I was cautiously optimistic when the polls opened on November 4, 2014 but I became more depressed as the day progressed. By the time the polls began to close in state after state, I found myself staring blankly at the television screen and wondering why so many people fail to vote.

The percentage of eligible voters who actually vote in the Presidential elections is bad enough but the percentage that vote during the midterm elections is even worse. To be frank, the percentage in both election cycles is abysmal.  How can we be so nonchalant about such a prized right and toss it into the trash – that’s exactly what we do when we do not vote – the same way we would toss out a useless scrap of paper?

People in other countries who are not allowed to vote for the leaders of their choice would love to have the privilege of deciding who will lead their country. America regularly advocates on behalf of those in foreign countries who are fighting for democracy, which includes the right to vote.  There have been times when, in addition to applying political pressure, we have even put Americans in harm’s way to assist those who were struggling to establish a democratic society.

We have insisted that elections in these countries be fair and above board and that there be no election tampering during the election process. Yet, we struggle with keeping our own elections process fair and above board; if we do not, it certainly appears that we do.

There are a number of situations that occurred during these 2014 midterm elections that didn’t pass the smell test but it is very unlikely that anyone can really prove that there was a skunk in the woodpile. In other words, although there were some very curious occurrences in some of the states and it looked like someone was cheating, the likelihood of actually proving that they were is miniscule.  Time and again Florida has been a perfect example of these occurrences.

Pundits express a number of reasons as to why the Democrats took such a shellacking on November 4th. They said things like; it was President Obama’s low poll numbers, the economy didn’t improve, the economy was improving too slowly, although the economy improved – it improved too slowly and most of the American people did not feel its impact upon their daily lives, President Obama has been a weak and ineffective leader and blah blah blah blah blah.

The Republican Party defined all of these things and Democrats throughout the country swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. Instead of campaigning on all of the positive things that the Democrats and President Obama had achieved – he honored the will of the American people, they ran away from him and their accomplishments!  Politicians; what can you say about them?  Or perhaps the question should be what can’t you say about them?

The fact of the matter is that by deserting the President and refusing to have him campaign on their behalf did much more harm than good.

As eligible voters, we played a key part in this shellacking too. Maybe things still would have gone in favor of the Republicans in a big way but, at least, we could feel comfortable in knowing that this was what the majority of the American people wanted and that it did not reflect mostly what the extreme right-wing or left-wing of that party wanted.  I say this with a reasonable degree of confidence that I do not appear to avid Republicans as just another sore loser because of the abysmal percentage of eligible voters who actually vote in the midterm elections.

Those of us who did not take the time to exercise our privilege to vote do not have a legitimate reason to complain about whatever comes next as our newly elected officials unite with their incumbents and begin to exercise their power. The right to vote might be treated like a trivial thing now by some of us as long as we know that we have that right, but let someone even try to take it away from us and I have no doubt that our attitude regarding the franchise would change real fast!  The frightening thing about that is that by reacting instead of being proactive we could find ourselves in a harrowing situation.

Eulus Dennis

Verizon, AT&T tracking their users with ‘supercookies’ – The Washington Post.

Click on the title to read the article in The Washington Post.

At a time when all of our elected – and former elected – officials should be circling the wagons, around the leader of the most powerful country in the world as they have regularly done in the past, they have deserted him. Why do these leaders hate President Obama so much?

This is the wrong thing for our leaders to do even if they feel that their reasons for loathing him are valid. Unfortunately, if you asked those who feel this way to explain why they harbor such visceral feelings for this President, most of them probably could not even begin to tell you why.  The saddest thing about the situation is that those statesmen in the Republican Party, who once commanded everyone’s respect whether they were friend or adversary, have become political puppets.

These difficult and divisive times surrounding our current situation with the Ebola crisis are challenging enough without any additional pressure; especially pressure that is manufactured by those who should be assisting in circling the wagons. What has happened to what used to be a proud Party with so much to offer to make our country better?  Where are all of the statesmen?  For too long already we have been losing legitimate meaningful conservative ideas to foolish politicians who want to do nothing more than obstruct or shut down the federal government.

It’s time for someone – anyone, who is a true statesman in the Republican Party to step up and at least make an effort to prevent those on the fringes from stealing the Party from true conservatives. Instead of going along with those who are fear mongering and openly using the Ebola crisis for political gain, accusing our President of providing poor leadership and bungling the handling of this critical situation, why won’t any Republican statesman step up and do the right thing?  Why won’t any of them lead by example instead of just pointing out what they say is a lack of leadership on his part and try to help calm the fears of the American people?  The fact that the 2014 midterm elections is just three days away is not a legitimate excuse to remain silent; it only serves to make those making these accusations look like hypocrites.

I refuse to believe or accept that all Republicans condone what is happening in their Party right now. But their silence is all but unbearable.  Allowing this to happen, unchallenged, in their Party around the country only provides fodder for the situation to eventually spiral completely out of control.  This problem demands the attention of courageous Republican statesmen.  If it is not addressed soon irreparable damage might be done and ultimately bring about a one Party political system which would be detrimental to all Americans.

Eulus Dennis

Our country’s political system still is not functioning equitably for all participants yet its landscape has not changed in many years because too many of us have failed in our responsibility as American citizens. We can, and must be the catalyst that brings about a tectonic shift in politics that will include a shift in its primary driver.  Young Americans must be the foundation of this catalyst because they are our future.

Hopefully, this change will cause us to refocus on those things that made America great in the first place.  Once this is accomplished, it should help catapult America back to the number one position that we held in the world in all of those areas in which we were once dominant.

