I am an educator, not a politician. I am a teacher and a taxpayer, and more importantly, a mother, which is why I am awake at 3 AM thinking about nations. Yesterday, in what felt like a rite of passage, I took my eldest son, who recently turned 18 years old, to the polls to vote in his first midterm election. He was a real hit. The ladies at the polling place doted on him. He filled out his ballot like a pro. He got his sticker. I took his picture. I even posted it on Facebook, in a rare public display of parental pride. He felt like a real American. Over supper, my family had a heated discussion about Republicans, Democrats, and a failing two-party system. I listened as my teenage boys schooled me on all that is wrong with our country. We debated healthcare reform, immigration, constitutional interpretation, and the concept of legislating morality. I went to bed mentally exhausted, a little bewildered, and legitimately concerned fo ...
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