Can We Keep It?

It was November 3, 1992 and I was a first grader.  My parents were building their dream home at the time so we were living with my grandma for a few months while we were between houses.  I heard my mom and dad leaving for work when I ran down the stairs, stopped myself on the old, farmhouse banister and yelled, "Mom!  Dad!  Who are you voting for?!  George Bush, right?  You should really vote for him."

My dad shook his head and walked out the door.  And I am pretty sure mom said, "I can't tell you.  You aren't supposed to tell anyone who you vote for."

When people ask me how I got started in politics or what sparked my interest I really can never put my finger on it.  However, I remember this day very vividly.  I don't exactly remember what I was wearing (which I usually do), but I remember being an articulate, honest and slightly demanding young lady at the time (wait, was that then or now?).  

Mom tells me she doesn't know where I heard about the election or how I knew who was running.  "You might have talked about it at school or heard it on the commercials."  Really?!?  First graders don't talk politics, but maybe I did?  Or maybe I overheard my parents talking and my mom's comments like the one above just made me more intrigued?   

And to this day I am still intrigued and am still telling people, or educating people, how and why they should vote.  Today is Election Day, have you voted?!

Because you do count?  Many dismiss the fact that they matter or that they "count" in elections these day.  We have to realize that so many elections have been won by few votes and you better believe every single one of them "counted".  

When Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention back in 1787, he was asked what sort of government the delegates had created.  His reply, "A republic, if you can keep it."

A Republic is defined as "a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch."

So can we keep it our republic?

Are you going to express your freedom and vote today?

I am going to and at the end of the day I am going to drink an ice cold beer to celebrate.

And maybe I will practice shooting my gun in my backyard on the farm because I have the freedom to do so.

I feel blessed as an American and I want to keep it that way.  I literally get to walk through amber waves of grain, so the least I can do is go and express my freedom and try to be a part of keeping our republic!  You can too.  

Happy Election Day!