There’s always a lot of buzz and sometimes controversy regarding political endorsements during election season. This year everything seems a bit more strident, so the subject of promoting one candidate or another is bigger news than usual. This year, some traditional newspapers are not endorsing candidates in the presidential race for the first time in decades. Some smaller publications and outlets are making their own headlines by issuing endorsements (none around here, thankfully). Seemingly every semi-celebrity with Internet access endorsing someone.
Columbus County News is also announcing an endorsement this year. For the first time in our four years we are announcing our support of someone deeply involved in next week’s election, someone whose future depends on what happens Nov. 2.
We are proud to endorse the thoughtful, informed voter.
Despite the best efforts of politicians, spin doctors, lawmakers, and social media mavens to censor anything they consider misinformation, the Internet makes virtually anything vulnerable to fact checking. While fact checking has been around as long as the written word, it’s much easier now to find enough information at your fingertips to make a thoughtful decision.
Despite the screaming and namecalling that have sadly become standard political fare in our elections, the informed, thoughtful voter has the ability to wade through the mudslinging and morass, then come out of the electoral swamp on dry ground with sufficient data to decide for themselves what is true, what is false, and what is somewhere in between.
They don’t need commercials about radical abortion bans and illegal aliens. They don’t need supposed journalists unashamedly revealing their own bias in hopes of feathering their own nests. They don’t need earnest looking political figures explaining how to almost, but not quite, circumvent the law and who they should vote for if they do decide to follow that route.
The thoughtful, informed voter knows what matters. This person and many like them know if their bills are higher or lower. They know if they need to worry about crossing a dark parking lot at night. They know if their children are receiving an education or indoctrination.
They know whether or not they are worried that their children will be sent overseas to fight wars in which our country may or may not have a stake. They also know whether or not they support American money being used to finance such wars. They know if they are achieving the American Dream, and what is preventing or assisting them in that quest.
They know if the morals and values of society reflect their own, and how they feel if said values do not, and whether change is needed. They know the fate of our community, our state and our country are not determined by Ds or Rs, but by the people who wear those labels, and those with whom they associate.
The thoughtful, informed voter has at least an idea how much of their money is being taken by the governments in Raleigh and Washington, and they have an idea about whether they agree with how that money is being used.
The thoughtful, informed voter knows you don’t necessarily have to like someone to recognize their ability to do a good job when given the sacred duty of caring for the constituency.
More than one third of Columbus County’s voters have already cast a ballot. This year is on track to be a record breaker in terms of voting across the country. People know there is a lot at stake, whether they like the current path of their local, state and national leaders, or if they want a change. Folks are concerned about what happens after next Tuesday.
We are not going to presume to try to sway your vote. That is entirely your choice, entirely your business. Unlike some outlets, we trust you to make decisions on your own, and don’t consider our opinions superior to anyone else’s ideas.
Our responsibility is to report the news, and let the truth shine through, not try to twist the news to favor either side. We have and will continue to take stands on issues in our commentary section and occasionally on the Columbus Connection podcast, but commentary by its nature is opinion, not incontrovertible fact, and therefore is subject to dissent and disproving. Since July 4, 2020, the policy at CCN has been to tell the truth, and let things fall where they will.
We are endorsing the thoughtful, informed voter this year, however, because times as tenuous as this have been rare in the history of our republic. However you vote, whenever you vote, please take that responsibility seriously, and remember that you are voting for the future of your children and grandchildren.
Do your duty as an American. Make a thoughtful, informed choice.
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