Today is one of my favorite days, voting day!

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved elections. In the President George W. Bush election with the hanging chads, I took two days off from work and was glued to the tv results. But as much as I love it, I also feel that it is my civic duty and responsibility to vote for those that best represent my views and values and who will do the best job. Lately, that has been difficult for me, not because my views have changed, but because the candidates have.

I no longer believe that candidates run for the sole reason of doing good and what is right. I often feel that today, candidates are running for the perks, for the salary, etc. I hope that I am wrong, but that is just my gut feeling. But I also feel that it is my duty to teach my sons about the importance of voting. That if they choose not to vote, then they are essentially giving up their right to complain about our politicians.

Voting is a privilege that we as US Citizen are afforded. It is also our right, as citizens of this great land, to elect those that will be partisan and reach across the aisle and compromise.  I personally feel that our country is going through another change. I think that President Obama, who, I fully admit, I do not agree with a lot of his views and stances. But that being said, I still respect him and his office. But, President Obama campaigned on the slogan of Hope and Change. What has come from his now 6 years in office, is really in my opinion less change. And I think that at that point in time in our country, change was needed.

People often forget that at the end of President Bush’s term, the Iraq war was still going on and we were looking at another war within Afghanistan. The housing market was taking a hit and jobs were being lost. Today, 6 years later, we are dealing with a lot of these same issues.

So, how does all of this relate to my boys? Pretty easy. The leaders that I cast my vote for today, will directly play a part in the next 4 years of their lives. I love my sons. I feel that it is my responsibility as their father to vote for those that will be represent me, but more importantly, who will represent my sons. Healthcare. Gun Laws. Taxation. Boarder control. And the list goes on. But these are going to be the upcoming hot ticket issues that our country is going to be faced with and at an alarming rate.

Today after work, I’ll stop by my local poling place and cast my vote. Voting for those that will represent my family the best. And hope that as my boys get older, they too will take an interest in the political world and love it as much as I do.