The Political Process: Get Involved-or Not

Although nothing can be guaranteed to pass the legislative gauntlet, health care reform is high on both parties’ agendas. As health care professionals, we owe it to ourselves and our patients to learn about the different approaches and make informed decisions.

If you don’t participate in the process, then you can’t legitimately complain about the outcome.

We have to participate in the process. It is one thing to complain about the outcome of an election and the subsequent policies that are developed as a result of the voting process. All of us-myself included-have had disagreements with decisions that are made at the local, state, and national levels. However, as our practices are influenced more and more by decisions being made nationally as well as in state legislatures, we need to learn that standing on the outside and complaining about the outcome is not going to work. If we don’t participate in the political arena-and in particular, if we don’t go into the voting booth and pull the lever-we have no basis for grousing.

As is noted in the title of this editorial, or not is an option that, unfortunately, many Americans take. It is striking to me that the percentage of our population that votes in elections is so low compared with that in many newly formed democracies and other countries. Whatever your issues, party affiliation, or other decision-making factor, please remember to vote. If you don’t participate in the process, then you can’t legitimately complain about the outcome.

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