Don't tell people how to vote!

I got a call the other day from some one that is trying to get Bill Hedrick elected to office to replace Ken Calvert as the congressman from my district. The lady told me she would like to tell me about Bill Hedrick and proceeded to tell me that Ken Calvert has been voted one of the 20 most corrupt politicians. Then she asked me if I would like her to mail me some information about Bill Hedrick. On a daily basis I also receive mail and doorhangers telling me how to vote on the different propositions. To me it seems like millions of dollars are wasted every year on trying to get people to vote a certain way. I feel like when people vote they are supposed to base their decision on their personal beliefs, morals, preferences, and how the decision will affect them and their family. I'm guessing their must be evidence to show that all this advertising is effective otherwise it probably wouldn't continue year after year. What is embarrassing is the thought that people are voting based on what they see in these advertisements. When groups like the teacher's union, the prison guards of California or the LA Police Department are paying money and saying you should vote a certain way they are not doing it because they think that is what is best for you, they are doing it because it is what they believe is best for them. If everyone would block out all the outside influences and decide on their own then we would get decisions based on what the majority of voters actually think. As it is our decisions are overly influenced by whoever pays the most money and badgers people the most. If some one can't read a proposition and decide if it will be good for them or bad for them then they should just not vote rather than mindlessly giving their vote to some one else.

Voting is tomorrow and I plan to participate, but I think the next person who tries to tell me how I should vote is liable to get an earfull on how my decision process and what I ultimately do vote is none of their business.