For those just about to go and vote, and those that don’t plan on voting (and anyone else who wants to read a little blurb).

Well – I just got back from voting. Pretty easy shnazz; took maybe ten minutes – easy peasy. And as I was walking back I thought of that old saying that really grinds my gears; “if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.” I always hated that saying because I don’t think its true; maybe you didn’t vote because you’re certain that none of the party’s are capable of guiding the nation – in which case you’d still have every right to complain. But as the quote ran through my head I realized why I really hate it. I hate it because it could be so good, but is just a bit inaccurate. ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t complain, because complaining implies an opinion, and the only time we truly have the chance to apply our opinion to the direction of our nation is by voting. Either that or pull a Terry Fox.’ That would be better. It’s a little wordy, but I went from hating the quote to liking it so I’ll forgive the length. If you don’t think any of the party’s are capable of running the nation, cast a vote for one of the new upstarts; the one’s on my ballot weren’t too hot (Lenin-Marxist Party and the Radical-Marijuana Party (wait, Radical and Marijuana together? I don’t think that’s gonna end up helping the nation…)) but maybe there are some good ones out there (anybody got any?) and hey, a vote for them is a vote that says ‘none of the party’s are capable of guiding the nation!’ And I’m not sure if it’s illegal or not (and if it is, don’t do it – it’s bad for you), but what about throwing in blank ballot? (that sounds illegal, forget I said it.) The main thing I’m trying to say here on election day 2008 is get out there and vote if you haven’t already. I want this nation to be run by the party that Canadians want; not the party that two-thirds of the nation wants. Canada has historically been a progressive and impressive nation, and it’s been so because of the people who have put in the right people at the right time; and I have total faith that if every one of us voted – regardless of the outcome – that we’d have the best person and the best party in charge. Heck, everybody knows that the main reason so many northern states in the US vote Democrat is because of their close proximity to us and our progressive influences! So get out there and vote for the party that you think is best going to make our country even better; you only have to do it once every few years and it takes like 10 minutes… Thanks for reading. GRMM