A Get-Out-the-Vote Hail Mary

Really? You need more reasons to vote than Lee Zeldin and Donald Trump?

Sorry for the tough love, but these are tough times for those who believe in the basic tenet of democracy.

Fortunately, we still have the right to vote and our next chance is the congressional primary on Tuesday,
June 26, when we’ll get to choose among five earnest Democrats candidates challenging Congressman Lee Zeldin and also send a collective vote of oh-hell-no confidence to Washington.

But if you stay away from the polls, guess what? Your apathy is as good as a thumbs up to Trump and Zeldin.

Not voting means you’re okay with separating babies from their asylum seeking mothers, you’re fine with Russia’s interference in our elections, you’re all good with federal rollbacks on safety, economic and environmental protections, chipping away at a woman’s right to choose, attacks on our freedom of speech, religion and the press.

Are you okay that Lee Zeldin sponsored legislation to make it EASIER for holders of gun permits to carry across state lines, equating gun licenses with driver's licenses? Are you really?

I didn’t think so.

So you have a chance on Tuesday to do what what Congressman Zeldin will not: say no to Trump.

Still not convinced? Here are a few more reasons to vote this Tuesday:

1. In honor of the more than 1.1 million servicemen and women who have died in the name of democracy, making the ultimate sacrifice so you’d continue to have the right and privilege to vote. All you need to do is leave home earlier or be a little late to dinner on Tuesday. Just sayin’.

2. Your votes in the primary now and midterms in November counts in more ways than one. According to Wikipedia, 149 US elections have been decided on a margin of less than 1 percent. There’s no Electoral College to muddy local election waters.

3. Plus, remember, it's not just your vote, it’s your voice. Are you really okay that EPA chief and fossil fuel industry lapdog Scott Pruitt wants to cut the agency’s oversight of fracking and Superfund cleanups and eliminate programs that reduce radon in schools and control runoff pollution from our roads?

(BTW, Long Island's environment is not going to clean itself. This past April, the American Lung Association gave Suffolk County an “F” for air quality - among the worst in the state - in an area with a significant number of adults and children with asthma, COPD and lung cancer. Our bays continue to suffer from algal blooms from nitrogen runoff that choke off marine life and tourism. What's Zeldin done to protect our environment? Not much according to The League of Conservation Voters who gave him a dismal 9% rating. )

#5 Show some respect for the candidates. These are people just like you and me who are not only appalled at what’s happening Washington, but have given up days and weeks away from their families to advocate their positions, shake germ-infested hands and ask for donations so they can CHANGE what’s happening in Washington.

#6 If you show, we’ll get more dough. A high voter turnout will convince Democrat party leaders that we’re serious about replacing Zeldin with someone more able and willing to represent us in DC, loosening the bank needed to flip this district and - maybe even more important - maintain the checks and balances our Founders put in place to protect us from the lunatic fringe behavior from the Oval Office.

Don’t know if you’re registered or where you vote? Visit the Suffolk Election site at http://www.suffolkvotes.com or call (631) 852-4500.

Before Tuesday rolls around, decide when you're going to vote and go. It’s your vote,
and it’s your voice. Use it.

It’s the least we can all do.