Elections Have Consequences

On Nov. 5, 2024, Americans will participate in the most important aspect of our democracy – the election. We should not take for granted the ability to cast a vote and directly participate in our political process.

If you’ve seen the musical Hamilton, you’ve heard about the Federalist Papers – a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. The purpose of the essays was to convince New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution. In the very first paragraph of Federalist Paper No. 1, Alexander Hamilton addresses the critical importance of a democracy, arguing that good government is the result of our actions, and not accident or tyranny:

It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force. If there be any truth in the remark, the crisis at which we are arrived may with propriety be regarded as the era in which that decision is to be made; and a wrong election of the part we shall act may, in this view, deserve to be considered as the general misfortune of mankind.

In short, Hamilton is begging citizens of New York to take action by supporting the proposed U.S. Constitution, and he cautions the dangers of inaction and poor decision-making. In other words, elections have consequences.

At Michigan Retailers Association, we encourage you to exercise this important duty and go vote. On the ballot this year is not only a presidential election, but a U.S. Senate seat and all 110 seats of the Michigan House of Representatives. If you need some assistance identifying which candidates in Michigan will be good for the retail industry, check out our Friends of Retail list.