"Do we need some changes?"

I, at times, wonder if what I think matters to anyone else, and so I do a little checking in my notes about those, who express themselves to me on what they read and how they read it. Now right here is where I want to ask you, the reader, to read this complete article before passing judgement on it. It is only my opinion and not neccessaryly that of this paper or of anyone else.

There are those out there, that are really informed about our system of government ,and how those who we vote into office, react to our wanting of honest representation from them. But I go back to wondering if most of the men and women wanted that position to do good for us, or just to have a job. You can look at that two ways, in that if they do a good job, then they stand a very good chance of being re-elected to that office again. If they are in it for just a job, and they find out that they can better themselves by flanking themselves with some of the do-gooders there in the statehouse, or in the federal government, so that a move up the ladder is in store for them, then they do not and will not represent the voter who put them in office. Many times we have witness the changing of positions to better the man or women, and thier vacancy is filled with someone else. Mind you now , this person who is selected to fill the post that you voted a person into, is not voted on by you ,and yet he or she is supposed to represent you. Was your vote honored in that respect?

As to the national election, when we, the people, have the opportunity to vote and elect into office our president and vice president, we still wonder if our vote counts. I go to this perspective on the way that we come to decide who we, the people ,pick in each party to run at those two positions. First, I look at the way that the primarys are run and how after each primary, we hear how that state picked the slate for president. As each state decides who thier choice is, and how the media passes that information on to us, we find that the list of both parties gets smaller and soon some of the people who would of been the better men or women for the position drop out, because they don't think they can win. As that choice gets to us here in Indiana, the field is narrowed down to just a few, and then the party is really the one that picks our choice for the highest office in the land. They go out to the conventions and they have a ball , while selecting the man or women to lead us in the national election in the fall. To me, I now wonder if my vote really means anything.

What I, as a taxpayer and one voter amoung many, would like to see, is one day for voting in the spring over the entire country , just like it is in the fall. Everyone votes all at once, and to make the process all the better, we should not allow the television and radio to broadcast the outcome, until all the polls are closed and the votes are counted. What I am trying to get across to you, is that if a person has not voted until late that evening, and he is listening to the broadcasts of how others are voting, then his vote can be tainted . In other words, he or she can just vote for the leader at that time, because they would not think thier vote meant anything. Now that is wasting your vote.

Another thing I would like to see is the changing of the way that we the people are approached by those running for office. Hey, if that person who wants to represent you has to come talk his or her way into your vote, then just maybe he or she would not be a good representative. My thought in that respect, is that you should already know what this man or woman stands for. If he or she wants to represent me and you , then they should of been active in the past, so that we the voter would already know who we wanted to vote for. My gosh folks, you know more about me through my columns than you know about those people who pop up and say that they want to be your voice.

What we, the voters, have to realize is that our vote does count, and how we use it decides if we are going to be represented the right way. The things that I have brought up are ones that I as a voter would like to see. We, here in this wonerful place called the USA, have the right to be represented correctly, and we should never give up on trying to make us stronger with the right people to lead us. The fiasco in this fall election should remind all of us that our vote does count and sometimes we have to make some changes to get it done right. I hope that when this is all done and we get back to living the American dream, we look back and realize that only in America, can we talk like this and not be afraid of any repurcussions. My vote and your vote does make a difference.

I do want to say that most of those who run for office are doing it because they feel that they can do all of us some good. But you also have to know that there are some bad apples out there that want to win an election so that they can force thier views off on us. Our two party system is a better system than any other in this entire world and we should always watch out for those who want to take that system down.

Now getting to another thought, there are those out there that don't get much praise for what they do, and this old man is ready to point them out to you ,and I hope that when you see any one of them, you tell them thanks for doing thier job. I want to say to all the policemen and women, the firemen and women, and the sherrif and his deputies, that I as a member of this community of Kokomo and Howard County, salute you on being what you are and for what you do. I know that all of you will uphold your positions as protectors of all of us, and you are ready and willing to do what you know is the best way to protect us. Keep up the great work that all of you do. Uncle Ray sure respects all of you.

Again I ask for your comments and I ask for your prayers to The Great Father  to grant me enough time on this great earth, to be able, through this column, make your day a better one and just maybe reach some of those young folk out there to rise to the desire to better themselves.

Catch me on my web site at http://www.geocities.com/kokomoman/ and I can be reach by e-mail at [email protected] and at [email protected]. Smile a little today and a lot more tomorrow. This is "Uncle Ray" signing out for this week. May you always be blessed by The Great Father.