I am sad for our country, this election is not making us strong, or united. What have we done?

I ache inside every time I look at my Facebook page, turn on the television, look at twitter, or talk to anyone about politics.

Maybe because I am a Libra I find myself trying to balance everything in my mind but all I see is division and pain.

I am not going to lie, politics have always been difficult for me.  I am a teacher by trade and my husband and I own a small business.  These two things alone traditionally create a political conflict with each other.  I want to be conservative with taxes but I want education to be properly funded.  I see kids growing up with extreme hardships, I know family history, but I don't know how we can help families sustain in the continued economical environment.

What hurts me more than anything is the party division and name calling that I see everywhere from both sides of our political parties.  I have been voting since 1978 and I have heard every four years the same cry.  "We don't have a decent candidate."  Never before has this been more true.

This summer I stated several time to people in both parties, "I can not and will not vote for either of these candidates."  Each of the people that I spoke to, and it was several: said,  "You shouldn't do that, you will throw away your vote."  I can do that and I will do that.  I can not and will not support either candidate because they both have unanswered issues that are not o.k.  They are both supported by big money, which I believe is an issue for all of our elected officials.  Big money has made our government corrupt and ineffective in all ways.  I don't know how this is going to be fixed but it needs to be addressed soon.

I heard a panel on ABC this morning that was rather biased towards one direction but Minnesota's, Kieth Ellison said something that struck home to me and I find it key to everything!
This is paraphrased, Whomever wins must make a plea to all voters and talk to them to see what needs to be done in our country, to address all voters so that we can come together, and feel like all voters needs are being addressed and noticed.

In the future, I hope that we can see people respecting each others opinions and that we can be kind to each other.  I hope that no matter who wins we can say we are all members of the United States and we can stay together and support one another.  I hope that the evident, strong, nonacceptance of each others views and beliefs can be accepted and we can move on.

This election scares me, and it makes me feel like we are losing our grip as a nation.  I don't care what anyone stands for, I don't care who anyone votes for in this election.   It is not worth this divisive horrible, verbal commentary, under the table evil, and dark speculation.  Our nation needs to find a way to come together, not divide.  This, this that we have right now, will lead to something bad in the future.

With love from your temporary working, retired FACS teacher,
Jane