When I was growing up I was told that certain topics were not to be discussed in polite company. Politics was one of these subjects. The reasoning behind this was because political discussions can lead to arguments that cannot be resolved. People are unlikely to change each other’s minds about their personal political beliefs, such as what party for which they choose to vote.

I have to admit there is some wisdom to this. I sometimes get cornered by people with different political beliefs trying to sway me to their side. Such a conversation usually starts and ends with the person explaining why they are correct, why I am wrong, and how if their party or candidate doesn’t get elected, society is going to go down some sort of slippery slope, to which I am contributing. I do my best to cut such conversations short.

I know people who changed their political ideology because they felt a particular party better suited their beliefs than the one they previously supported. People also sometimes try to vote strategically to avoid a candidate getting elected that they do not support. Others always cast their ballots for a specific party regardless of the candidate. 

In the end, election winners are supposed to represent everyone in a constituency. If they don’t, there’s always another election down the road. After all, people can reconsider their political choices at any time. Elections are when those choices are put into action. The awareness of this can hopefully keep elected officials accountable.