Go Vote!

By Allison Berman
November 4, 2008

Go vote! I know, I know you don't have the time to vote today; none of us do between demands at work and our desire to be home, but we need to make time. The next President of the United States will have a direct impact on your career, on your family, on your life for the next 4 years. Obama proposes "Early Learning Challenge Grants" to help states move to voluntary universal pre-school programs. (Translation: Paying for pre-school could become a thing of the past.) Or you could vote for McCain, who proposes to increase the child tax credit and use that to pay for your child's pre-school.

Choosing for whom to vote is a very personal decision that everyone arrives at differently. I weigh my family's fiscal situation and my social ideals. If your kids are old enough to understand, explain to them how you make your decision. My older daughter is 4 ¾ and doesn't get the concept of president, let alone the political nuances but she loves coming with me to vote for who we want to be "king" (a unisex title in our house). We choose the king of Warwick, of New York, etc. My hope is by seeing me vote she appreciates the democratic electoral process, unlike so many well educated people I know who take the privilege to vote for granted.

That is until this election. This one is different. The economy is in turmoil, the stock market drops hundreds of points daily, the housing market is in shambles and people are terrified of being laid off and/or losing their homes - all good reasons to take an interest in the election. However, even with this upheaval, I find it is the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate that has people talking.

Love her or hate her- People feel passionately about Sarah Palin. Those who never followed politics are getting into well informed, heated debates on topics ranging from her experience (or lack there of) to her family values (or lack there of).

Regardless of your opinion, go vote. Do you believe the blue and red ideals are starting to bleed together? Think of it as one purple party (it is the IT color this season) and go vote. "New York is going to swing democratic no matter what. My vote doesn't count so why hassle going before/after work to vote." YOU count! Go vote. "Politics doesn't affect me." Then why are you complaining about "the war in Iraq and federal bail outs?" Go vote. When I was in college, Billy Baldwin and Chris Cuomo reminded us, this is my civic obligation. It's yours too. Go vote. I implore of you, you are going to pay "taxation" so why not vote for your "representation?" Go vote.

Allison Berman, an artist and mother of two, handpaints custom home accessories for interior designers and private customers. She works out of her home studio in Warwick, NY. See her collection at www.withlovealib.com. She can be reached at ali@withlovealib.com. Her column appears Tuesdays.