Okay. So I rarely, if ever, post politically charged blogs.

That said? I have to make an exception to this particular rule.

I’m at odds with most of my family over my choice for president, but I’m not going to tell you how any of us are leaning. BUT…the reasons for their votes? Jeebus! Now I see where politics, religion and that other thing (I can’t remember that other thing we aren’t supposed to talk about is… ) comes into play. That shit can start a family nuclear war!

The reason I’m putting this blog out there is because I feel that this year’s election is charged by emotion, rather than fact.

So, with no particular candidate or party in mind? I submit the following:

Don’t vote for someone just because that person ISN’T the other candidate.

Do your research.

What are your thoughts on policy? i.e.:

• Open versus closed borders;
• Late-term/partial birth abortion or no;
• Political history;
• What is the candidate’s track record;
• NAFTA;
• Other trade agreements;
• Outsourcing US jobs;
• Illegal immigrants versus legal immigrants;
• Muslim-based immigration;
• Voter ID;
• Small businesses;
• Taxes;
• and all those other things that mean so much to you in your heart of hearts.

Now then…when I say don’t vote for someone just because that person ISN’T the other candidate, I want you to think about some things.

While one candidate may have a history of perceived criminality/lying and the other is an unpolished, rough-around-the edges, perceived womanizing puddle of word vomit, think about doing your due dilligence. Don’t vote for Hillary simply because she is a woman. On the other side of the coin? Don’t vote  for Trump simply because he ISN’T a politician.

DO YOUR RESEARCH, PEOPLE!

It chaps my ass when people tell me the only reason they are voting for Candidate A is because Candidate B ISN’T Candidate A, yet can’t back their statements up after questions about policy are given to them.

Honestly, people..if you are going to vote JUST because Clinton is a woman or because Trump isn’t a politician? You’re screwing it up for the rest of us.

Do your damned research! Don’t do the rest of us Americans a disservice because you voted because the masses told you to. Don’t NOT vote because the polls say your candidate is so far ahead that the other candidate doesn’t stand a chance, so your vote won’t matter. On the other side of the coin? Don’t NOT vote because the polls say your candidate is so far behind that they don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell, so your vote won’t make a difference, either, because one vote won’t help them win. NO, NO, NO!

I’ve learned so much about politics and US history over the past month or so and can tell you this: polls mean nothing; don’t trust everything the media has to say, as there seems to be NO fair and unbiased reporting out there (and I did some research and found most mainstream media is either right or left. Some have been just KINDA to the right, while others have been just KINDA to the left, yet NOBODY is right smack dab in the middle. That says a LOT for our media.

Do your research, align your values, pick the candidate that shares the majority of your values, and then GET YOUR ASS OUT THERE AND VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE! Ignore party labels. Ignore the media. Ignore the ALL OF THE polls, because someone is fixing them and they are mostly bullshit, anyway, so just and GO VOTE!!!!!

Until next time…