Money has long been the primary driver in our political system but, since the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, it has all but morphed into the personification of the god of reelection.  As a result, politicians are relegated to all but non-stop fund raising in their effort to be elected or reelected.  And as voters, we are just as responsible for this circumstance as they are.  We allowed money to become king of politics by shunning our responsibility as citizens.

Because of the many roadblocks that have been constructed to either prevent or obstruct us from voting, we decided that rather than confront those inconveniences we would just stay at home and not vote.  What a copout!  Many of us long ago decided, “my vote won’t count anyway so, why should I waste my time?”

How sad it is that so many of us have come to this conclusion.  There is no doubt that the top one percent of Americans loves this.  Ironically, because of their greed, they fail to realize that many of the potential bills that have been stifled and prevented from becoming law because of this “prevent or obstruct” tactic will ultimately have a negative impact on them and, potentially, bring about their ruin.

At the same time that I accuse many among the one percent of being so greedy that they fail to realize that their unwillingness to share the wealth is charting a path to their own ruin, I must also say that I can understand why some of them are defiant.  They don’t want to write another check because they genuinely feel that they are already doing their fair share.

Although they are rich they feel that they worked hard to get where they are – justifiably so, and deserve to be there.  They don’t want to be forced to give some portion of that wealth away simply because they can afford to do so.  This is exactly why we need dialogue in Washington instead of gridlock.  Dialogue at least provides the potential to hammer out a solution.

Still, the 99% must step up and live up to our responsibility.  Rather than crying in our morning cup of coffee and complaining about our situation and what politicians and the government should be doing to assure that we can prosper if we work hard, we must resolve ourselves to fulfill our responsibility as American citizens.

Something must be done to take big money out of politics; and election reform can play a big part in making this happen.  Let’s not conduct ourselves as lambs being led to the slaughter.  Why should one percent of the country be allowed to bully the other 99%?

The one percent should no doubt have their say and get their fair share of tax breaks in order to stimulate the creation of jobs to help improve America’s economic recovery and sustain it.   But we must be aware that they are not the only ones who impact on the potential recovery and America’s ability to sustain it.  We must convince them that it is in our mutual best interest for them to more equitably share the wealth.  If we cannot convince them to do this then we must force them to do it by pressuring our elected officials to do the right thing through our vote.

We have to realize that the highly publicized rhetoric of politicians is the reason why the media’s main focus is on the impact that the one percent can have on the recovery.  It is also important to realize that the one percent, which is virtually synonymous with big money, plays a major role in determining whether or not politicians are elected or reelected and this is why the 99% is quietly pushed aside, especially during election cycles, and temporarily ignored.  It is under these circumstances that self-preservation, driven by the god of reelection, takes precedence.

Let us first step up to our responsibility as voters instead of just complaining and crying in our morning cup of coffee.  After that, perhaps we will be able to figure out a way to force our elected officials to come up with election reform that will take big money out of the election process and thereby eliminate their need to constantly rely on fundraising.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

For politicians to pontificate about what women’s place in life should be is neither new nor shocking. One can reasonably argue that the thought that it is fine for women to reach their full potential as long as they do it within the boundaries set by their male counterparts has existed since the beginning of time.

In politics, this subject has long rested just beneath the surface of many mundane political issues and ebbed or flowed at the whim of politicians who deemed it politically expedient to them to resurrect it.  The use of this tactic had the same effect on a campaign as a shot of adrenaline does on the human body; it helped to spike support for the politician who employed it and catapult them ahead of their opponent before losing its effect.  Once the desired effect was accomplished, the tactic was discontinued.

This time; however, as the 2014 midterm elections approach, things are different.  Women are under siege.  They are under siege by Republicans who have declared war on them for personal political gain.  Whether this war is being waged by mainstream Republicans or those on the fringe, is not the primary concern.  The primary concern is that if they are successful in their effort to roll back the clock to pre Roe vs. Wade, women will be in real trouble.

There is no doubt that many women are aware of this struggle and are monitoring it and will cast their vote to let our lawmakers know where they stand no matter which side they support.  But there are likely many women who, for various reasons, prefer to skirt politics.  This is extremely dangerous under today’s circumstances for any woman who is interested in the right to make her own decisions and retain control over her own body.

This women’s right fight goes beyond a woman’s right to choose when she wants to start a family and how many children she and her spouse want to have.  There is also an equal pay for equal work battle that is being waged.  For some unknown reason these same politicians who are against women having control over their own body are against women receiving equal pay for equal work.  Currently, women receive about 77 cents on the dollar for doing the same work as her male counterpart and they make up more than 60% of all of those who earn a minimum wage.  This is not right.

I read an article in Woman’s Day Magazine that was written by Ruth Moore titled Fighting for What’s Right.  The gist of the article was that she fought a very long and hard battle that spanned decades before she was vindicated and received, at least, some degree of satisfaction for what she was forced to suffer through.

My takeaway from her article was her vigilance, tenacity and determination.  Because of these attributes she was able to establish a pathway to justice for other women in the military.  All female soldiers, including other victims who are still seeking justice, can now stand on her shoulders and feel more secure in their surroundings.  They can then create even broader inroads for women to comfortably enter the military and excel while serving our country.

In light of the current issues that are being pondered by politicians, which will have a major impact on women, it is incumbent upon all women to act in their own best interest and weigh-in on the 2014 midterm elections so that their voices will be heard.  They must begin right now – if they haven’t already done so – to follow politics and incorporate the same kind of vigilance, tenacity and determination into their quest for justice that Ruth Moore demonstrated for decades during her struggle.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line