“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
These words were spoken by Abraham Lincoln in 1858. This was two years before he was elected President and five years into the fierce debate about abolition of slavery. While the pressing issues of today are primarily economic in nature, parallels can be drawn that relate the anger of those days to the unrest of the present. The polarization of America is nothing new, but it is always disturbing.
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The battle now is not over the fate of slavery, which resulted in the Civil War and took another century to resolve through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Lincoln said, “…this government cannot endure permanently being half slave and half free.” Today, this statement takes on a different meaning when half the nations’ citizens are free from paying tax and the other half are required to do so. This also reflects the percentage receiving government aid and benefits.
Lincoln went on to say, “I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.” This metaphorically, many think, represents the crossroads at which the country stands as we approach the midterm elections. There is growing concern about the wellbeing of the nation as a whole and the direction it will take.
At risk are taxes, national security, immigration, energy costs, unemployment, education, health care, social benefits, entitlements and personal freedoms. Americans are sharply divided on these issues. However, the majority of citizens seem to have different opinions than the majority of Congress. That’s why this election is so important.
For New Seniors, those born between 1930 and 1945, this election could be crucial. The last few years have not been good for us. Investments, homes and other retirement items we saved for over the year lost their value. At the same time, the new health care bill calls for reducing Medicare spending by $500 billion and Social Security cost of living adjustments have been frozen for the second straight year.
On top of these direct influences, the out-of-control spending, ballooning deficit, compounding debt, slow economic recovery, impending tax increases along with many other issues have an impact on those 65+. We could let this get us down, but we’ve been through times before and believe that the best thing to do is fight back.
So on November 2, it’s not only our responsibility to vote, we must vote as a means of survival. The 65+ vote is powerful enough to affect the outcome of virtually every race in the country. We will account for up to 30% of all ballots in this election.
But if we don’t vote, we won’t make a difference. Study the issues. Decide what side of the issues you’re on. Then cast your ballot for what you feel is right for America, your community and you. It’s the best way to help your country come together once more.
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