Our Families Can’t Afford to Stay Home on Election DaySure, lots of us are frustrated by the economy, the war, and lack of progress in Washington, D.C. But there's too much at stake to stay home on election day.by Sarah van Gelder
posted Oct 27, 2010
This is not the year to stay home. Our families can’t afford it.
Democracy is especially fragile during times of stress. It’s a time when our commitment to build a more perfect union is tested.
Voting alone isn’t enough, but it does make a difference. We may not be able to directly influence big corporations to create jobs at home (or at all), but we can elect leaders who will press for jobs in our communities. We may not be able to force employers to offer pension benefits, but we can elect leaders committed to protecting Social Security. And maybe we can’t bring down the high cost of college tuition, but we can vote for members of Congress who will support Pell Grants and other means for young people to gain the skills they’ll need to find work and build a strong country for the next generation.
Elections aren’t everything. Frankly, Congress has fallen short many times, and it is bound to disappoint us again. If we want better policies, we have to do more than vote. We have to get organized, develop our own agenda, and hold our elected officials at all levels of government accountable to us. We’ll need to organize in our communities, work places, and political districts to counter the influence of big-money special interests and the media they control, and set a course that will protect and support strong families.
Voting isn’t everything, but when combined with organizing outside the political process, it can be powerful.
more:
http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/sarah-van-gelder/our-families-cant-afford-to-stay-home-on-election-day
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