Listening to the radio today, I realized one thing. First, it’s illegal to buy someone’s vote. That sounds simple enough. No business can offer free coffee or a 10% discount to anyone who votes for a specific candidate. Now, that’s all and good, but it made me think of a question.

How much would buy your vote?

Would you change your vote for a coffee, a toaster, a microwave? How about a HD television? A car? Would it take a house to change your vote?

As important as that question is, I think something else has happened to our nation. No, you will not receive a free happy meal for voting for a specific candidate. But each candidate is trying to sell you something in return for your vote: security. If a candidate can convince you that under his leadership you and your family will be safe and your future secure, then he will have your vote.

But the flip side of convincing people that voting for a certain candidate will ensure their security is that if that candidate does not win, then they lose their sense of security as well. This latter effect is most dangerous because it triggers a person’s flight/fight impulse. America being their home, flight is not an option. So they feel a need to fight.
The end question here is how much this vote means to you. What would it cost to make you change it? How devastating will it be if your candidate does not win?