Contrast

Election Night 1966: As my father and mother were leaving to vote, he handed her a piece of paper and said “Here are the people to vote for”. She accepted the paper and my father got two votes. He always did. She was not interested in politics and did not read and research the candidates and issues. I remember this incident because I was amused -- and offended.

November 1, 2006: As we sat in bed with our mail-in ballots and laptops, Julie said “OK, we’ve decided how we’ll vote on that one. What’s next?” I was on the fence about one proposition and was considering not voting on it. I listened to her opinion and decided she was right and voted with her. I will always have good memories and feelings about this year – “the year we voted from bed”.

Some of the Arizona propositions were easy. Here’s an example.

Proposition 200 would establish a $1,000,000 prize to be awarded to a randomly selected person who voted in the primary or general election. Anyone who voted in the primary or general election would be automatically entered in the drawing for the prize money, and if a person voted in both the primary and the general election, that person's name would be entered twice in the drawing.

“Having financial problems? Vote and you may win $1 million! Don’t know the candidates? Haven’t read the propositions? No problem! Cast one random vote and you may way $1 million.”

I do appreciate politicians and their abilities and efforts. They are doing their best to take my opinion of them, the political process and the American people to a new low. They are trying but I refuse to let them succeed.

There is a critical contrast between the noble things written in the Constitution, the things the US used to represent and today’s reality. I don’t like this reality. I choose to return to the fantasy world of my youth when we believed in justice, fair play, honesty and democracy.