I listen to talk radio from time to time, although a lot less often than I used to.

A phrase that keeps coming up in discussions about the issues in the upcoming election is “I have to vote my heart.” For some reason, that really bothers me. The heart can be foolish and have knee-jerk reactions to issues. It is also used a lot in discussions that have people that seem to vote on only one issue.

I’d rather that people vote with their mind. Voting with ones mind implies thinking about issues. It also implies that one votes for a candidate as a whole, weighing their stances on all the issues. I am all for the right for anyone to vote, but I really wish more people with be informed voted. Voting with ones mind means being informed.

[Update 10/30: I just wanted to add a clarification that I forgot when I originally wrote this. One should not ignore their heart when they are thinking about issues. The heart should always inform the mind, but it shouldn’t be the only factor.]