Vote…. Just do it!
by Cate Murway
"Most people, sometime in their lives, stumble across truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off, and hurry on about their business as if nothing had happened. “- Sir Winston Churchill
You need to vote. All elections are important!
Feeling bombarded with messages on the importance of elections and voting?
Do you believe that voting is a privilege, a right or an obligation?
Actually, voting most likely falls under all three.
Voting is a right to ensure truth, justice and morality.
As Americans, we tend to take for granted our voting privilege.
We have the freedom of choice, while others do not. This makes our ability to vote a privilege. Voting is the basic function of democracy
Your vote is your voice. It is our obligation to ensure that the American democracy is living up to the standard idealized by a representative government. Every elected official is expected to make sure the needs of Americans are met, that past mistakes do not reoccur and that the future is prosperous and stable for all citizens.
Voting is free. It's fairly fast. It doesn't make you responsible for the outcome, but it sure has an impact on what we will have to live with going forward.
"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” - Abraham Lincoln
The stakes are particularly high this year and your voices are heard.
*“For president I want a leader who can lead us in a direction to improve our economy and help make the world safe for civilized values to flourish. For our representatives in the House and Senate I support candidates based on their experience and personal integrity.” Frederic H. Baumgarten, President of The Grundy Commons
* “Hopefully getting an administration that is HONEST, INTELLIGENT, DEDICATED to the job of POTUS & doing what is best for we AMERICAN CITIZENS & NOT to politics/fundraising/special lobbyists.
Also, UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE for ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS only.” Immy and Phil Ferrara
* “I am most concerned with the economy, the security of our borders, the safety of our citizens, service members and government workers around the world. I am also concerned about the moral fiber of our congress and senate and their lack of urgency at finding a way to work together.” Former Bristol Borough resident/author, Doreen McGettigan
“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.” Marcel Pagnol [1895-1974] French novelist/ playwright
* “Bringing the USA back to its greatness and away from socialism”
Irene Monks Kazan, LBH Cardiology Tech
* “The morality and economy of this country!”
Bristol Borough resident/awarded Lions’ “Citizen of the Year”, Helen Mary Younglove
* “Most important to me is world peace! The big issue for our family is the economy and healthcare.”
Bristol resident/ professional harpist Gloria Galante
* “What is most important to me in this election is to rid OUR COUNTRY OF DEBT, close the borders and create jobs in the USA!” Langhorne resident Colleen Bresnahan
* “Candidate should have clear plan for our economy's recovery and increase of jobs. Candidate must also be clearly pro-life.” Yardley resident, Liz Kuchera, R.N.
* “I second Liz's views but would put right to life as # 1 priority and economic recovery as #2. I would add that next president must focus on more unity within the country and be much less polarizing than current president.”
Yardley resident, Len Kuchera
* “The two most important things to me in this election are the economy and the housing market. I am also keeping a close watch on cuts to education.” Bristol Borough resident, Maryanne Lalli
* “What is most important to me this election?” With my recent part time employment at a local grocery store, I have seen some Welfare Abuse. I have written (and will write to others) to the Democratic and Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates regarding this issue in hopes for change. I believe if we regulate this again, we could improve on other issues that are needed.” Levittown resident, Fred Brehm
*What is most important to Bristol resident and world traveler, Charlotte Landreth Melville?
“I guess Ohio is supposed to be!”
* “Most important to me in this election is the reduction of the national deficit and the creation of more jobs.”
Fallsington resident Virginia DiMaggio, BHS ‘70
* “For a democracy (or, more accurately, republican form of government) to function, it is essential, absolutely essential that there be transparency. That means the media has a critical role to play in the successful continuation of our form of government. Where the press is not independent, where it fails to do its job, where it fails to serve as a check and balance to the government, our government is in serious danger. For whatever reason, the media has failed to do its job under Obama. There is every reason to believe that if he were to be reelected the media would continue to fail to perform its essential function. That threatens our government. That above all else is an imperative to remove this President.”
NJ resident, Stuart J. Moskovitz, ESQ.
* “Economy...Jobs....Less Govt. Control. Do NOT want the USA to go "down" like Europe. PEACE for the world.”
Langhorne residents, Audrey and Alan J. Vogenberg, BSPharm, RPh, FASCP
* “In my opinion, the most important issue in the 2012 Presidential Election is the economy. While international affairs are a close second, I agree with Gov. Romney that we cannot maintain a position of strength in the world if we’re in economic turmoil at home. The sluggish economy continues to cause daily struggles for so many American families, and those struggles tend to affect every other aspect of life. Some relief is greatly needed!”
Melissa M. Amour, Associate Director of Institutional Advancement, VJMHS
* “Bringing ownership back to our elected leaders in Washington. Have them tell the voters the truth and required the elected to live by their promised words.” Retired FL resident Bill Slack
* “While there are numerous issues that are important, such as health care, social security, the environment and others, the most pressing issues in my view are the struggling economy, unemployment and the federal government deficit of $14 trillion.” Maureen Cleary, Director of Institutional Advancement, VJMHS
* “I am most concerned about the MIDDLE CLASS ECONOMY. The middle class is too rich to qualify for FINANCIAL AID for college and too poor to afford to pay for college. The only thing left is BORROWING for college.”
