A case in point are the current polls which many pundits describe as conclusive evidence that the president’s reelection is assured. Yet this article indicates that they may be celebrating a bit too soon: http://www.examiner.com/article/mitt-romney-vs-barack-obama-an-unskewed-look-at-the-latest-polls. As a sociologist, I can tell you that if you word the question correctly, and gather data from a sampling pool that suits your needs, you will come up with any result you seek. Well, that’s just what is happening before your very eyes. If you wondered if there really is a concerted effort to dampen the spirits of those who would likely cast a vote for Romney/Ryan, the manner in which these polls gather and present their data should answer your question. Some oversample particular voting groups, and others do not focus on people who will actually vote. Perhaps the worst are those polls which assume a turnout similar to 2008 rather than 2010. Those choices anticipate which candidate’s base is most likely to show up at the polls in November.

With just a short time remaining before the November election, what can you do to drown out the drums that tell you to throw up your hands and stay home? How can you stay positive and motivated to participate in the electoral process? Let me give you a few suggestions that I will use myself:

Read the Constitution!  I can’t tell you how many times I have muttered to myself, “How can he/they do that” or “What happened to following the Constitution?” The First Amendment seems to no longer be sacred. In a December, 2011 interview, President Obama said, “And where Congress is not willing to act, we’re going to go ahead and do it ourselves.” That is one promise he has kept. If you want to motivate yourself to vote, and encourage others to vote, in November, remind yourself what powers each branch of government were given by our Founding Fathers.

Educate yourself about each candidate’s plan, and then put the information to work! I love Mark Levin’s characterization of citizens as “Paul and Paulette Reveres,” and I am so tired of the media chanting that Romney doesn’t have a plan or his plan is not specific enough. If you visit his website (http://www.mittromney.com/), it will take you just a few clicks to gather information about what he intends to do. Are the increased cost of food and gas eating away at your paycheck? Well, hang on! An article in the Washington Examiner reports that Obamacare will cost American businesses and taxpayers 1.8 trillion dollars each year (http://washingtonexaminer.com/1.8-trillion-shock-obama-regs-cost-20-times-estimate/article/2508466#.UFuQHY2PXtk). Was that what the president promised when he sought passage of the “Affordable Healthcare Act?” We must take back the Senate and the White House in order to repeal Obamacare and institute true health care reform. Whether you participate in a Tea Party group, such as the Tea Party Patriots (teapartypatriots.org) or the Tea Party Express (teapartyexpress.org), or volunteer directly for a specific candidate, it’s time to get informed and involved. That is the way to stay motivated.  

It is difficult to stay motivated while the drums are banging, but consider the source of your information! Did you hear the audiotape of reporters coordinating what questions to ask Mitt Romney about his initial reaction to the 9/11 attacks on our embassies? I was shocked that a condemnation of the destruction of our flag was somehow controversial. Why aren’t those same reporters asking the president about the lack of preparedness for possible attacks on the anniversary of September 11^th? Yesterday, I heard a radio host saying that Mitt Romney’s campaign was going down in flames. I then looked at http://www.drudgereport.com/ and saw the banner: O 47% R 47%”. It’s time for all of us to consider the source of our information, and how we are swayed by those sources. I, for one, have tuned out many of the sources that I know to be blatantly biased against conservative candidates.

Participate in a daily poll! Have you ever actually spoken to a pollster, or taken a poll online? Don’t wait to be contacted because few of us ever speak to a pollster. You can take the Star News Daily Tracking Poll once each day: http://www.qstarnews.net/dtp/.  Watching how that poll changes, as well as how other polls change almost daily, will tell you that they are not static measures, and this race is far from over.

Show your colors! For as little as $3.00, you can buy a Romney/Ryan pin to wear on your lapel. Not only are you telling people who you plan to vote for, but you can financially contribute for less than you might spend on your morning cup of coffee. It’s certainly classier (and less expensive) than the “Our Stripes” available on the Obama site which replaces the stars on the American flag with the Obama logo. If you prefer, support a tea party group, or another organization that seeks to change the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in November.

Perhaps most importantly: motivate someone else! Who do you know that shares your point of view, but who has never voted or not voted for some time? In most states, there is still time to get that person registered. Better yet: several folks who are seeking a different kind of “hope and change in November. Here is a site where you can get information on how to sign up a new voter registered: http://www.usa.gov . Are you trying to help someone who lives in another state register to vote? Google has partnered with TurboVote (https://google.turbovote.org), which not only will help that person register to vote, but will send him or her a reminder to go to the polls. Of course, it’s a good idea to follow up with that person or those people on election day and make sure each one has cast a ballot. If we all find someone to register, that will make a significant difference!

What strategies are you using to stay motivated?