Voting early

In an attempt to avoid the anticipated mayhem that might be voting day, Ed and I went to the polls last night. It was the longest Ed and I have ever had to wait to vote. As I sat there watching people and pondering on the greatness of this country, I wondered why politics are so divisive. And then I realized that there are two things that tend to divide us as people. What are the two things that many people vow never to discuss? Politics and religion. If you think about it, those are two of the most, if not the most important issues whose ideology we can espouse. They both reach every facet of our lives. Imagine if we lived in a country where we couldn't vote and couldn't worship as we saw fit. We've been spoiled as a country to enjoy those rights, and I think it's starting to show.

Aside from that, as I sat there, watching the registrars taking names, I was pleased to see a 60-something gentleman working alongside a 20-something girl at one table, and a 20-something guy working with an older woman at another. Who knows what their beliefs about religion or politics were? It didn't matter--they were working side by side to provide this basic right to each of us. For that I was grateful. And it thrilled me to see all of us as Americans, taking the opportunity to vote to make our country better. I hope that rather than allowing this process to remain divisive and potentially become more so, that we will put our country first and our party second.

And on that note, maybe we should elect our leaders the old-fashioned way: sans electoral college. The one with the most votes becomes President, the runner-up, Vice. Might end some of the partisan politics. Or at least minimize it. We can dream, after all.