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By R.J. Hernandez
July 11, 2015 (San Diego) – Everyone likes to get the most amount done or gained for the least amount of work. In all the interviews and surveys I have done, voters have always claimed apathy due to the feeling and evidence that no matter what they do, their vote will never mean anything. No return for any effort. However, we fail to realize that these individuals who feel this way are a silent majority. And as with all majorities are, they are the winning side. It works, if only they would vote.
Political parties tend to gravitate to one side of an issue with the opposite party gravitating to the other side and through that facilitate a kind of discrimination: political discrimination. This is where one party will shun and shut down the other; regardless of what the candidate says or thinks, there will be generalizations and assumptions made and that candidate or idea will be discriminated.
On the other hand, independent voters gravitate to what impacts them and their focus more accurately is on an issue-by-issue or candidate-by-candidate basis. In this case, by not subscribing to the rhetoric of a particular party but by recognizing they are not alone and voting, the silent majority can succeed.
It starts with critical thinking/analysis. Each individual can not only feel empowered, but exercise that power. How? Some are already doing it, but not all. And they’ve made a quick simple science of it. To most, they look at the economic impact – shutting down what will raise taxes or increase the cost of food, etc. and promoting what will decrease their taxes and decrease the cost of food, etc.. Or they look, too, at candidates at this level as well. Some look at the intangible benefits—quality of life or impact on effectiveness of government.
There is a great bit of advice that says if “you can’t explain it on a napkin or back of a business card, you don’t get it… and no one else will.” With that in mind, if you look only at a candidate’s mistakes, their financial record, and so forth-- at the true black and white statistical, numeric, historical data and not their presentation, you’ve taken in what already exists on that napkin/business card and made a decision with reliable information. But this is not everyone. Many, many people vote the party line--even if the candidate has had a sordid past or no past at all. However, these voters are not the silent majority.
Getting involved requires five minutes, meaning in five minutes you and your silent partners can change the world.
RJ Hernandez is a San Diego based small businessman President of The Consortium Companies, Independent political activist and philanthropist/mentor focused on education and harnessing the potential of youth. http://www.rjhernandez.net
The opinions in this column reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine.
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