We need to value, protect democracy

What motivates you to vote for a particular political party or candidate? Certainly, key factors vary from person to person.

Without a doubt, some people are surprised by the attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, but I'm not. It was pretty clear when Donald Trump was elected in 2015, there would be some level of insurrection right about now, because he admitted on camera that he would not accept the results of the election. His admission demonstrated that he didn't believe in the democratic process.

While this was a red flag for some, it simply didn't matter to enough people. One recurring theme I heard among Trump voters, was this ..."It's all about my 401(k)". In their views, honesty and competency didn't matter, nor did integrity. Many laughed at Trump's inability to complete a single sentence without changing his mind, a clear tell of dishonesty and/or incompetence. "Yes, he has his problems, but the only thing that matters is the stock market."

So here we are in 2021 waiting to see if our government will survive another attack from insurrectionists. Is anyone worried about their wealth? To those still ogling pots of gold, I hope you realize that without a government, or with a fractured government, we all stand to lose just about everything. Life won't be pretty.

Government offers stability, and democracy gives us a voice in government. If we manage to maintain our democracy, we need to value it and protect it. In doing so, we have the opportunity to build wealth, but without it, we will simply be fighting each and every day for survival. If we have another opportunity to vote, I hope that we can all look beyond personal short-term gain or single-issue concerns and try harder to care for our democratic institution.

Kathleen Mayschak

Palatine