Election Day

"Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve." — George Bernard Shaw

Today, our long national nightmare ends. Candidates for President of the United States have been on the trail for a couple years, but it all ends here. All the ads. All the attacks. All the promises. All the flip-flopped positions. It all comes down to today.

I can't be sure, but my guess is that voter turnout today will be less robust than voter turn out in 2008. In general, you can't help but feel people are less optimistic about government today than they were four years ago. I've joked, frequently, these past few months that there isn't a good choice in the race, it's more a matter of who you think will be less bad. Poor grammar aside, that's kind of a sad but true thought about this election.

It's also sad but true that it seems people are more apathetic about voting than they have been in years. But that is also part of the problem. I love that quote from Shaw that started this post because it's really true. We get the government we deserve. If you don't vote because you're not impressed, then you deserve to live with the consequences of the choice made by those that did.

In "The West Wing" there is a quote — "Decisions are made by those who show up." That's a deep truth. Voting is a privileged. It's something we take for granted in America that people in other parts of the world would die for. I am as sick of the political ads, the negative feelings, and the endless arguing as the next person, but I still feel lucky to live in a country where we get to choose.

So, not matter how you feel about the elections and the candidates, I hope you get out and vote today. If you're not a part of the process, you have no right to complain about the outcome.