Well its 2010 and this year will be a big year for politics. According to Politico.com there will be over 500 House, Senate, and gubernatorial seats up for election in 2010. This means that voters will have some decisions to make. The question is: Why should you care? Don't forget that when a politician of any type asks you for your vote they are asking you to put them in a position that will allow them to make important decisions over the way you live your life and the way you spend your money.

Think about that for a Moment. Does that make you nervous? It sure makes me nervous. It should motivate you to know everything you can about the people asking for your vote. Their background, what they believe in, what makes them tick, what ideas and information have influenced them in the past and how they will use that information. Ultimately we try to find out what role they think the government should play in our lives. We use all of these things to make our decisions about voting.

However, I hear a lot of people tell me, "I don't understand these complex issues so how can I choose a candidate?" Then they tell me "I just choose not to vote". I understand this position, but I strongly disagree with it. We all need to do something very important...we need to know what we believe in, what makes us tick, and what ideas and information influence us. If we don't know these things about ourselves how can we choose a representative that most closely resembles our beliefs? If we fail to do so, we are more vulnerable to be swindled by dishonest people. For example if you are not willing to go into credit card debt because it puts you in a compromising financial position then you probably don't want to vote for someone who advocates spending money on social programs when the government doesn't have the money. Common sense goes a long way. Good principles still work when applied to government. Anyone who tells you different is probably either a progressive or a politician...and maybe both.

I don't mean to sound condescending, but I think it is all too common for people to look at political parties and merely vote for their team. I firmly beleive that if more people truly voted for the candidate that had character our political landscape would look very different in America. Political parties have dictated the terms of politics for far too long. I don't think political parties are inherently evil, but because we have allowed career politicians to get fat and happy within the government, political parties have become institutions filled with power hungry fat cats. We need a reset.

I suggest during this voting season that we all do our duty as Americans and inform ourselves. I suggest starting with a website called Project Vote Smart (http://votesmart.org/). Don't just listen to the candidates and believe them...do your homework. This is the perfect moment in America for us to change the face of politics. Liberty and limited government is best safeguarded by our vote.