The Lesser of Two Evils

I'm taking a break from my usual writing to talk about something that I usually won't talk about. But with the large white envelope arriving in our mail box this week; it's been on my mind.

Election time is upon Oregonians again. And again, I feel like I'm voting for the lesser of two evils. I know I'm not alone in this. I also know that I'm not as informed about politics as I ought to be, but neither is the average voter. I'm smart enough to understand it, but disinterested enough to find better things to learn about. So, in ignorance I get to select from whatever media has been presented to me, and most of what I've seen this campaign is a lot of bad news. Our states in big trouble if anything that any of the mailers, radio ads, TV ads or billboards I've seen is true. Not to say that all of the candidates for all of the offices are bad news (I know one personally and I believe him to be a decent person), but it looks and sounds like the gubernatorial race is in bad shape. And I did actually read the voters pamphlet to see what each one stood for, and based on that, my decision was clear. But then I'm inundated with slanderous material, consistently delivering opposing information to my thought process. I do know that I can choose to believe what I want, but when you haven't been told good things about a person, only facts from a catalogue and bad things from others, it's definitely harder to see them as a good person. So I decide based on what I know, and I know so many bad things that I don't feel like any of them are a suitable candidate anymore. And I vote for the lesser of two evils.

My proposal is this: Be decent and then run for office and remain decent. Being decent will stop the bad news from spreading because there won't be any. Be the kind of person who wants to serve the public, who gets personal satisfaction out of it. I want a candidate that works to keep his or her good name and will make their decisions based on what they know is best for our state. They should be thinking about the benefits to the state and their own satisfaction with a job well done.

Be decent.

I realize that I ought to spend more time watching the news and reading the paper to learn more. And it's my fault that I'm not as knowledgeable as some on the political going's on, but I am like the average voter. We can only go by what we are told, and we need to be told something good about the people we're voting for. I have guilt when I vote for someone because of their political party, which is what I'll be doing this election, because I never really know if I'm choosing the best person, or the person whose party closest matches my ideals. I am capable of thinking outside my box when it truly benefits the people.

I receive my ballot in the mail, like every Oregon voter. All I have to do is fill it out and send it back and I've participated in democracy. It's pretty awesome. I just wish that I knew that every candidate I selected was truly the best man or woman for the job.



And that concludes my thoughts on politics this year. I'll fill out my ballot and send it in and hope for the best, like I do every election. Let's hope next time is different.