Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote . . . don't forget

It would be easy with this perfect late spring day to get caught up in a bunch of outdoor stuff and zone out one of our most important duties as Americans. Today is Idaho's Primary election, and we have the opportunity to tell people in office if they're doing an okay job or by marking our X in the appropriate boxes we can propel people who want to be in office on to the next step toward getting elected.

As much as we complain about what goes on at bureaucratic levels, we still have the right to effect the direction our government moves. I've often found that going to meetings is ineffective because of situations that seem to be already decided in back rooms.

Exercising our voting right, however, can send a clear message in one fell swoop to elected officials that their performance while serving the public will eventually come back to haunt them or to help them continue on with their job.

Voting has power. Abstaining from voting does nothing to help anyone.

So, on this beautiful day with much to do and numerous places to go, I'll squeeze in a trip to the Northside Baptist Fellowship Church to mark my ballot. Then, I can come home with a clear conscience and a full-fledged license to continue griping. It's the American way, and it doesn't get any better than that anywhere else in the world.

Vote, vote, vote, vote! And, don't forget to vote!