So the highlight of this election season for me was my nine year old daughter’s insightful comment after seeing another political ad where one candidate fails to mention what they stand for, but instead tells us how evil his opponent is…”Daddy, I don’t mean to judge, but it doesn’t really seem like old guys make very good decisions.”

It is only two years after the amazing presidential election of 2008, where Obama inspired us to believe in something bigger than ourselves and renewed hope in so many people that felt hopeless.  Things don’t seem so hopeful anymore, and many who voted for Obama two years ago, voted for Republican representatives of congress because things weren’t getting fixed.  Many who voted for Obama, including myself, have shared their disappointment and frustration that Obama has let us down.    

After further thought, I think I disagree.  We as Americans, have let Obama down.  The hope that was generated two years ago wasn’t meant to be placed in a single man, or a currently flawed system of government.  It was meant to be placed in us.  The hope was for us, to believe in ourselves again, to not rely on government to fix our problems, but to rely on one another.  Of course it didn’t take long for the political machine to tell us how frustrated we were, how things have only gotten worse, and to mock us for our hope.  After a few months, we began to believe them, and before long, our hope gave way to helplessness, even apathy.  And by the time the first Tuesday of November of 2010 came around, we found ourselves feeling let down by Obama for not saving the day soon enough.  The only people we have to blame is ourselves.  We were wrong if we put our hope in Obama.  We are wrong now if we have put our hope in a new congress.  We will be wrong if we put our hope in 2012’s candidates.   

In 2008, Obama inspired me to think that a politician could inspire us as a country to to follow hope.  To dream dreams, and to pursue them.  To place the greater good above the good of the individual.  We have only ourselves to blame for this dream deferred.  

The last slice of respect I had left for the American system of electing officials was lost this political season.  It is all really a large joke, not unlike the emperor’s new clothes.  We the people are being paraded about in our underwear.

It is time for a revolution of the political system.  It is time for us to say enough.  In 2012, exercise your right to not vote.  Make yourself heard by not voting, and encouraging others to do the same.  A political system with no participants doesn’t work very well.  Don’t vote 2012.  We can make a difference by doing nothing.  In the meantime, rake a neighbors leaves, volunteer, cut back on your spending, start a non-profit, recycle, ride your bike, and spread the word.  Don’t vote 2012.