People complain a lot. Almost like it’s our national past time. You may have seen some fine examples of complaining from yours truly on this very page. Complaining is what made this country great. In fact I would say we don’t have nearly enough bitching going on right now.

What we have instead is a steam roller of a government that is passing laws that take away our freedom faster than we can keep track. Take for example the fact that Bush signed into law today a bill that makes it possible for him to designate anyone he wants as an enemy combatant and put them away forever without hope of a trial. And no one seems to care.

This is our worst nightmare, and we let it pass with nary a yawn.

So maybe I was wrong, it wasn’t simply pointing out what was wrong with the world that made America a great country it was standing up and doing something about it. Is it time for revolution, nay, not just yet. What we need now is civil engagement.

Democracy is like a little baby. It is constantly crying and shitting its pants, and without us, the citizens, to care for it it can develop a nasty case of diaper rash. The best way to keep the buns of this country poo free is to get out and vote. Not just party line voting (a little D or R next to someones name does not make them qualified to get your vote) but informed and engaged voting. Vote for the person that most shares your views.

It seems simple, but I so often hear that people want to vote for “who they think will win.” This is important, but you should vote for the candidate that you feel will make the same choice on an issue that you would. People can be dirty liars, and as such its impossible to know for sure how a candidate will vote on every issue, but there is a fair amount of information available that can help you make your choice. An informed vote is a good vote. With that in mind here are a couple of good starts on your way to making your vote count.

The new york times has created a nice little map with a nice little non-partisan link system that will let you figure out where all the contested races are as well as links to all the candidates home pages.

This should at least let you know who is running in your district and for what. You can also visit your local board of elections website to find out who is running in your area. Local elections are often more important than national ones, as this is where the “rubber meets the road.”

There are also many websites that can help you figure out how to register, where to vote, and find information about candidates and the issues. You can also be so bold as to call your elected officials and ask them what they feel about things, or let them know how you feel. Go to rallies, attend public forums. The several hours you spend informing yourself on the issues could mean the difference between 4 years with a great official or 4 years with a corrupt fuck-wit. The choices that elected officials make effect your job, your freedom, your family, every aspect of your life is in the hands of these people. I would say its worth a couple of days effort to make sure that you pick a good one.

You need to vote, it’s your civic duty. If you don’t vote the current business as usual (that is we all get fucked over by power hungry idiots, or abandoned by idiot zombies that do nothing) will continue. We will continue to live in a world that is full of war, pollution, global warming, hunger, and death. That’s not the kind of world I want to see, so this November I will be casting my vote. I will stand up and do my duty. Patriotism is not putting a magnetic ribbon on your SUV, its pulling that little lever in that little booth. It’s up to us all to protect America from the only enemy with enough power to do her any lasting harm, herself.