We'll All Get What We Deserve in November

Most of us have heard the saying, "If you don't vote, you can't complain," and I've always agreed with that sentiment-but I don't think it goes far enough.

It's not enough to just vote, so I propose a new slogan for 2008: "If you don't help, then you can't complain."

The slogan comes from an interesting conversation I had this week with some politically-active friends of mine. One of my friends had attended a "Women's Caucus" event of some sort early in the week during the Democratic National Convention. She said that there were many great speeches from a number of powerful, high-profile women, but the speech that really stood out was from a woman who was a political activist, and not an elected official. Her closing words, and I'm paraphrasing, went something like this:

"On Election Day, we will get what we deserve. If we work hard, we will deserve to win. If we just cast our votes and sit on the sidelines for everything else, we will deserve to have lost."

During my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner, I've come across a lot of people, from Democrats to Republicans and everything in between, who are dissatisfied with the way things have gone in our county in recent years. I won't get into the details here, but suffice it to say that Jefferson County government has been a cesspool of corruption and scandal for many years now. These people I talk to always tell me a variation of the same thing if they are upset with the status quo; they say that they are fed up with the problems in Jefferson County, and they say that they are going to vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner.

I am certainly appreciative to have their vote, but I always tell them the same thing: "Thank you for your faith in me, but I need more than your vote if I am going to win."

I ask these people to volunteer their time or to make a campaign contribution, and many times they look at me as though I didn't hear them the first time.

A vote cast is one of the ultimate forms of respect and belief in a person, and I absolutely appreciate every vote I receive. But if I am going to win in November, I need more than just your vote-I need the votes of your friends, family and neighbors, and I need you to get them. I need you to volunteer to walk door-to-door with me, or to write postcards for me, or to host a house party or put up a yard sign for me. I need you to raise money for me, and write a check yourself, because campaigns-like everything else in life-cost money if you want to get the results you expect.

If you really want to see me, or Barack Obama, or John McCain, or anyone else get elected in November, it's not enough to promise to vote and leave it at that. If you don't volunteer your time or donate money, who will? You'll have to hope that enough other people are volunteering and writing checks so that the person you vote for will be able to reach enough other voters to win. Your vote is great, but thousands of other people are doing just a little bit more to make sure their vote matters.

And it doesn't take much. I've had donations of just $5, and I've had volunteers spend less than an hour helping me out. But I've also had people who refuse to even let me put a sign in their yard-the simplest request I can think of-and I think, "Don't complain if I lose." I use myself as an example here, but the message is much broader. My point is that for whomever you decide to vote for, please do more than just cast a vote (unless we're talking about my opponent-he doesn't need any help). Change doesn't come from people who vote. Change comes from people who help to make sure OTHER people vote. It doesn't have to be a full-time second job; it just needs to be more than a simple vote.

Many "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) organizations have worked for many election cycles to get people to turn out and vote on Election Day (or by mail ballot beforehand). I think voting is more than a right-I think it is a responsibility. Thousands upon thousands of Americans have died for freedoms that included the right to vote, and we owe it to them, if nothing else, to cast our ballots every two years. We are doing a much better job in this country and in this state of getting normally apathetic people to vote, but in taking these baby steps we may not be doing enough to engage them further in the political process. People who don't vote often say that they don't think their vote matters, to which I say: It matters...if you put something behind it.

So please, make sure you vote this November (and of course, please vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner). But in the meantime, don't sit around waiting for your ballot to arrive in the mail or waiting for November 4 to roll around. Because when we all wake up on November 5, we'll all get what we deserve. And if all you did was vote, then you don't have the right to complain.


To get what you deserve in November, go to www.JasonBane.org and get involved or make a donation.

Ken Salazar Endorses Jason Bane for Jeffco Commissioner

I received another great endorsement yesterday in my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner. Check out the press release below:

Senator Ken Salazar Endorses Bane for Commissioner
Calls Bane “Among New Generation of Leaders in Colo.”

LAKEWOOD (August 15, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of United States Senator Ken Salazar.

"Jason Bane is among the new generation of leaders in Colorado dedicated to working with fellow elected officials and citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to achieve results for their communities,” said Sen. Salazar. “Jason's platform of promoting a vibrant business community and renewable energy industry, and to restoring the people's faith in their government, is a perfect fit for Jefferson County. I am happy to endorse Jason Bane for Jefferson County Commissioner."

Bane has already been endorsed by Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Wheat Ridge), as well as the Arvada Police Officers Association and the majority of the legislators in Jefferson County.

“With an endless parade of scandals and budget problems, Jefferson County government is badly in need of a new direction,” said Bane. “Turning things around in Jeffco is going to take someone who can work with all of our elected officials, from city councils to the U.S. Senate. That’s the kind of leadership I’ll bring to Jefferson County, and I am proud to have the support of Sen. Salazar and so many others.”