My take on the 2012 Election

If you know me, or even if you don't... you can probably guess {just look at my state} who I voted for and how I feel today.

Being a political person I wanted to just make a few points and observations on how I feel about this years election.

• I think it is a shame how much mudslinging has been going on. I'm not talking about between the politicians. Of course I dislike this - but that is as old as America! {don't believe me? I'd be happy to tell you about some of our first elections that included insinuations about candidates and their mothers' sexual behavior} I'm so discouraged by the negative comments made by people like you & me. The number of people on my very own facebook that I've had to reduce what I see of their posts because they're full of horrible content "If you're stupid enough to vote for ... then you don't deserve to be my friend". I have friends from the other side of the aisle and we can get along just fine! Being from a different political party does NOT make someone evil. 
• Something that people seem to have forgotten is these people aren't trying to ruin our country. Neither side is out to get us. We all want the best thing for our Nation, we just disagree on how to get there. The differences between us do not make it okay to say horrid things! Attacking people of differing opinions is Bullying. We don't tolerate it in schools, so why would you think it's okay to bully in social media (or in person for that matter).
• Something I think has become lost on our generation especially is the concept of privacy! Somewhere along the way where we talk, post and tweet about what we eat, where we go and what we think we found it acceptable to ask our friends, family or total strangers who they voted for. It is your right to not answer them! Our voting system is secret ballot for a reason. I am going to make it my personal goal to remind those who solicitously ask what my vote was that it is "non ya".
• And most importantly, we seem to have lost the concept of respect and prayer. When I was a child, I remember Presidents who were of a different political party than that we affiliate with, but I was not permitted to speak ill of our President because he was a figure of power and therefore earned our respect. I am not suggesting that we swallow whatever is fed to us; the roots of Democracy are based in questioning authority and holding them accountable. This can be done respectfully! 
• I may not have voted for him, but he is my President. He will receive my appropriate respect and regard for the position he holds in our nation. I will pray for the leader of our country just as I would if it were the candidate I had voted for. 

If you are happy with where our nation is, I'm happy for you. If you want to see change, it starts now in the election system. Please educate yourself on the most important civic duty we have. Please be involved in our political system, you can do more than simply voting! We are so blessed to be in the United States of America and to have the luxuries of Democracy, don't take it for granted - it can go away.
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{If you're interested in politics - read on to see my other observation}

• The political era we are experiencing will be historical. I am confidant of it. Not only because of the color of our Presidents skin, but for the division between political parties. I hear so often "it just seems like there is such division in the country". If you've noticed this, you aren't wrong. It's a political trend that happens over time in our country. Statistically speaking, after such a great divide between political parties, a birth of a third more moderate party will come. Many times the party retains a name, but history shows it to become a different "body" if you will. I'm interested to see what history tells about today.