Don’t Check Just the Box

I just read an article by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez that said something I think deserves to be repeated.

We have gotten so used to thinking politics means choosing a team that we sometimes forget what voting is actually supposed to be about.

A party label can tell you what someone calls themselves. It doesn’t tell you what they believe, what they have done, or what they will actually do once they are in office.

That’s why I keep coming back to the middle.

I don’t completely trust either political party — and I don’t think you should simply hand either one your vote.

Research the candidate. Look at their record. Look at what they actually say, not just the slogans, ads and talking points coming from their party. Then make your own decision.

Sometimes that may mean voting for a Republican. Sometimes a Democrat. Sometimes someone outside the two major parties. And sometimes it may mean leaving a box unchecked.

The point is simple: don’t vote for the party. Vote for the person.

And credit where it belongs — the idea that prompted this post came from Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez and her article. I’m not trying to rewrite her work. I’m saying her point is worth passing along.