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Civic Duty Completed? Check

I got the strangest feeling today after I walked out of my designated voting stations ... I felt a rush of patriotism. I was struck by how often we walk through our days underappreciative of just how beautiful and exhilarating our marvelous country truly is -- flaws and all. We have created and successfully defended a system where each individual can walk into a church or a community hall or a school gymnasium and say who they want to speak on their behalf. Some may be able to walk a few blocks to their designation voting station. Some may have to travel for some distance from their isolated homes to a communal designation voting station. But this is a day where each one of us actually count, in a time where not all world citizens can say the same. When I walked out of the voting station, I felt a connection with all the people I walked past on my way to the grocery store (the voting station was on the way to the Safeway -- I was already out, might as well fit in a few chores along the way).

It was really weird.

Now those who know me know I am horribly jaded about politics. I believe the politicians shine themselves up for a few weeks and tell us what they think we want to hear, until they get our votes. Then they do whatever they want in accordance with whatever will serve their own purposes or those of their greatest political/financial supporters. And by political supporters, I in no way mean the voters at large. And by "they", I mean every party. If it is a political party, it is on that stage for its own self-preservation.

Even believing all that -- and I do -- I get my say. And no matter who wins, no matter who is my Prime Minister this evening, I voted

... so I can complain all I want if it doesn't go my way!

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