Voting and the Power of One

Seven years ago, I became an adult, well at least by standard prescribed by the United States Federal Government. In those seven years I cast exactly zero votes for any election of any kind. Not a single vote for local, state, or federal office. Heck, I doubt that I even cast a vote for student president in my high school. Fancying myself an economist (though fully acknowledging the fact that in no way does a B.A. in Economics make you an economist), it came down to a simple issue of cost-benefit analysis for me.

The costs were simple to recognize and very real in terms of having an impact on my life. Waking up early to vote meant a lack of sleep and taking time off of work. While willing to make those sacrifices for a variety of reasons, casting a single vote in an election where tens of millions of individuals pick an outcome was not one of them.

To me, and perhaps proof that I was not yet an adult, the only benefit of casting a vote was the off chance that the election ended in a tie and my vote was needed to break it. I'm willing to admit that I was wrong. Recently, I came to realize that every vote counts, regardless of the impact that it has on the election. Best illustrating this point is the impact that Ron Paul has had on the topics covered during the 2012 Republican presidential debates. Ron Paul holds dissimilar beliefs in comparison to many of his fellow Republicans, and until recently, these beliefs were hidden beneath the political surface. Those following the 2012 presidential election will note that many items that Ron Paul has been harping on for years are finally coming to light, and are being discussed by mainstream Republicans. To answer why these are now coming to focus, one would only have to look at his standing in the 2008 and 2012 polls. In 2012, his percentage of the vote received has at least doubled in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida. Ron Paul's increased support shows that his ideas are popular and therefore worth an open and honest discussion.

Realists will tell you that Ron Paul is, at best, a longshot to win the Republican nomination let alone the presidency. It has taken this writer a long time to understand that the power in voting is not selecting an individual, but in shaping the issues that warrant discussion. So please, vote in 2012 and be heard! For the first time ever, maybe I'll see you there.