Election Day. Votes = Voices!

Photo by Joaquin Corbalan on iStock

red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Well, it’s been a week since Election Day, and although it was only the mid-terms, I felt like in the weeks running up to it, it received almost as much media coverage and attention as a presidential election.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	That is because so much was on the line. The “hype” was that there would be a “red wave” and the Republicans would dominate. And, easily take control of Congress. It never happened.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	It certainly proved not to count your chickens before they hatch, that it’s not over until the fat lady sings, oh, I could go on and on.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	You can stop with the idioms, especially since I am not sure the “fat lady” one is PC (politically correct). But, the results show that voters were much more levelheaded than the media gave them credit for being.

red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Which, given how disheartened I’ve felt in the last few years, I found to be a huge relief. And although I wasn’t surprised at what happened here in Texas, the results throughout the rest of the country definitely caught me by surprise.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Maybe we all are just tired of all the extreme rhetoric on both sides – the radical Republicans and the progressive Democrats. Maybe even longing for the days when the two parties had different beliefs in the role of government and fiscal policy, but still shared an underlying belief in democracy. And, the right for people’s voices to be heard.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	I know that many people thought democracy was “on the line,” but on reflection, it seems that abortion’s what got so many people out to vote. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, it became a major issue and, no doubt, got many women and younger people out to vote.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	To a great extent, abortion was tied to democracy, as it appeared to be a partisan decision from the Supreme Court, not a reflection of what the people wanted. Just look at the results when some states made abortion a line item, a referendum, that people could vote for or against, separate from what candidates they voted for. Or, look at states where the outcome of the governor's race could dramatically change abortion rights policy. (Although, as expected, Texas and Florida stayed red.)
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Yes, which just shows how a specific issue you feel very strongly about can greatly influence how you vote. Even to the extent that it might cause you to vote for a candidate you might not otherwise have supported based on that single issue.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Exactly, so why not make those key issues national referendums? Why make voters choose between candidates based on a single issue? Looking at the mid-term results, it might well have resulted in very different outcomes.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Now there’s an understatement. What I find most interesting is that we went from expecting a red wave and all the “noise” about what that could mean for the country to an election that, although it was incredibly tight for some races and/or had surprising results, actually felt pretty normal.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Agree. Luckily the predicted, or maybe “threatened” is a better word, voter intimidation, violence, and other antics at polling places never came to fruition. And, many candidates who lost even conceded with grace.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	And the fact that many of us, including the press, found that surprising speaks for itself. Regardless, it will be very interesting to see what happens when it comes to the 2024 presidential election. Two years is a long way away, but not when it comes to politics, and much can, and no doubt will, happen.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	I am sure many politicians are busy rethinking and adjusting their positions and strategizing as they obviously misread the room and clearly did not know their audiences.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	And now who’s talking in clichés?
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Want another cliché? When it comes to the will of “We the people” and voting … actions speak louder than words.

democracy

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When Red first heard Black talking about the importance of "soft skills," she didn't even know what she was referring to, let alone that they would be important to her life. So, Black explained that it was a term used to describe intangible but essential skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, communications, and conflict management.

Red, trying to be sarcastic, then asked if there was such a thing as “hard skills,” Black matter-of-factly told her those are tangible and technical skills such as computer skills.

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But would anyone call them “Mom Skills”? Well, Red couldn’t help but remember the time Black told her, “Your job is every bit as demanding as a corporate position, and, in fact, you use many of the same skill sets.”Not something Red could ever have imagined, but it made sense once she better understood what soft skills are and how they are used. But then Black took it a step further,

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Over the last few years, Red has come around to Black’s way of thinking and realizes it’s a mindset. And that education is more than the classes you take in school.

September is when students of all ages are back in school, but it’s also National Literacy Month, which is about so much more than reading and writing. Literacy includes things like Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Health Literacy, and even News Literacy. (As the linked Conversation Starters indicate, Red was the “poster child” of a highly educated person who lacked many of these basic literacy skills.)

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For many of us, Labor Day marks the end of summer (temperatures aside), and as we switch from a summer holiday mindset back to the “real world”, we can’t help but feel overwhelmed.

You don’t need us to tell you how falling back into a work or school routine can be challenging, especially if you’re facing a backlog of tasks and responsibilities. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, the “silly season” is just around the corner. (Red has been seeing Halloween decorations since mid-July, which means Thanksgiving and all the winter holidays aren’t far behind.)

But you don’t need us to tell you why you feel overwhelmed; you need help dealing with being overwhelmed.

When our new website goes live next year, one of the major sections will be THE DAILY HELP, where you’ll find easy-to-implement tools to get your day back on track and feel more in control.

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