Why Should I Vote?

In order to provide some basis on which to answer the question posed above, it is necessary to look at a number of "reasons/excuses" most often used to "explain/justify" why so many folks do not take advantage of a right that is denied to peoples of other lands

The first of the "reasons/excuses" involves the use of two different terms that will reveal an answer. The two terms are forms of "reasoning", something that is elusive for some of us but is essential if we wish to arrive at a decision that will benefit us. I'll give a simplified example for each of the terms and then give an explanation to the question above.

Deductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that all 65 year old women who were grandmothers rocked in green rocking chairs, I could then say that if my mother becomes a grandmother and reaches 65 years of age, she will rock in a green rocking chair.

Inductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that when my mother became a grandmother and reached 65 years of age, she rocked in a green rocking chair. I could then imagine that when all mothers become grandmothers and reach 65 years of age, they too will rock in green rocking chairs.

In the first hypothetical scenario, the reasoning that was applied used the data based on the general observation (all 65 yr old grandmothers) and applied it to a specific example (my mother). in the second hypothetical scenario however, the reasoning used the data based on a specific example (my mother) and applied it to the general (all mothers). If mathematics was used to compare the two forms of reasoning, it would be discovered that "Deductive reasoning" will provide results that most often are correct while "Inductive reasoning" will most often provide results that are not correct.

Quite often, when attempting to influence folks to cast their vote for Sam Rohrer, they will reply,"He's just another one of those politicians who make promises and then, after being elected, never deliver what they promised. Why should I waste my time voting for him?" Or they may say, "They're all just a bunch of crooks, taking my money and stuffing it in their own pockets".

The folks who may make either or both of those statements are using Inductive Reasoning. They are using data from just a few examples and applying it to the general population of politicians. Their conclusion is then flawed and results in their decision not to vote at all.

The second of the reasons/excuses folks use to explain/justify not voting is a form of a pathologic physiological condition in which the individual is unable or unwilling to attempt to arrive at a decision regarding any situation in which they feel they are not able to influence the outcome. As a result, they appear to accept the world around them even if the circumstances result in causing them any degree of physical discomfort, monetary loss, etc.

A third reason/excuse is that demands on and/or interests in other activities leave little or no time for them to even consider voting. Those folks usually have some difficulty in prioritizing what should be most important to them.

There are perhaps quite a number of other reasons, real or imagined, why some folks do not vote the result of which is they are subject to whatever the outcome. Some of them are satisfied with the result of the election and others are not. Those who are not will then spend the next period of time (years) complaining about the outcome of the election in which they chose not to participate. Do they have Masochistic tendencies? Did they perhaps feel so uninformed about the candidates they were "afraid" to cast their vote thinking that they may accidentally choose the "wrong" candidate?

At this point, I refer you to a previous blog "Habit", Something Good or Bad? (30 OCT 09). It gives the reader guidelines how to identify their local politicians. Once they are identified, their names will be able to be compared with a list of those politicians who have "signed on" to support the School/Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA). I will provide the names of those who have "signed on" in the next blog. If you do not see your politician's name on the list, they did not "sign on". Gee, I guess that means if you don't see your politician's name on the list I provide, they are either "against" the SPTEA concept or they were just too lazy (indifferent) to "sign on" but either way they ain't with us so they must be agin us!!

The act is formally known as House bill 1275, and was introduced by Sam Rohrer (R) of Berks Cnty. Sam Rohrer has not been successful in his attempts over the past five years to have the bill passed into law because of "wrong - headed" thinking by his fellow politicians in Harrisburg. Mr. Rohrer is now a candidate for the Governorship of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rohrer is running a "grassroots" campaign. He is running against Tom Corbett, the State's Attorney General. Mr. Corbett has been endorsed by the State's Republican Party. It is believed by this writer the Republican Party has totally ignored Sam Rohrer because he is not one of the "good old boys". Since Mr. Corbett has the party's "blessing", he has access to all the party has to offer including funding for his campaign. Meanwhile, Mr. Rohrer will receive no help from the party because he is "cut from a different cloth" and doesn't march in lock step with those "good old boys".

Scott Brown carried Massachusetts, Chris Christie won in New Jersey, and Bob McDonnell won in Virginia!!! None of them were expected to win anything. So why did they carry the day? Because of a grassroots movement of "fed up" folks who have not had their politician's ear for too long. Those folks were and are sick and tired of broken promises, unethical behavior, and a lack luster history of a bunch of "do-nothings" supposedly looking out for their constituents.

It's time we Pennsylvanians picked ourselves by the bootstraps and took charge of our broken State government!! We should do it!! We can do it!! We must do it!! All we have to do is get rid of those "good old boys" who have lost touch with reality and who don't give a whit about us, the people who put them into office to lead us and to look out for our welfare.

The moment of truth is here!!! Only 104 days left until the primary election on 18 MAY 10. Please, please, please, spread Sam's name to one and all: relatives, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you can tell about Sam's plans for the return of truthfulness in our State's government. Make sure you give them his web address, www.samrohrer.org . While you're at it, why not give them the web address of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition www.PTCC.US . Between the two addresses, they will be able to learn why they should not only vote but for whom they should cast their vote.

In order to assure Sam wins the MAY primary over the party's "anointed" Tom Corbett, I'm asking you to do something that some of you would rather commit Sepaku rather than do what I'm asking. Think of the goal and be ready to prioritize!! OK, here goes. I'm asking all the folks who are registered Democrats, of which I was one, to re-register as Republican before the MAY primary. You can change back, if so disposed, after the primary.

Why am I asking this? The first step to have Sam win the election in November is to have him win the primary election on 18 MAY. If we can't successfully get him through the primary election, he is not the only one who will have lost!! We all will have lost!! It will be "business as usual" in Harrisburg and we will only have ourselves to blame!!!

You will not be able to vote for Sam in the primary election if you are registered as a Democrat. If you would write his name in, it would not count!!! You must be registered as a Republican to vote for Sam in the primary election on MAY 18th. If you want to change back to a Democrat registration after the primary election, it's OK. You will be able to vote for Sam in the general election in November even if you are registered as a Democrat. But, you won't be able to vote for him in November if his name is not on the ballot!!! It's only in the primary election you need to be registered as a Republican.

Changing your registration is not difficult. Go to the www.PTCC.us web address and look on the right of the monitor screen. You'll see a small block with the text "VOTE - register to vote or change your party affiliation - click here". When you click on the "click here, a text will be shown. The fourth paragraph up from the bottom begins "Registering to vote" - - . The next sentence states "Download the voter registration application here . Click on the word "here". An official registration form will appear on your screen. You can then print it and fill it out. Make sure to mail it out no later than 30 days before the election. To be safe, I'd mail it no later than 14 APR. That gives you a 4 day cushion

Last, but not least, a Town Meeting is offered on 11 FEB at 6:30 PM at the Firehouse in Christiana, PA. Sam Rohrer will be there to explain his plans for his leadership as the Governor of PA. All are welcome.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John