Recently, I was talking with a dear friend about the upcoming election, and she made it clear that she had no interest in voting this year.  I was stunned.  I couldn't believe that this highly accomplished woman, and friend, had simply tuned out of the political process.

I challenged my friend to recall the struggles of our African American ancestors, many of whom died for the right to participate in the political process.  She said she was well-aware of their struggle, but refused to assume any responsibility for honoring that struggle with her vote.  Her mind was made up, and that was that. 

I was bewildered by her resolve, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that she was not an anomaly, either in the general population or in the African American community.  If you look at voter turnout over the past few elections, it's apparent that a lot of Americans have opted out of the political process.

While everyone has the right to vote or not to vote, I believe not voting is the wrong choice.  Especially given all that has transpired since 9-11.  

At this point, I must confess that I did not vote in the last presidential election.  My decision was really a protest vote.  I was disgusted with the two leading candidates, and couldn't vote for either one.  So, to a degree, I  understand my friend's position.  But unlike my friend, my decision not to vote was not a complete rejection of the political process, just the 2000 election. However, if the majority of Americans continue to opt out of the political process, where will our democracy be?  To be brutally honest, the sorry state of our current political process is the result of too many of us opting out.  The only way to fix things is to get involved.

Imagine how different the world might be if more Americans voted in the 2000 elections, especially African Americans in Florida.  If they did, Gore would probably be sitting in the White House and our nation might not be at war.  That's not to say that September 11th would not have occurred.  But if it did occur with Gore in the White House, our nation's response would probably have been different, at least in scale.  We might not be at war in Iraq.

For the record, I think Iraq needed liberation. Saddam Hussein was an evil and corrupt man, and the world is a better place with him removed from power.  But while I agree with the ends, the means by which those ends were achieved leave much to be desired.

We now know that George Bush was dishonest with the American people and the world community when he and his administration warned of a near imminent threat from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.  We know that the administration did not develop a comprehensive plan to deploy and maintain troops in Iraq, to remove the Baath Party from power, to maintain law and order once the Baathists were removed, or to provide a smooth transition of power.  We are now dealing with the consequences of that dishonesty and lack of preparation.  

Since the 2000 election, I've been trying to make sense of things, and I've come up with a simple axiom, which has become my mantra for 2004.  That axiom is: Nothing is free; and everything has a cost.

It's a simple reality, but many of us have been duped into believing otherwise.  We see the commercials that tell us that items can be had for no money down, no interest, no payments - for nothing!  Everything is free, until it's time to pay.  Then, we see the real costs.  

I publish this web site to champion diversity in business, and I define business rather broadly.  I believe it is our business to know the full cost of America's policies in the Middle East and elsewhere.  I believe it is also our responsibility, as citizens, to become educated about the costs of both foreign and domestic policies.  We need to be more aware of what our leaders commit us to and what the real costs are.

This year, diversityinbusiness.com is taking a small step to help you understand the cost of war and of peace by honoring the men and women who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country.  At the top of this web site, we include a salute to the men and women who serve overseas; and each month, we will post the casualties of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as reported by the Department of Defense. The casualties are part of a new section of this web site devoted exclusively to military stories.  

I'm committed to covering issues involving the military because they inevitably involve all of us.  The military accounts for an enormous part of our economy, and it has tremendous social influence as well.  This year, President Bush proposed a $500 billion dollar operating budget for the Department of Defense in 2005.  That's a lot of money, a lot of our money!

Presently, our nation is spending billions of dollars each month to try to establish a democratic government in Iraq, but that's only the monetary cost.  We are also paying in lives and limbs and in the mental health of our service personnel.  That's right, real people - fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, neighbors, skilled employees, teachers, counselors, community leaders - are paying the high cost of our policies in the Middle East.  Their sacrifice alone should prompt us to consider what we are willing to pay to have and achieve greater democracy here in the United States!

Like many of you, I receive emails highlighting disappointments with the current administration's policies.  There's little doubt that America is facing some big challenges.  We face persistent unemployment due to a jobless recovery and the outsourcing of manufacturing and white-collar jobs. The national debt is rising.  Our tax structure is out of whack, favoring the rich at the expense of the poor.  We have a burgeoning trade deficit.  Healthcare is increasingly unaffordable for working families, not just the poor.  Our social security system is crumpling, and prescription drug costs are among the highest in the developed world.  Yes, our problems are real, and they're not going away.  But what can any of us do about them?

I believe we have at least two clear choices.  We can organize to make our will known in Washington, and in state capitals and in local town halls, or we can anesthetize ourselves with shopping, entertainment and other mind-numbing activities.  Either way, our national ship is heading for dangerous waters, and a populace detached from the political process does not bode well for our future.

While our political process is increasingly polarized, and our economy is working for fewer and fewer Americans, we must not lose hope and abandon ship.  Campaign reform is something that needs to be implemented and fast.  Unfortunately, politicians on both sides of the aisle will not enact meaningful campaign reform until the demands of the people supercede the demands of the special interests.  So, let's begin by demanding campaign reform.  

Reform will promote greater diversity among the candidates that seek political office - from within both parties.  Reform will also create a more even playing field, which means our voices will no longer be drowned out by special interests.

The business of America is business, and we, the people, need to get down to business.  If you're disgusted with the way things are, then do something about it.  Get out and vote in your state's primary and in the national election this November.  Together, our votes can make a difference.

Beyond casting a vote, get involved.  Consider running for public office.  Bring some of your skills, experience, insights and perspectives to the public forum.  The system can only change if good people focus on what they can give to the process, not what they can take from it.

I came across an inspiring quote the other day from Retired Navy Vice Admiral Arthur Cebrowski who is now in charge of Force Transformation at the Department of Defense.  While speaking about the transformation, he said something that has universal application.  He said:

Let's commit to transform America for the better this November.

Remember, nothing is free and everything has a cost.

The End