At this point, rehashing the ill-fated Democratic mid-term elections is not a very productive conversation. Unless the discussion is a history lesson on what happens when legions of voters choose to stay home on election day. I hope that the American voter awakes in time to right some of the wrong choices made at the ballot last November.
My goal is not to sway anyone to vote Democratic, Republican or Independent. I simply want to emphasize the need to vote and show what is at stake when we do not. How many voters regret “teaching the Democrats a lesson” by booting them out and voting in Republican lawmakers with a lethal agenda? Read: Wisconsin, Ohio and other states actively stripping public workers’ rights.
My Mother always told my siblings and me that voting was not only our right, but also an obligation. She would say, “Not voting is a ‘yes’ vote for the person you do not want to win.” She also admonished us, “People lost their lives giving you the right to vote. Do not take this for granted.”
Well during my senior year in high school, I registered to vote on the day I turned 18. Over the years, I voted in a few local elections, and in every presidential election, save one.
Honestly, I did not take our political system too seriously until 2007 when I saw the prospect of having either a woman or an African-American become the democratic nominee, and the President of the United States.
Exercising one’s right to vote during a national election is a good thing; we should actively participate in selecting a strong candidate to lead this country. However, not turning out in great numbers for local elections is a travesty, to say the least. Local politicians have more power to directly affect our lives on a daily basis.
Some American voters choose to sit at home rather than exercising their right to vote. While this happens, lawmakers are implementing laws that could ensure the disenfranchised segments of our society remain so.
Ohio recently passed a bill requiring one of five forms of identification to vote in elections in an effort to curb voter fraud. Opponents of the bill indicate nearly 900,000 Ohioans will not be able to vote because of this requirement. This number includes voters who are low-income, minority and seniors.
Now, every law-abiding citizen in the United States should be concerned with voter fraud. However, no concrete evidence was presented in Ohio to support claims of voter fraud. The bill was accepted and passed based on the Republican sponsor’s claim that “I believe it happens.”
And, it does not stop there. Similar bills are taking shape in 22 states, which could eliminate 12 percent of voters nationwide. Highlights of some of the proposed bills:
· New Hampshire: The House Speaker of the state legislature introduced a bill to restrict the voting rights of college students and military members because they “are kids voting liberal, voting their feelings with no life experience.”
· Missouri, Texas and Colorado passed bills requiring photo identification at the polls.
· Tennessee requires voters to have a driver’s license at the polls, despite more than 500,000 adults currently without a driver’s license.
Last year during an interview on PBS Newshour, President Bill Clinton said there were three things that prevent people from voting: anger, apathy and amnesia. I agree with that assessment, but also believe those are three reasons to vote.
Shame on us when people in war-torn countries risk their lives to vote and we the people who claim the cradle of democracy – elect to stay home.
Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote. ~ George Jean Nathan
