Today is the day most of us have been waiting for.
We can resume watching television without hearing two people berate each other about being liars, crooks, perverts and corrupt, horrible people. When the phone rings at home, it might actually be worth answering. Our mailbox will be a lot less full. The mailman will be greatly relieved not to have to deliver political junk-mail that will go directly from the mailbox to the trash bin. Whew … it’s about time.
We have all heard someone say that they don’t want to waste their vote. Lately, there has been considerable discussion about whether a vote is ever really wasted. The prevailing opinion has usually been that any vote that is cast for someone other than one of the two major party candidates is a “wasted vote.” I used to think that, but not anymore. Now, I think there are only two ways of wasting a vote: Don’t vote, or cast an unprincipled vote.
I’m sure you have heard friends or family members complain that, if they vote, they feel like they will be voting for the lesser of two evils. That’s not a good feeling, because, if you vote for the lesser of two evils, you are still voting for someone you consider to be … evil. Just, somewhat less evil.
Voting for the lesser of two evils would be an unprincipled vote. But, I feel, that a vote cast for a third-party candidate, or a write-in vote for someone you really admire, can be used to send a clear message to the leaders of our two major political parties. The message would be, “Hey, I not happy with either of the two candidates you have given me. You can, and must, do better than this. Until then, I’m casting my vote for someone else.”
You should be realistic. The third-party or write-in candidate you vote for will not be elected president. One of the two major party candidates will be our president next year. At this point, I have no idea who that will be. The only poll that counts is the poll that is being taken today – the vote of the American people.
Governor John Kasich voted a few weeks ago. After casting his vote, he admitted that he could not, in good conscious, vote for Donald Trump. Instead, he wrote in the name of his longtime friend and political ally, Senator John McCain. The governor’s vote for Sen. McCain will not count. McCain is not on the approved list of people in Ohio whose names can be written and counted. Kasich’s vote will not count, but it was not a wasted vote.
Governor Kasich wanted to send a message. His message has been loudly received. He strongly feels that the republican candidate for president does not deserve his vote, so he wrote in the name of someone he admires. Since then, our governor has been widely criticized for that write-in vote.
It was recently reported on the news that former Pennsylvania senator and former presidential candidate, Rick Santorum, has bitterly criticized Kasich. Santorum is reported to have said, “If you’re watching, John, you signed a pledge. You signed a pledge saying that you would support the Republican nominee for president. You promised that you would follow through with that. You knew Donald Trump had a chance because he was leading in the polls at the time and you signed it. You can’t say a man who’s not going to keep his word is someone that, frankly, should be paid attention to when it comes to how he’s going to vote. John,” he continued. “you are better than that.”
I disagree. John Kasich’s voice and his opinion have been heard. His vote met his principles. His vote, although it may not be officially counted, has counted for something. The governor made his pledge to support the republican candidate early in the primary election season.
A lot has changed since then. Should a person always, always and forever be held to a promise that they made. I don’t think so. If more information is discovered that reveals that the promise they made was wrong, the person would be wrong not to change their mind. If you promise to clean off your dinner plate then find out that the food has been poisoned, the only sane thing to do is to change your mind. I think that Rick Santorum has overreacted. I do not blame the governor for changing his mind.
Whatever the outcome of today’s election, I hope and pray that our country, and all of our elected officials, will come together and work for the common good – the betterment of our nation.
Rush Limbaugh received a lot of press coverage after Barack Obama was elected president when he loudly and repeatedly stated that he wanted the president to fail. He wanted him to fail. I would never want our president (Republican or Democrat) to fail. If the president fails, our country suffers.
I will hope and pray that we can work together. That great divides can be narrowed. That our country will heal from the bitterness of this presidential election. The fundamental beliefs and views of Republicans and Democrats will probably never align on most basic issues. That’s fine, but we still need to communicate, compromise and cooperate to move this great country forward, to do what is best for our economy, to do what is best for the vast majority of our citizens.
Lord, give us wisdom and give us strength. God bless America.
Randy Riley is President of Council of Wilmington.
