One Vote: Make Your Voice Heard by Ben Carson
Founders:
-recognized the possibility that government, drunk with power, might not submit to the will of the people and use the military to suppress the will of the people
2nd Amendment-protects the right of people to bear arms and shall not be infringed
-our system was designed to prevent anyone in any position from escaping the will of the people
-don't take for granted that provides people with so much power, so learn how to use it and understand our responsibility to use it correctly
Point: Vigilantly guard your rights as voters
Take some steps:
-understand that government works for us and not the other way around
-learn you have basic rights, such as freedom of speech, expression, of religion, property
-watch for government overreach
-watch for wrongdoing when party puts politics over people that threatens the nation
-know who you are voting for: research each person and groups they take part in
-know ways you can vote and plan for it
Knowledge is power:
-perceptions change as you learn and that affects decisions you make in life-apply to importance of making your vote count
-be an active learner: don't just go with what other tell you-even teachers can be biased and not reflect your own values or morals
-active learning also builds your knowledge base so you can defend your position
-active learning makes you a better communicator and will increases your confidence levels
-keeps you from engaging name-calling and demonization of person you disagree with
-sound understanding of history and politics requires comparison of multiple sources
Points:
-make sure you know where you align
-Communist and Marxist writes are ideological opponents to America so need to know why
-Saul Alinsky wants to fundamentally change American society, so compare his rhetoric as he was a skilled political operators who sought to manipulate people
-have knowledge of different religious literature: Bible, Torah, Koran to be able to defend your moral and values
-Founders understood importance of spirituality in history and politics
-Study world geography and cultures to help you discuss what you align with
***The greater your knowledge base the greater your fortification against unscrupulous attempts at indoctrination
National News:
-recognize ideology of what you watch as you want accurate information to make informed decisions
-political bias is rampant in newsrooms
-American Values: Pledge of Allegiance, Patriotism, Appreciation of Flag, Liberty, Freedom, "In God We Trust," "One Nation," "Under God," "In God We Trust," Declaration of Independence, "unalienable rights," "Indivisible," "Justice for All"
-God is referenced throughout our judicial and legislative history
-1st amendment guarantees freedom of religion not freedom from religion
-Media that stoke divisiveness should be carefully scrutinized and those that are heavily biased are unworthy of the voters' trust
Manipulation:
-Congressman should not become multimillionaires
-Senators and Congressman should not benefit from insider information
-Honest and decent representatives are very unlikely to engage in voter manipulation
-Giveaways are red flags when vying for your vote
-Ordinary people are not victims-victimhood is manipulation
-Opponents should not be demonized
-Minority voters used as voting oppressive such as identification cards are racists-false tales of voter fraud
-suppress votes through fear mongering and racism: ex. whites oppose black person's liberal politics and on other end whites oppose black person's conservative politics
Point:
-Informed people not easy to manipulate
America:
-democratic republic-we send representatives to Washington, D.C. to vote on federal laws
-we send representatives to state capital to vote on state laws
-US Congress= composed of Senate and the House of Representatives
-Each state elected by voters has two senator
-House of Representatives=depends on state's population
-Vote can decide current events= economy, federal debt, healthcare, unemployment, national security, education, etc...
***Civic responsibility to cast your vote at the voting booth
The swamp:
-greed and power is the perception by voters
-perks are enticing so enter to drain the swamp but then gets comfortable in the swamp
Vote your values:
-ex. issue of abortion so if you are pro-life research those running for office that match pro-life values and voting history of the candidate
-learn about both side of the argument so you are not a blind follower
-freedom of religion means that you are free to speak about and live according to your faith without threats from the government.
-faith and politics can exist side by side
-decide to stand up for your beliefs-don't stay comfortable in silence to avoid controversy
Point:
-separation of church and state does not mean that you must remove your faith from public life and your voting decisions
What Influences You:
-examine the records of people running for public office
-determine those people who truly represent you
-watch the sphere of influence of your children and your grandchildren
-be a well informed voter and responsible citizen
-help other build their own intelligent opinions
-know what your children are learning in school
-watch their social media
Point:
-show those your influence the importance of honesty and integrity in all those that influence them
Practical Steps:
-do your research
-your party affiliation should match your views and values
-contact your representatives
-watch your representatives track record on bills they oppose or support-does it match your values
-get to know your candidates through their social media and see how your views compare to the candidates in any election
-follow the money-political funding can reveal a lot about a candidate
-be eligible and register to vote-ex. know early voting can be good but may miss something about a candidate-plan your decisions and vote
Take Action:
-use your own social media to promote your political awareness
Point:
***Raise up an Army of Believers made up of people who have determined that their one vote counts and that they can make their voice heard through their vote.
***They can actually make a difference with their vote