With freedom comes responsibility (10/09/06)

Like to vote in November?

Then, if you're not registered, you better get on the stick.

The deadline for registering to vote is Oct. 10, this week.

Our guess is that there are plenty of people who are registered to vote, having made all the necessary steps, who simply won't show up at the polls next month.

That's sad.

And it's stupid.

Sad because there are scores of countries around the world without the right to vote. There are tens of thousands who would show up at the polls if it were as easy as it is in the U.S. And there are millions of people around the world who will look at the voter turnout figures from America in November and wonder if the country has lost its mind.

Greatest freedom in the world? Check.

Easiest place on earth to cast a ballot to control the future of your community and your country? Check.

Terrible percentage of potential voters going to the polls? You bet.

We're great at creating democracy, but we're not very good about making it work.

Even if we did our best, we'd make mistakes.

Our favorite line from Churchill is that democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all the others.

So, vote. Take your chances on making mistakes. Let your voice be heard, assuming that the majority of us know what we're doing.

It's a terrible system. Except for the fact that it's better than anything else that's been devised. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]