On November 2, voters will decide the direction of our country for years to come. But only if every vote counts. Civil rights groups need your help to protect the election. I hope that you and your friends will join me and many others as an Election Protection Volunteer. We especially need volunteers in Florida, Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico. Learn how you can volunteer where you're needed most on November 2 by visiting
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"This is what scares me," he said, pointing frantically at a paragraph describing Kerry's tax plan. The gist of the plan is to have people who make over $200,000 a year start paying their full taxes again.
"I almost make that much," he said, a twinge of real worry in his voice. "They could make me pay more taxes!"
I blinked at him. Yes. Blinked.
"That's not raising taxes, that's paying what you were supposed to," I said. "Bush let you scam out of it for a year. I don't understand what you have against taxes. I make a lot less than you do, and I don't mind it - I figure that's part of giving back to this country. 'Ask not what your country can do for you,' right?"
"Well, yeah," he replied, "but I have to watch out for my family first."
"That's what I'm talking about!"
It was his turn to blink at me, confused.
"Remember all those things Bush underfunded? The things that do affect your family? No Child Left Behind. The huge debt we're passing on to our children? How Bush is letting his big business friends pollute our air and water? Don't all those things affect you? Our tax money goes to make those things better - to fund programs for our kids, our families. It's spending money on our families - and more effectively than we could do it on our own. "
"But what about security?"
"Security? You started out by saying that this couple of bucks is what really scares you. Not me. What scares me is the fact that we didn't keep going after Osama bin Laden. That while we've been in Iraq, Bush hasn't even bothered to keep Homeland Security funded. I don't know how to get radiation screeners put in our ports - do you? They don't care if we're secure - they can afford extra security. Us and our kids - we're left out in the cold."
He looked hurt, and I understood. It hurts a lot to find out you've been lied to - especially when the person doing the lying is the President. It was then that I understood how to help him understand.
"It's okay, man. There's a lot of things we take for granted that we pay for with taxes. I think of it as club dues - or as an investment. You've got to invest money to make things succeed, right? The same is true of our country. That's why it's so ironic that Bush wants us to believe that his tax cuts promote investment. His cuts remove investment in our country - and takes away the jobs and security that investment provides. But who would vote for investment relief? "
We're still talking about it, days later, off and on. Just like a company, we have to invest our money in America to make it better. Just like a company, we may not always agree all the ways our investment is spent. And just like a company, the "shareholders" have a say. Our next "stockholder meeting" is at the polls November 2nd.
I'll see you there.
We'll always need someone to stand up for us, no matter who wins the elections. We need people who care about us - for those of us who don't make the maximum campaign contributions, for those of us who get shafted when the workplace is unsafe, the people who need that overtime pay, or health benefits.
There's been a lot more organizing and activism from "just folks" - and that's a wonderful thing. People are starting to wake up and remember that we aren't the consumers of government - we're citizens. We are the government. We are the politician's bosses. Remember that.
In the last year, my life has changed. I've become involved with several groups - and beyond just sending a check. It's a great feeling. It helps you remember that you have more impact than a single vote, to know you're not just worth what's in your checkbook. I didn't just wait for someone else to get me involved - I went and asked. That's all it took.
With the advent of the Internet it's a lot easier to be involved than it ever was before - whether by e-mailing an elected official, finding out how your politicians voted on what, being able to dig through the spin and lies that dominate talk radio and television. To be connected to other people. To make a difference. But it isn't necessary. Local groups still work well the same way they always have - with the phone and regular postal mail.
It doesn't have to be a big, national thing. Our neighborhood council meets the third Monday of every month at LORHEY. Imagine if everyone who reads thisl showed up on the 15th of November! What couldn't we do? What if we all called city council told them we wanted clean elections so that politicians didn't have to be crooked? What if we all worked together on the things that concern us here, in Belmont - our sewers, our kids, or - as my wife wants - speedhumps? The things that concern our lives every day.
Government doesn't have to "always be that way". Real change can happen in this country - not just on Election Day, but on every day afterward.
It's up to the citizens. It's up to us.
C. Ellen Connally has served 24 years as a municipal judge in the high-octane Cleveland area courts. Her opponent has been fighting reforms to make the school-funding system more fair.
William O'Neill, a judge in the 11th District Court of Appeals, is an experienced attorney with a wealth of experience as a judge, state attorney and defense lawyer. O'Neill has been outspoken in his criticism of the state Legislature for defying the Ohio Supreme Court in the school-funding case, and of the high court for failing to enforce its own orders in the long-running case.
Nancy A. Fuerst, a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge, is an excellent choice. Fuerst is well-rounded candidate who's committed to making the courts work for a variety of people, and not just those with power or money.
Let's begin turning our state around. Vote for C. Ellen Connally, William O'Neill and Nancy A. Fuerst for Ohio Supreme Court.
