I’ve been peering out my window this morning, trying to see if my oh-so-conveniently located polling place is bogged down with long lines. Like so many others, my plan is to cast my ballot today.
I’ll be voting for President, a Senator and State Representatives. There’s one proposed constitutional amendment in Minnesota I’m particularly compelled to voice my opinion on. But I’ll feel ridiculously lost when I try to choose who should hold the position of Soil and Water Supervisor. And since I (fortunately) don’t have many run-ins with judges, who I support to be on the bench will be a bit of a crap shoot.
Although I don’t really get why being the goat is such a bad thing, voting is important to me. The act of using my voice and participating in the process is meaningful. Minnesota isn’t a battleground state when it comes to choosing our next President, but I certainly feel a civic responsibility to get to the polls and use the right many before us fought for, particularly as a woman.
But I’m much more passionate about the opportunity that all of us have to vote, usually many times, each and every day. And those votes come in the form of the dollars. That’s right. I’m talking cold, hard cash and who you decide to give it to.
The United States of America is a Democracy, but it’s also a Capitalist nation. And in my opinion, that means where you choose to spend your money has an impact that reaches far beyond which legislators represent us.
When you choose to buy organic food, you are voting against pesticides. When you hand cash over to a local food producer who’s platform is focused on sustainability and humane treatment of people and animals, you are voting to keep that farmer in their office. When you find out how a company treats it’s employees and the environment and choose to buy their product over one that isn’t living up to your standards, you are taking a stand against bad business practices.
So. Get out there and fill out your ballot today. Use your voice. But the next time you’re in line at the grocery store or about to click “Buy Now” online, take a look at what’s in your cart and make sure it too reflects your ballot.
Happy Election Day!
Home to Homestead 
Very well expressed Thanks for sharing!
Carole
I”m heading off to vote in a bit, and I know who I will pick for President, but the rest is like you say, a crap shoot. Living in western Wisconsin, we hear all of Minnesota’s pick’s and not many of ours. But I will make a choice. I think this election will be a very close one, and I really hope it doesn’t go down to a recount. We don’t need to hang on my our fingernails to know who won.
My husband and I buy from farmers markets most of the summer, we’re lucky to have a very good one right here in Frederic, and he brings home goodies from it all the time. Plus we have a truck farm that hits all our little towns and they have great produce. I’d much rather buy from them, everything tastes better, than go to the store for jacked up prices and not very good quality stuff. We did a mega amount of canning this year, at least for us, and I’ve got beans, beats, chicken, pickles, to last all winter. Love being able to do it.
I try to vote everyday too!