How We Can Vote Every Day for a Better World

So bye-bye Hobby Lobby, Publix Super Market, and Chick-Fil-A

Officially, the United States has three levels of elections:

1. Federal (national): President, Senate, House of Representatives
2. State: Governor and lieutenant governor
3. Local: Sheriffs, mayors, school board, etc.

It Isn’t Just about the White House

Unfortunately, until recent elections, too many Americans were unaware of how important state and local elections are.

In the recent past, too many of us out of pessimism, ignorance, or laziness failed to cast our votes for the leader of the free world. So, of course, we also failed to cast our votes for the supporting political cast members — our senators, our house of representatives, etc.

Well, the last five years of political hell have revealed how critical our votes are for ALL cast members of the political theatre.

These people who we choose or don’t choose by non-participation in the election process have power over the quality and the length of our lives in the present and the future.

So we Americans — black, brown, Asian, Native American, white, gay, straight, woman, man, every adult — need to get out and vote at ALL levels for those who will champion global Democracy and justice for all.

And we need to commit to voting in every. single. election. as if our breath depends on it. Because, for many of us, it does!

And we must also make sure that we provide this leader with the supporting cast members they need to transform promised political policies into laws that serve us all.

You Can Vote “Unofficially” Too

But did you know there is a fourth significant and far-reaching “election” level?! One that we can engage in as a natural result of living our everyday lives in a capitalistic society.

Yes, it’s true.

And the good news is that we don’t have to register to vote; wait for a specified date; go to designated polling locations during limited hours of operation; or stand in long lines thirsty and hungry to cast these “ballots.”

The fourth election level is this:

We can vote with every single hard-earned dollar we spend. Because the fact is: Most of us trade our time–that is, our life energy–for money.

We can choose to spend our money (our life energy) consciously and intentionally.

How will you vote at the checkout?

We can choose not to “flush away” the power of our labor on products, services, and entertainment provided by individuals or companies who do NOT support our right to life, liberty, and the “enjoyment” of happiness.

Or at their most evil, actively and tirelessly work against us and those we love to suffocate the life and breath out of us.

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Here are two questions we should all be asking ourselves…

Do we want to spend our lives (time) with and on individuals and companies who don’t support all of us participating in the American Dream?

And…

Does it make any sense to fatten up the bank accounts of individuals and companies who then use their vast financial wealth — compliments of us — to annihilate us in countless ways?

Yes, these are two questions we all need to think deeply about and answer for ourselves.

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As for me, I have my answer:

If an individual or company acts the -ism fool, I will do all that is within my power to suffocate their ability to use their immense financial wealth against me or any other human being or human group.

Listen, it is all about free choice and accountability — or it should be!

So bye-bye Hobby Lobby, Publix Super Market, and Chick-Fil-A! I love your product and services but get the hell out of my life.

If others are free to be stupid, selfish, or evil, we are free to “cancel” them from our lives in the voting box and at the checkout.