So I’ve been nagging my 22 year old niece to vote for the past week, making sure that she knew her polling place, the hours for voting, and about the local ballot initiatives, and the impact they might have.
Do I think she’s going to vote? Hell no.
She practically runs away every time I bring the subject up. She’s told me how she feels.
What difference does it make? My vote didn’t change anything last time. Every time I work extra hours, most of it disappears in taxes. Things just get worse and worse. Nobody cares. Nothing ever changes.
So I try to explain to her that she doesn’t make enough money to pay income tax. What she thinks is income tax, is social insurance programs with benefits that are guaranteed for as long as she lives. Anything over withheld she’ll get back like a bonus when she files her 1040 ez.
I explain how much her vote matters and how if the wrong people get elected, her grandmother’s teacher pension will likely get cut. And that may mean the roof over her head doesn’t get fixed or worse.
La La La I’m not listening. You’re making me depressed. You’re just a rabid political junkie. Worse than a Red Sox fan.
Here’s the thing though. I don’t have a team. And she’s right. To a large extent- Nothing ever changes.