Grota: 'No excuse for not voting'

Vote!

Did I get your attention? No? OK let’s try this again: VOTE!! Now do I have your attention? Yes? Good. If it comes down to shouting it from the rooftops I will. It is that important to people like myself. It should be to you as well. Yet we all know of some out there who rarely use this most powerful instrument of our nation. More powerful than any weapon, it can change the course of history. This is the power of the ballot, the act of the Vote is the mainstay of true American freedom.

It is a right all American citizens share. Sadly too many fail to use it in during our elections. Not just sad it is pathetic. What were numbers last year? Barely 18 or 20 percent. That is the numbers of people who actually voted. The freest nation on the earth yet only few in number actually take part and vote. It goes beyond pathetic.

So, what can be done to swing those sad numbers up? Come on, it doesn’t take rocket science to figure that out. Does it now? The best way to combat voter apathy is so simple a child could figure this out in seconds. Get off your duff Tuesday and vote. That is how easy it is to take on this issue.

The power of the vote runs this nation also runs this state. No lie, just the hard straight fact. Our nation functions on the votes of the people. Those founding fathers were geniuses when they got together to bring forth a new nation. Voting is a vital part of the democratic process. But it only works when its citizens go out and do it. Unfortunately far too many don’t. So many I believe endangers the country.

They use all kind of excuses for failing to vote. The list is long and frankly a stupid one. Well I’m taking a little sage advice from my time in the U.S. Army to address those who use excuses to back out of voting.

“The maximum effective range of an excuse is Zero meters.” We used that one a lot when something or someone screwed up. We used it to train soldiers to take responsibility for their actions good or bad. It worked for the soldiers I served with very well. It should work in this case, I hope. Excuses don’t cut it in my book and this should be in yours too.

So this October 6, join me and other citizens by going to your local polling center, bring your ID or Voter ID with you. Take the ballot issued to you and enter a voting booth. Vote and cast your ballot. Take part in the American way. Every vote counts, remember that. Remember that quote of mine too. No excuses!

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service. Write to him at news@frontiersman.com