A while back I wrote about the upcoming American Presidential election and how no one can foresee what will happen.

I’m surprised: I thought the rhetoric and attention toward the election would only increase. It might just be my limited news consumption, but the election seems to have faded from the front and center. I think people are tired. People want their lives to be better, and many are still struggling. And that’s the whole point of representative government: citizens elect trustworthy officials who serve them by focusing full-time on policy. Is it fair to say Americans are disillusioned with this system? I routinely hear, “Really? These are the two best people we’ve got to run the country? Does my vote even matter?” It matters—we have to push through. Voter fatigue and poor turnout are not only real, but understandable. People are tired of rhetoric--they want results.

Which is why it’s important to vote. We won’t get results without doing our due diligence, without acting on our responsibility as citizens in a democracy.

Electing a president is important. But electing our Congress is even more important. Why? We are a a nation of laws. Those who make and reform law are the ones in power. Think about it: there's only one group in the country that can make (federal) laws. No one else has this power. This same group of people is the only group who can change any existing law. This group is the 535 members of Congress. They can do things like:

make laws
declare war
decide how federal money will be spent

The President can't do any of these things. The Constitution empowers Congress in more ways than the President. Thus we must maintain high standards when choosing our legislature, and, just as importantly, we must demand and direct Congress to act as we see fit. Sounds simple right? Simple, but not easy? We choose who shapes the law of the land. And we direct them to govern the way we want, to get the results we want. Almost all of us want the same things. This is doable. We just need to remember to act on our responsibilities as citizens.