Election Day

I woke up pretty damn early today, for me anyway. It was around 930am when I finally gave up on trying to sleep. The dogs were howling from their kennels and refused to be ignored. For the first thirty minutes I had this nagging feeling I needed to be somewhere today. Then it hit me what it was; Election Day. Keep in mind I haven't been keeping up with politics at all. That still didn't get rid of the feeling that I had to vote despite the fact that I knew little to nothing on where the candidates stood.
So I got showered, got dressed, and hit the web. I don't know how many sites I hit but I know I read for a couple hours straight. My eyes weren't seeing straight by the time I walked away to digest what I had read on the candidates. Yeah, probably not enough to truly make a well informed decision but I think sometimes it's better to make a hurried decision then not make one at all. I called my dad for his opinion on the way to my old high school and drove around a bit chewing it all over in my head.
I honestly believe that it's a privilege to be able to have such an influence over our government and that to not vote would be insulting to those who have defended our rights to do so. I didn't vote last presidential election and made excuses for my laziness. I was still in the Army at the time and figured, "Hey, I've done more than most to serve my country. I'm a soldier." Looking back now, I had even more reason to vote. After all, the president isn't just a political figurehead to a soldier; he's chain of command. So I voted today and I feel pretty good about my vote even if it was a decision made quickly.
It looks like Bush is taking home the prize again. I can't really say if I'm happy or not about it. The only reason I say that is I jumped into the whole thing a little too late to make a well informed decision. I feel a little bad about it, but it won't happen next time. I think I surprised my dad when I called him. I'm not sure if it was the fact I was calling him before 10am or that I was asking his opinion on politics. It's been a long time since I really paid any attention to politics and he's well aware of it. My dad took me to cast my first vote. I remember the day well because I was so enthused to be voting. I was exercising my right as an American. I knew it was a big deal to my dad to take his son to cast his first vote and I was proud to be able to. Illegal aliens and immigrants know what it is to be an American more than most Americans do I think.
Anyway. Next voting day, I plan on casting my vote with the confidence that I made a well informed decision. No more slacking on something as important as this again.