner of a cliff for the next two years after a once in a lifetime bipartisanship measure by this titular Congress.

Not to be trite, but your voice matters this year; our voices always matter. Fate would have it that Independence Day is upon us. The stark exceptionalism of this nation, gives us a freedom and affordability to come together for a common cause and take action. You see it on city streets, and rural counties throughout much of the summer months -- young folks canvassing for equality, signing people up to vote, and pushing a myriad of agendas that are often not merely political. Get your head in the game. Get involved in something that is bigger than yourself. The Fourth of July should be a blunt reminder that as citizens we have been given many freedoms, thus much is also required of us. Get involved in the political process by first registering to vote, then get out there and volunteer. Jeers, tears, or further apathy this fall would constitute an abdication of duty on your part.

Stop complaining and get involved.

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