I try to avoid politics on this blog, and I think it is pretty obvious why. Writing has the ability to cross those dividing lines. It can connect people from all walks of life: rich, poor, Black, White, Northerner, Southerner, woman, or man. Reading fiction prompts empathy and an understanding of the human experience. It's why some works, like Shakespeare or Austin or even Stephan King remain popular over the generations. It speaks to the same traits and qualities in all of us. We have reached a stage, though, where the phrase: “The personal is political,” is becoming relevant across all those walks of life. It doesn't have to apply to just one side either. If we wish to truly have a representative government that actually represents the will of all of us, we need to vote. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Primary elections may be the most important elections. This is where you get to fine tune your candidate choices. Which person TRULY reflects the values you hold? This year, according to the Pew Research Center, House Primary elections experienced a surge across the nation. A whopping 19.6% of registered voters took part. That was up from 2014, where only 13.7% of registered voters took part. I know a lot of people complain about the candidates we have, but when 4/5 of the voters abdicate their choice, it's not surprising that these candidates do not represent the will of the people. At the point, obviously, the primaries are done and over with. The candidates we have are what we're stuck with. That doesn't make it any less important to vote. Tomorrow is the last day to register in a number of states. Please check your registration, and, if you aren't registered, please register to vote. A lot of places are reporting people have been purged from the voter rolls, so checking now may save you heartache in November. Some states offer online registration, others require that the postmark for mailing in your registration be October 9th. And then, November 6th, let's see if we can raise those numbers up for a Midterm year.
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