This Monday morning before elections

Still haven't heard anything from my NJ cousins. Hope they're okay; when I check their local paper, it looks like half the county still doesn't have power. I hope they are staying warm. And everyone else in NJ and NY. :(

Today is the last day of campaigning. Polls show each candidate is at 49%. This will be a close one! I am very much looking forward to it being OVER. I like when people inform themselves and vote with their best brain power. I very, very, very much dislike when people use hysterical exaggerations (especially when they distort a candidate's religion or personal life or family) to throw mud at the opposite candidate. Whatever my own views are, I've had to hide a couple of facebook posters until after the election because of this. And yes, that includes supporters of both candidates (including the one I'm pretty sure I'm voting for tomorrow). Posts like that do not convince me to support a particular candidate; rather, they show me that the poster does not truly understand democracy. Democracy means that we are all entitled to our own opinions, even if they differ from someone else's. It's easy to have an "open mind" when you are among those you agree with. But a true open mind when it comes to democracy means allowing for the fact that maybe, just maybe, someone else of equal intelligence has drawn up the facts and come to a different conclusion. And the law allows for that opinion as well.

Mostly, I'm thinking of whoever is going to be the loser tomorrow, though. (Or maybe not tomorrow, if voting is delayed in NY. Yikes. What a rotten time for a hurricane!) I like some things and I feel very uncomfortable about some things in each major political party. I realize each candidate is trying to represent a range of views within their party. Some are great, and some, in my very democratic opinion, are stupid. But I feel that both Romney and Obama are good people. Trying to do their best. Trying to represent a variety of backers. As a religious person, truly, I believe God loves them equally. I really feel that whoever loses, God will feel that person's hurt. And I hope He will inspire the winner as well, because there sure are a lot of problems now that are difficult to find answers to. At the same time, politics is not a religion. (I know. Some people don't believe in God. But it's still possible to treat it like a religion.) It's not. It's imperfect people, trying to do their best. We actually don't have divine right of kings in this country! We vote the best way our minds and consciences lead us, and after the election, it's still up to us to work together as a country to solve the problems we have as best we can. And if we can do it by getting along instead of continuing to reject ideas just because they come from across the party line divide, the solutions will happen faster. (Can I say how much I loved seeing Christie and Obama setting aside politics and just doing the job they were elected to do? Elections are for politics, but after they're over, please just Do the Job! Sincerely, your constituent.)

So go vote tomorrow. And then, set aside any animosity and anger you may feel, and do your part to help unite this country.