Voting is a privilege not a right. Get out there tomorrow!

I was in 6th or 7th grade when I began competing in the Lion's Club Young Speech Writers contests. I was witty, poised and poignant. I was clear, concise and honest. Heck - I was memorized. But then the same thing happened to me that fears to happen tomorrow in our current political finaglings.
A Republican sweethearted his way into taking the lead with talk of God and Country.
Shit.

That first year the speech was to be on the topic Voting: A Right or a Privilege?
Of course, I went with the 12 year old perspective of "a privilege". Whatever that means to a 12 year old.
I told stories of Brazilian civil war culminating in 3 day waits for the poles.
I relived in sing-song soap box style the coming down of the Berlin Wall - the cheers of those who finally, finally, finally were able to have a much needed thunderous voice!
I reminded the white middle class 40 and 50 somethings of their opportunity - nay! - their DUTY to show up in the booth!
I made myself look like I should have been 18 that day because by golly I knew what I was talking about! Nancy Reagan move over and for goodness sake JUST SAY NO to civic disarray and earn your "I VOTED" sticker today!
Hazzah!


Then it happened.
Blond hair, blue eyes, dad the pastor of the community church just down the street, asshole in the hallway, rico-suave at the prom, waltzed his 16 year old one size too big blazer one size too small slacked body to the podium and announced:

"We vote because God gave us the right to vote"

With this statement, and probably the fact he was male, he stole my crown of speechwriting glory.

My stomach flipped over onto whatever its head would have been. Even in my very young, very inexperienced, very nerdy junior high soul I felt the disruption caused by mixing Church and State. Too bad I wasn't savvy enough to pinpoint the cause of my angst. But now... now I know.
This young self-proclaimed authority on the complete union of the Republican party and the Christian Church had reared its ugly head to shame any person unconvinced of Jesus' love affair with Reaganomics.
AHHHH!
I have now discovered my intrinsic motivations! I understand why I have this bad taste in mouth when it comes to the religious right claiming its politically right!

It's because I lost a speech contest to a jerk.

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Well, that was many years ago and here I sit finding it both sad and comical that the number one expendature of political funds is not on issue information... not on candidate biographies... not even on those fabulous mudslinging contests.
No, dear, dear people. The number one expendature is on mobilizing people to get off their asses and vote.
More money is spent on convincing people ACTUALLY TO vote rather than WHO TO vote for. I guess that is what happens when people forget that we are pretty darn lucky to have the opportunity to punch our little cards.

So - remember friends - God wants you to vote tomorrow morning. If you don't, the heathens of the left - or worse yet some God-forsaken Green-ey might come and emasculate the House and the Senate.

We couldn't have that now, could we?