Tired of Politics As Usual

This item will slightly be off topic from what I'm used to writing, but my girls understand I do most of what I do for them.  When politicians slam a candidate's policies constantly, do you ever ask yourself, "what are YOUR policies?"  I am amazed, especially when someone's track record is not that long, or one littered with controversial choices, that they spend most of their time (and contributors' money) indicating on the wrongs of their opponent.

I feel that "politics as usual" will change when the public lets the candidates know that I am voting on what you are going to do for me, instead of what the other candidate will not do for me, because in certain cases, both candidates will vote the same way (they just don't want you to know that).  This is typically done at the national levels, so many local politicans, who have asperations of achieving those positions, tend to try the same tactics, with much less skill.  Stand on your record, not on the record of your opponent.

My grandfather was a pretty big political supporter at the local level in Saint Albans, Queens, NYC.  If he backed a local policitian, they usually won.  It was not the case of him backing a frontrunner, but one that would benefit the small businessman that he was.  We were a Democrat family, but did not vote along party lines all of the time (although there were a few situations that required us to stray from it), and taught me most of all TO VOTE!!!!  The kicker is, even if there is no one on the ballot you want to vote for, go ahead and vote.  Not for the frontrunner, but for the candidate that SHOULD be the frontrunner, "NONE OF THE ABOVE."  My grandfather taught me that if more voters selected "NONE OF THE ABOVE" many more politicans would take note of what the public really wants.

I have voted in the majority of the elections that I have had available to me, even the local ones (which have more of an impact on my daily life, as well as the life of my family).  As a community, I implore you to get out on November 8 and exercise your right to vote.  I have my preference towards some of the candidates, but this is not the forum to push that (some categories are in the NONE OF THE ABOVE status).  I hope to see many of you out there and hopefully we can move our county forward in the right direction as one of the better places to live in this great country of ours.