Mommy, Daddy, What Did You Do in the 2012 Election?

We’ve reached a fork in the road.

One tine of that fork leads us to full employment; universal healthcare; Social Security, Medicare and pensions; paid sick leave and vacations; progressive taxation; clean elections; a clean and sustainable economy; higher education for everyone who wants it; an end to discrimination; and peace.

The other tine of that fork leads to brutal inequality; endless war; tax breaks for billionaires and multinational corporations; institutionalized bigotry; the destruction of our environment; no growth; no opportunity; no social mobility; and cheap labor.

That fork is this 2012 election.

Don’t be surprised if your children ask, “What did you do in the 2012 election?”

Now, I’ve got that answer covered. I’m prepared to leave my profession behind, and leave my wife and five children each week, to serve in Congress.

What about you? What’s your answer?

I’m sorry to say this, but this is one of those rare times when voting isn’t enough. You’re just going to have to do more – so that you can live with yourself.

It might be making phone calls to your friends, to make sure that they’ve voted. It might be volunteer poll-watching. It might be driving someone you know to the polls. It might be a last-minute contribution to this campaign, or some other campaign. It might be “virtual phonebanking” with the PCCC or DFA or PDA. It might be an e-mail blast to everyone on your list, sharing your thoughts and making these suggestions about how they can help. If you happen to live in our district, then you can go to any polling place tomorrow, and you will find a Grayson for Congress table there, all day long, where you can pitch in.

Whatever it is in your case, do it. Just do it. So that whatever the future may bring, you can say to yourself, “I did what I could – no regrets.”

Courage,

Alan Grayson

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

- Yogi Berra