People are often unaware of the influence they possess over friends, loved ones, or even strangers. If you believe that there are great risks to the future of our country that hinge on this election, what are you willing to do to avoid the country making the wrong decision? Elections come and go, and many believe that there isn’t much difference between the parties. In some cases they are right. In the last 40 years there has been a slow drive towards socialism with the only difference between the parties being slightly different speeds. This election is different. Republicans see the problems, and want to change course. Democrats want to step on the accelerator.
If you believe that an Obama victory means a greater risk: of a debt crisis; that a dirty bomb will be detonated in NYC; that the middle east will go nuclear; you will pay higher taxes; he will find more ways to limit traditional energy production; he will do almost nothing to solve our growing debt problem…HOW CAN YOU DO NOTHING! Do you think that the people in Greece or Spain who saw where the country was headed 10-15 years ago wish they had done more at that time to change its trajectory? Will you feel comfortable telling your children or grandchildren what you did or didn’t do when you saw these things coming?
The next issue of course is what you do. If you own a business, and you believe that a 2nd term of Obama will hurt your ability to grow, don’t you have a responsibility to tell your employees what you think? This is your honest assessment of your company’s future prospects. The presentation to employees should not be nasty or partisan, it could be similar to estimating the impact of a natural disaster. Statements should be in a matter-of-fact fashion, and employees will appreciate the information ahead of time. This certainly beats a layoff announcement as a direct result of some new federal imposition on your business a year from now.
From a personal standpoint, it can be a phone call to a family member, striking up a conversation at the Deli counter, speaking up while waiting for dance class to end, bringing up the debates at a card game, or casual conversation at a sports bar. The people who you will be speaking to may not believe that the risks are as grave as you think, so here are some simple nonpartisan ways to get your point across. Try…
- He says that Medicare is the biggest cause of our long term debt problem, yet he has not suggested a fix.
- He said that he would bring the two parties together, and work toward a “Purple America”, but he couldn’t convince one Republican to agree with him on his biggest initiatives.
- We’ve had recessions before, why is this the only one we can’t get out of?
- He had his chance, and things aren’t any better.
- We’ve fired better presidents than this.
If you believe that this election will change your children’s lives for better or worse, depending on how it turns out, isn’t it worth the risk of a little social discomfort to ensure the right result? Bob Grant has been a radio personality in the NYC market for over 40 years, and he has signed off his radio show the same way for all of those years. “Your influence counts. Use it!”
