Exercise Your Right Tomorrow

It's time to venture into a subject I've rarely talked about on my blog: politics. Tomorrow is a very important day in America, and that is Election Day. I have been an eligible voter since 1980, and I have never missed voting in a November election. I take voting very seriously, as I believe everyone should.

Since this is not a presidential year, the voter turnout will be lower, and it will be below 50%. Here in New York, we will be electing a senator, governor, attorney general and the entire Congress, among the more important positions up for grabs.

I will vote, but I won't say for who. I believe that is a private thing, and I will make my choices when I am alone in the voting booth. I always vote my conscience, and no one influences me. I will say that I am an Independent, but I am officially registered as a Democrat (that is so I can vote in the primaries here in New York). I don't listen to celebrity endorsements of any kind. Celebrities can come out and encourage people to vote for whoever they want to, and it is their right as an American to do that. But their political stand is no better or more important than mine is. The ones who bother me are the smug, arrogant ones who think they wield something special in terms of influence. (I've always thought those Hollywood types, "Limosine Liberals" as Ed Koch once called them, are totally out of touch with the average American. I don't relate to them at all.)

As an Independent, I've voted for Democrats and I've voted for Republicans. And I'm proud to write that. I don't pigeonhole myself into any political view or philosophy. My way of thinking has always been, "Show me what you got!" Then I make up my mind. I don't believe I have ever voted directly down a political slate in any election in my life.

I'm not here to tell you who to vote for, but just to tell you to get out and vote tomorrow. There maybe a drastic sea change as far as the House and Senate goes, and the Democrats may indeed gain control of both places.

I've always said that the biggest complainers in America are those people who don't vote. So it's important to get out there and make your voice heard. It's a right that shouldn't be taken lightly, as many have fought and died for us to have the right to vote.

Vote however you like, but just get out there and do it.