Opinion: Don’t get mad, get to the polls

A repressive regime subjugates a community until that community has had enough. They band together and fight back, ultimately winning their independence and growing closer because of their shared struggle.

I’m talking about Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life”, of course. Hopper bullies his way into power and makes almost everyone miserable. Sure, he helps out his buddies but in the end he’s willing to throw literally anyone under the bus, including the ever loyal Molt, who he constantly beats on and criticizes. Having had enough, Flik and his friends empower the other ants who stand as one against Hopper and his goons.

I’m sure not everyone is as well-versed in beloved children’s movies as I am, but this story has been told before and the outcome is always the same — the people get fed up and do something about it.

Regardless of your political standing, I think most of us can relate to each other on a few points.

Almost all of us will be in some form of debt for many years to come.

Our social safety net is slowly being drained, making it less likely that we will see government assistance when we retire.

With the unending coverage of politics a lot of us are experiencing news fatigue.

What can we do about it? We could follow in Flik’s footsteps and beat up a gang of grasshoppers, but I’m not sure that’ll help with this particular problem. What we can do is vote.

Midterm elections are coming up and we have already passed the primaries. That means the general election on November 6, 2018, is more important than ever. Who you want to vote for is your business, what matters is you make your voice heard and become involved. Think of it like feedback: by becoming an informed voter and choosing deliberately who you want to represent you, your voice gets that much louder. It’s a balancing act and the more people who play, the more balanced it gets.

What can you do about this? The first step is to register in your respective state to vote in the upcoming midterm election. For Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, an online form is all you need to set yourself up to vote. Some of you may already be registered, but double check and make sure you still are. Update your address so that you know where your polling location is or so you can vote absentee.

Next, do some research and identify your desired candidate. Think about the things you believe deeply in and see if they’re mirrored in who you want to vote for. Make sure you know where you really stand on each issue, but be willing to make some compromises.

Finally, let’s be civil about all this. We’re all Americans and each of our voices is as equal as the next; that’s the beauty of a democracy. You can disagree with what others think but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong and you’re right. Seek to understand their point of view and maybe it will help further define your own.

Don’t forget to vote on Nov. 6, 2018.