For two minutes in that booth, try to set aside:
- The sea of negative campaign advertising
- The nasty rhetoric
- The power-seeking motives behind campaigns
- The billionaires who try to buy elections
- Your understandable pessimism for the state or our country
And instead embrace:
- Your own positive intention
- The example you set to others with your “I voted” sticker
- Your belief in democracy
- The satisfaction knowing how much money someone wasted trying to buy your vote
- The momentary power you hold to make a difference
How we see our democracy impacts how we engage in it. Believing that we don’t make a difference can cause us to stay home. Believing that we do, inspires us to pull that lever.
Only 43% of Americans voted in the last midterm elections. That might seem depressing, yet that represents over 120 million people. As of Oct 27th, over 34 million had already cast their ballot through early voting this year.
The humanitarian, Arthur Ashe, famously said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
In other words, vote.
This week’s recommendation. Check out this celebration on the streets. At first blush you might think, they are celebrating a sports championship. They are not, they are celebrating an election in Brazil.
Consider sharing this with someone who might need a nudge or a ride to the polls.