Hey John - it’s Mike Gallagher. Do you have a second? 

 

I wanted to reach out quickly before the madness of Election Day starts, and take a moment to talk about how important it is to vote.

 

Voting is the very foundation of our democratic process. The right to vote and the concept of government by the consent of the governed are at the core of our Founders vision. This was perhaps best expressed in the 1962 John Wayne classic, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: 

"The United States is a republic, and a republic is a state in which the people are the boss. That means us. And if the big shots in Washington don't do like we want, we don't vote for them, by golly, no more...Anymore."

 

This basic idea -- that the people are in charge -- was radical at the time of our country's founding, but today it's easy to take for granted.

 

During my time in the Marine Corps, I served in countries where the right to vote and the freedom to help determine your country's destiny was not automatic. People risked their lives to vote and elections could quite literally become a life-or-death exercise.

 

Today, the countries I served in still look to America for inspiration and guidance. Our country remains a beacon of hope and freedom in a dark and dangerous world. Think about that. 

Something as simple as going down to your local polling place and voting can inspire millions of people around the world risking their lives for a fraction of the freedom we enjoy as Americans.

 

So make sure that you get out and vote on Election Day. 

I guarantee you will feel good afterwards. After all, we are all lucky to be Americans, citizens of the most free and prosperous country in the history of the world. 

Let's make sure we keep it that way.

If you need to find your polling place, you can locate it at this link: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-US/FindMyPollingPlace

Thank you for reading my note, and thank you for your support. 

Sincerely, 

Mike Gallagher