ET out the vote” says more than “go out and vote” in a massive exercise that’s meant to shape the future and the destiny of your country. For all that pompousness of purpose, it’s simply saying that better than leaving your residence to go to the polling precinct, you should encourage others – in your circle, family, neighborhood, community – to do just that. Get out the vote instead of merely going out to vote.
If I go out of my way to get out the vote, whether it’s for candidate Mar or not, I will be reminding others in my so-called sphere of influence to cast their ballot, for Mar or not, therefore there’s more than one person receiving the message.
In the foregoing, I used Mar as an example because Mr. Roxas, whose performance in the race for ratings has been a slow burn, is obviously head and shoulders above the rest. He is the most qualified, most decent, most learned and experienced, he’s the one I will not be ashamed to call “my President.” All the reasons that have been thrown at him for why he should not be the next president are unreasonable, such as he was not born poor, he’s “too identified” with Daang Matuwid, he’s married to a lady who speaks her own mind and earns her own money, he’s so straight he forgets to charm his audience. Poppycock!
Mar does not have a dead relative looking over his shoulder. He will not embarrass us before a foreign dignitary or at the UN. Before he declares war he will study all options, just like what he was doing as an investment banker (where cutting a deal involves drawing up a battle plan). He has cut his teeth and learned the ropes. Okay, he should’ve quit after he was left “out of the loop” at Mamasapano, but he’s not the kind of guy to abandon his boss when things go south. He got flak for MRT and LRT when he was no longer at DoTC, and for Yolanda as if the supertyphoon was his doing.
As the other candidates begin to peel off, layer by layer, exposing their vulnerabilities against Mar’s positives, as voters match him against each of his rivals, one by one, point for point, Mar is winning them over, looking better by the day – a slow burn that’s catching fire. Paired with another Mar – as in Marcos, Bongbong – they will unite the nation. What a why to get out the vote!
