Time to Vote?

This is the first time in over 50 years of voting, plus working for candidates I believed in, that I will not vote. My friends say that things could get worse, that it's important to vote even for the lesser of two evils. . The Democrats say that change takes time. I've always agreed with these arguments.

But frankly, I've come to the conclusion that both parties use these arguments. Why should I vote for people who won't fight for the changes this country needs? Why should I vote for people who are more concerned about their own re-election that the issues I think are important and should be fought for?

The Democrats are working hard now to get out the vote. They think we will vote for them because we have no place else to go. With the two-party system, it seems we have only bad and worse. Unfortunately, the left can't get it together to make an impact. I plan to stay home. My vote is to stay home.

I'm ready to tolerate two years of a Republican Congress and a Democratic president. There's always a veto. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. Perhaps this will even be a wake-up call to Democrats. Perhaps they'll get the message that we don't want them caving in, we want a fight against right-wing philosophy that benefits the rich and the corporations and their own careers. We want them to represent us, the people. We want what Barack Obama the candidate promised: a change of mindset.

Well, I've had a change of mindset about Washington. Washington hasn't. How about you?