To Vote or Not to Vote - That was my question

I don't know about anyone else, but for the last several years I have been completely uninspired by the lack of choices in our presidential candidates. Every four years I watch as a couple of good old boys full of hot air stump around my country. Each of them trying as hard as they can to assure me that once they got into office, all would be well. I read their bios, listen to their speeches, dissect their promises and, without fail, I ask myself the question

"Is this the best we can do?"

No, really. We are the United States of America. We are citizens of one of the most wealthy and privileged countries in the world. Every day we take for granted rights that millions of others in the world only dream about. We have every advantage. Our candidates should be the cream of a very impressive crop. The only things is, they never are.

By the time a candidate gets to run for the highest office in the land, they have been bought and paid for by every special interest group in Washington. They don't even know who they are anymore, so how can we?

Every four years, I force myself to cast a vote. Why? I assure you that it is not because I'm a cheerleader for any of the candidates. I vote because it was not that long ago that women like me could not vote, so I do not take it for granted. I vote because I am privileged to live in a country where we are allowed to vote. I vote because if a candidate makes it into the White House and I don't like it, at least I can say that I tried to do something about it.

How about you?