"The Wasted Vote"

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been told I will be "wasting my vote" by casting it for someone not named John McCain or Barack Obama on Nov. 4. But I've learned to just laugh it off, because I figured out many years ago that the two party system is a very bad joke. Instead, of citing the many reasons why I came to that conclusion,I'll give you a metaphor I read meant to inspire you to consider wasting your vote too.

Imagine, if you will, a world where bullets are very scarce. In fact, bullets are so scarce that there are some parts of the world where bullets don't exist at all. You happen to be lucky enough to live in a part of the world that has bullets. But not many. Because of the scarcity of the bullets, you can only get one by filling out the proper government paperwork and meeting certain age and legal requirements. In this world, you receive exactly one bullet, and only one bullet, every four years. And it can only be used on one day; let's call that day the second Tuesday of November.

You are told your entire life that it is a great honor to receive a bullet, and the worst thing possible you can do with a bullet is to waste it since it is so precious.

On that fateful November Tuesday, you go to the government approved shooting range. And once you step inside, it seems that there are really only two things you can shoot:

A Puppy Dog

and

A Baby.

Many people seem to relish the opportunity to use their bullets, and they never stop to think about what they are actually shooting simply because it is such an honor to have a bullet to shoot.

Others carefully contemplate the decision. They aren't really excited about either choice, but they can't stand the thought of having their bullet go to waste. After much thought everyone not associated with PETA shoots the puppy dog. These people choose their target for the same reason: it represents to them the lesser of two evils.

And now it's your turn to exercise the great privilege of firing that bullet. You know what everyone else is doing. Some are waving posters that say "Shoot the Baby"; others will order bumper stickers that night which read "Don't Blame Me; I Shot the Puppy Dog." Others just silently pulled the trigger, and never said anything else about it. It's a secret they will carry with them until they go the way of the puppy dog or the baby they met earlier that day.

What about you? Which would you choose?

If you chose "none of the above" and fired your bullet into the sky, would you really be wasting your bullet???

I don't know about you, but with all the greedy bailouts, the never ending debt, the endless wars, and the perpetual lies . . . I can't wait to waste my vote on a third party candidate tomorrow! See you at the polls.