Bensalem resident, Charmaine Sieger, The Grundy Commons business manager
*Choosing the best candidate that will help this country's economy turn around is the most important thing. The reversal of obamacare which will cost our country over 1 trillion dollars not save us money.”
John Gentile, VJMHS physics teacher
* “The economy, the debt and the spending which all lead to how secure and strong our country is, and how our allies and our enemies perceive us!” Barbara Kairis, Raymour & Flanigan visual designer.
* “The economy- we need more jobs to lower unemployment. We need a bi-partisan congress working together to solve the country’s debt situation. Fix Medicare and Social Security problems.”
Bernard Labencki, VJMHS business manager
* “Regardless of the party in power, our government must stop borrowing to operate.”
"Eddy" [Pastor Ed] Jones, BHS ‘57
* “That we elect the right person to lead this country to prosperity, and to keep us safe.”
Transportation Services bus driver, Linda Wismer
* “…A stable economy and national security.” Michael Iannucci, BHS ‘76
* “Good jobs!” Bristol resident Cathy Hall
* “Economy, jobs.” Michelle Pone Huntley from Hudson, NC
* “Women's rights, the environment & clean energy, marriage equality, student loan reform & other access to quality education for all. Our performance on the international stage is also important!” Amy Mayrhofer Imhoff, VJM ‘02
* “This election is so important due to our economy and our position internationally. Those 2 items are my # 1 issues followed by social issues.” Jennifer Ivins Perez, BHS ‘95
* “Income Inequality. Women's rights.” PA resident Rosanne MacNair
“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them”
Willaim Arthur Ward [1921-1994] most quoted writer of inspirational maxims
* “The two most important things to me in this election are the resolution of our conflicts abroad and working on retaining and bringing back jobs to the US which I believe will rely heavily on the way we educate/train our future workers to take hold of the jobs that will be needed in the immediate future.” Nicholas T. Zlupko, VJMHS Science teacher
* “Equality, economic and social justice, and a return to civility; inclusion rather than exclusion.
Not losing ground on the civil rights and liberties women (domain over our own bodies) and others have gained over the last several decades to fear, ignorance, and exclusion by any party that will appoint the next justices to the Supreme Court.” Teri Jones, Perkasie, PA
* “The economy. I want a candidate with a concrete plan on how to turn things around, decrease welfare, increase jobs and balance the budget.” Bristol resident Jen Riley Abruzzese, VJM ‘99/TCNJ track & field coach
*“Health care, controlling immigration, national security and jobs, jobs, jobs!!!........good paying jobs, not the fast food type jobs!” John Ruszin, BHS ‘67
* “Equality for all. Preserving a woman's right to control her own body.” Joe Hoyer from Cathedral City, CA
* “The very best thing of all for our Entire Country! Complete Compassionate Compromise that accomplishes and benefits the evolvement of our Society, regardless of Party!” Mark McClain, fire volunteer and chaplain
* “Yes...compromise, no matter who wins the presidency. Partisan politics are not helping us move forward.”
Ken Bixler, BHS ’80
*Fred Camillucci answered on facebook, “Healthcare, bring back our troops and industry to our country.....”
* “Bringing home our troops to safe and sound.”
Former Bristol Borough and currently Levittown resident, Gail Mosco Costantin
* “Less Government- -eliminate Obamacare.” Marianne Corrigan Ogborn Fein, BHS ‘84
* “Bringing home our troops, and jobs for this country, and peace to all!” Barbara Liberatore Court, BHS ‘73
*Springfield, MA resident, legal researcher/writer George Vazquez, an Eagle Scout and former Candidate for State Representative is originally from Brooklyn, NY
“The most important issues in this election season are as follows: 1) Spending and fiscal policy; 2) Jobs, and the economy and 3) Universal Health Care, one payer system.”
*"We are fortunate in this country to have the freedom to vote and express our preference, no matter which candidates we favor." Local author/historian Harold D. Mitchener
It’s coming down to the home stretch.
Don’t leave anything to chance. We need every single vote. Make YOUR voice heard.
Suggest a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
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additional comments on Facebook:
"Bringing manufacturing jobs back from China, bringing troops home, moving forward to the next great energy sources, reigning in frivolous/wasteful spending, insuring women's rights and equality, proper health care for all American citizens, preserving social security, keeping Americans safe, maintaining respect from the world, and promoting peaceful coexistence. Sorry....couldn't just limit it to one or two things." Rocky McMurray
"Stop bringing illegal aliens in. reduce taxes for seniors. troops home they hate us {middle east }. allow God to be heard in classrooms." Dan Gross
"Are we forgetting the silenced American Citizens that will never get to vote.... Pro-Life is my priority."
Lynda Carleton Salerno
"ROMNEY ALL THE WAY" Barbara Liberatore Court
"Just five more days to a stronger Military, Economy and a functional congress, just to name a few or a continuation of the last four. Scary thought, huh?" Lynda Carleton Salerno
additional comment via e-mail
"THE ECONOMY" Frank Chilluki
