If you don’t vote, I don’t want to hear about your political views.  It’s as simple as that.

Tomorrow we will see how a new era in American politics begins.

The reason I say this is because this will be the first U. S. Presidential election cycle in which Super PACs have been able to pour unlimited contributions into the political process.

This is a game changer on many fronts.  It will not just potentially determine who sits in the White House for the next four years, but it will also highlight the role of money in electing members of Congress and U. S. Senators.

The money is going to fund massive advertising buys in key races and swing states.

I heard a Public TV commentator say a few days ago that the presidential race may be a replay of 2000.  You remember that election.  In it, Al Gore received more votes for president than George Bush, but lost the election in the electoral college.  The pundit made the comparison saying that it is possible that this time Mitt Romney may get more votes but lose to President Obama if Obama wins the key swing states.

Which brings us to personalities versus issues.

I really believe that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are decent men who have the best interests of the United States at heart.

I hate the character assassination ploys that have come to dominate the political process.

The first step in any propaganda campaign is to demonize the opposition.  In order to go for the jugular, a person has to be convinced that his opponent is the Devil incarnate.

The theme of such an approach is to attack the person first, address the issues second, if  necessary.

But elections should be about both people and the issues.  All things being equal, if two candidates are decent people, voters should make their choices based on issues not personalities.

That is a bedrock principle of democracy.

It is also why the influence of money in determining the outcome of elections is so pernicious.  Money seeks to buy an outcome that preserves its interests.  It is not concerned about the common good or the common defense.  It’s only goal is to line its own pockets.

That is why it is so important that citizens vote.

The one thing that hasn’t happened yet is that we haven’t seen fit to give money the right to vote.

Only you can do that.

(You can subscribe to receive all of all of Stephen Woodfin’s blogs on your Kindle by clicking here.)