Balancing the Scales

The first Democratic Caucus in Nebraska this Saturday.

It will sound blasphemous to say, but generally when election time rolls around I get out of bed with a groan. Its not like my sense of civic responsibility propels me to skip and bound out into the street anxious to vote. I generally have to wake up early, leave work before five, bribe my daughter to accompany me or otherwise negotiate some way to duck into the voting booth.

The caucus sounded like a more involved process which was to hard sell me on. Part of me rallied with a brief reminder that generations of women fought for the right to participate directly in the political process. Part of me rallied when I reminded myself I am a role model for my kid.

Then I thought of a speech I heard my father give several years ago at a "Get Out the Vote" rally. He asked the group to envision the most politically illiterate person you know. The one who drives you crazy. The one who gets your blood pressure up, or makes your eyes roll. That political discussion you resent for having occupied both your time and brain space.

Its not tough to conjure the image of that guy in the cubicle, the distant relative who shows up for family occasions, the woman at the check out stand you can't help but over hear, the television or radio pundit, etc. Now envision all of those people lined up at the polling booth. Scary, hunh? There's the motivator! Without you at the polling booth, the whole system crumbles as those people shape the future of this country. Balance out the scales a little. Cough up a little bit of time this Saturday and offer a thoughtful vision for the future.

Click here to enter your address and find your caucus location in Lancaster county.