TIME TO VOTE

Dear Spike's Friends:
In honor of Super Duper Tuesday, a new Spike Poll has been released in which we'll choose the winner of "Spiku Two."
Hidden from the public in the smoke-filled back rooms of "party headquarters," the greedy party power brokers (Spike and I) have eliminated all but four candidates (the rest of you need to learn a little more about "lobbying" if$you$know$what$I$mean).
Here they are, in no particular order...

Temper tantrum tot
For sale real cheap to good home
Good luck... you'll need it
—Carole

Feisty little girl
Who does not care for boundaries
Can be yours. B.O.
— Meeshemama

Found: One baby girl
Loud, whiny and whimpering
Will pay to give back
— Anna

Miracle needed
Two former tots moving fast
Last seen growing up
— Sfox

Thanks to everyone for playing — now go vote!
Love,
Spike's dad


Dear Spike:

Your mother and I cast our primary election votes this morning — the first time we've done so as a family. As usual, you wooed the old ladies at the poll, and picked up two more "I voted" stickers for your collection.

In Utah, only one of the two party races actually resembles a race this year. On the Republican side, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who is seeking to become the first member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be elected president, is a lock to win the GOP nomination in this largely Mormon state. On the Democratic side, however, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton are running close in the polls, and since the Utah Democratic Party allows independent voters to participate in its primary, I cast my vote in that race.

Times like this come along infrequently. Come November's general election, the Democratic nominee will either be vying to be our nation's first black president or its first female president. And on the other side of the ballot, the Republican nominee will either be seeking to become our first Mormon president or our first Vietnam veteran president. The diversity of that group makes me proud. And it gives me hope.

Because this will be such a historic election, and because über-conservative Utah's November vote is generally considered to be a forgone conclusion, even before we know who we'll be voting for, it was nice to know that, today, my vote might actually matter — helping determine who the Democratic nominee will be.

But I'd caution you against making that a prerequisite for participating. Yes, sometimes it's going to feel like it doesn't matter. And sometimes, mathematically speaking, it really won't, but I encourage to you make the time to vote anyway — it's one of the few things you can do to simultaneously tell this country that you're disgusted with it and that you love it.

Love,
dad