Clayton Koff
Staff Writer
This November isn’t a presidential election, but it’s just as, if not more important than the 2016 Election. This election, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 in the U.S. Senate and the governorship of the state of Idaho are all up for grabs.
“Well, why should I care?” you may ask. I will tell you why. This election year will be a time reckoning one. If any of you have been paying any attention to what is happening in our country, you will know that we are on a precipice, a precipice that will determine either a stronger nation or one that could face utter destruction. Democracy itself is at stake.
Checks and balances are the very foundation upon which our government is built. That foundation in our current governing body is nonexistent. Bipartisanship is gone. Currently, the GOP controls the entire government. They control the executive branch, they control the legislative branch and now, they control the judiciary branch and the Supreme Court by confirming Brett Kavanagh as the newest justice.
To a Republican, this isn’t a problem at all. It means the policies they want to pass will be all but assured. But to me, and I would imagine, the average American, regardless of your political affiliation, this is a huge problem in part because bipartisanship no longer matters to those who are elected. They simply will elect what their party wants and without the necessary checks, that could lead to problems.
Not only are checks and balances out the window, this also means that our elected representatives can pass anything they want unchecked, regardless if that’s in your best interest or not. That’s not democracy, that’s fascism, which is why I urge you to utilize the power of democracy while it still exists.
I’m not going to tell you what side to vote, because it really doesn’t matter. Republicans and Democrats alike are so corrupted and partisan that you could elect a duck and just as much would get done.
What I am urging you to do is vote. Vote to maintain the integrity of democracy. Vote for your own wellbeing. Vote to keep our beloved country in one bloody piece.
There’s nationwide outcry about all sorts of social problems such as women’s rights, race, gun control, healthcare, things that are vital to American people that are being swept under the rug because we have grown complacent. Two hundred years ago, if the stuff happening in our country right now happened, there would be bloodshed. But now, who cares? You have your football and your Big Macs and the newest iPhone. So why does it matter that the country you live in has become a laughingstock to the rest of the world? Why does it matter that the very foundation of what makes us free Americans is at stake?
Voting does help, even if it doesn’t seem like it.
Even voting at the state level to keep your job, the very thing that keeps you alive, helps in the grander scheme of things. All liberals should vote. All conservatives should vote. All moderates, all libertarians, all independent parties should vote.
If any of you love your country as you all claim, then prove it. Our country is hemorrhaging at a very rapid rate. If you are as patriotic as you claim, then rise to the challenge, make a difference and vote this November. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 6, and there is a vast amount of resources online if you are unsure how to register and where to go. Please for the love of God, and the love of this nation, just vote.
