Voting is Fundamental...

God willing, I'll be out of the country on Election Day this year. I will be participating in a funk party somewhere in the Federal Republic of Germany.

But don't worry. I am voting early.

As I've stated before, this has become the most important US election of the decade. Why? Because the two terms of George W. Bush have been filled with deficits, destruction, depression, death and a few more "D" words I could probably think of (despair? delirium? the devil?).

This election will determine whether we must endure another two years of a Republican led Congress that is rubberstamping Bush's deceptive and despicable deeds or do we dispatch a dedicated Democratic Congress to DC, one that would dare defy the dictatorial designs of the Decider-in-Chief.

Da situation isn't much better on the local front either.

In Michigan, radical Republican billionaire Dick DeVos has spent a mint on advertising in his bid to unseat Democratic governor Jennifer Granholm. I'm not the biggest Granholm fan, but DeVos is the second coming of Dubya - a right-wing businessman with a hidden agenda.

His one note message - JOBS - is playing well in a state with one of the nation's poorest economies. But his refusal to discuss his millions in donations to Republican candidates and radical social and religious causes betrays him as a wolf in a wool business suit. (Read this story by The Michigan Citizen's Bankole Thompson for the 411 on DeVos and the conservative dream team that is running his campaign.)

The most important reason to vote in "the mitten," however, is Proposal 2 or the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative which will ban affirmative action in any state funded program. Despite the deceptive name and the fraud used to get the initiative on the ballot in the first place, state and federal judges are allowing the proposal.

Activists haven't done a great job getting the word out so far, but passage of this proposal will affect any program that receives funding from the state with any preferences at all for minorities. This includes colleges, universities, government hiring for sure, but it would also affect charities and programs like DAPCEP, the Detroit-Area Pre-College Engineering Program, which encourages minority students to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and technology. Vote NO on Proposal 2.

Just because the Republicans are mired in scandal and their horrible mismanagement of the country doesn't mean the Dems will have a free ride. Expect every manner of dirty trick that the GOP has used in past elections, and probably a few new ones.

On the other side, I am still convinced that The Democrats Are Punks. Even if they do win, what will they do after the election? Most people who don't vote say there is no difference between the two parties. I heard one elder ask about the DeVos/Granholm race, "Who do you vote for - the wolf or the fox?"

I believe voting is important because, if you're serious about it, and you treat the ballot like a precious commodity, you will pay attention to the issues and to the people who are running your city, state and country. The key then is to hold them accountable. So in that regard, voting should make a difference, but even more important is what we do after this election.

George Bush will still be in office on November 8. How much damage can he do in two years? Ask another question: how much damage has he done in any three month period of his regime? Beginning November 8, we have to continue the work of getting him out of office and making sure his successor - whoever that may be - reverses course and starts to turn this nation around.