Monday, November 06, 2006

Election Day Quotes To Remember



The stakes in the 2008 presidential elections are higher than they have ever been in our history.

If we cannot get a decent turnout...if we allow ourselves to be apathetic and complacent...and if we allow dirty tricks to steal our votes...then we are seriously in danger of losing America's soul.

I urge everybody to not just vote, but actively encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do the same. Imagine the scenario that would occur if, with the current state of affairs under Bush, he emerges on Wednesday with continued unchecked power.

In that spirit, here are some quotes to remember, as we prepare to alter the course of American history.

James Garfield
Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.
George Jean Nathan
Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.
Gilbert K. Chesterton
The average man votes below himself; he votes with half a mind or a hundredth part of one. A man ought to vote with the whole of himself, as he worships or gets married. A man ought to vote with his head and heart, his soul and stomach, his eye for faces and his ear for music; also (when sufficiently provoked) with his hands and feet. If he has ever seen a fine sunset, the crimson color of it should creep into his vote. The question is not so much whether only a minority of the electorate votes. The point is that only a minority of the voter votes.
John F. Kennedy
The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
Abraham Lincoln
The ballot is stronger than the bullet.
Tom Stoppard
It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting.
Matthias Burnett
Look well to the characters and qualifications of those you elect and raise to office and places of trust.
Marian Wright Edelman
People who don't vote have no line of credit with people who are elected and thus pose no threat to those who act against our interests.
Plato
The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.

Let's hope we don't fall victim to the apathy Plato refers to.

Have a productive Election Day and know that each vote has the potential to change the disastrous course our nation has taken under BushCo.

It's time to take back America.

(the above is a reposting of a blog post I put up 2 years ago, with an update on the year. Everything else in the post was as relevant as when I first posted it)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for these powerful quotes! Not only do we need a change in government, but we need a major change in voter education. You can't have a strong democracy with an ignorant and uninformed citizenry. History and Civics should be as important in our schools as English and Science.

Also, Naomi, "ditto!" (Take that, Rush!)

Anonymous said...

I'd also like to start this meme: Katrina was only the first cat-5 to hit President Godsend!

With his propensity to choose the nearest unqualified crony, his "political FEMA" is understaffed, underfunded and plum out of "post-disaster plans", hence the jettisoning of Baron von Rumsfeld...

Naomi

scootmandubious said...

What a great day! Work kept me away ffrom home most of the day, but I was itching to get a post up.

Thanks Naomi and pdewalt for the comments. I enjoyed the Teddy quote too!