Jim Stillman
Randy InmanDon't be fooled. You voted or had someone vote for you.
August 11th 2007 21:40
A recent posting by PopulistConservative on these pages quite correctly reflects one problem with the United States’ prolonged campaign and electoral process. We are bombarded with campaign rhetoric and a plethora of debates, on both sides, among persons who would never become seriously considered for the presidency. Part of this is the result of having so many 24-hour news stations and networks that have a need to fill air; part is the result of having campaigns that commence the week after the last inauguration!
One effect of this constant and continuing noise is that, as my friend points out, is that we become bored and disgusted with all of the candidates and their name-calling. The worse consequence is the increasing apathy of moderate voters who do not vote at all. But they do vote by staying home. They grant a proxy to others to vote in their name, and that’s not a good thing.
I have noticed in Letters to the Editor, as well as private conversations with friends, that many potential eligible voters assert that have not voted and will not vote because of (a) disgust over negative campaign advertisements, (b) displeasure with respect to all candidates and (c) just plain apathy.
Each and every one of these citizens did, in fact, vote and will vote in the local, state and congressional elections in 2004 and 2006 and the presidential election in 2004 and 2008. The problem is that many have given their proxy to others to vote in their stead.
First, some boring statistics. As of the most recent census, the total number of citizens of the United States, over the age of 18, and otherwise eligible to vote, was 202.7 million people. The total actual number voting was approximately 123.5 million, or about 61.9 %. In Florida, again according to the U.S. Census, the total eligible number of voters was 11.6 million people; 66.8 % actually voted, about 7.6 million people. In the case of the country as a whole, then, almost 80 million people delegated their vote to others; in Florida, almost four million eligible voters chose to have others vote in their stead. President Bush, it is accepted, became president due to 600 votes, less than two-tenths of one percent of those who failed to show up.
The aim of most career politicians is to get elected or re-elected. If some have a desire to do good, in addition to doing well, that is a rarity and one for which we should be grateful.
How does the candidate plan on success? He or she must “energize the base” and hope that no one else shows up! In Florida, a “red” state, the base is, predominately, white, conservative, Protestant, blindly anti-tax, who get their news from Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and the gang at Fox cable news. They blast opponents with name calling. In years past, the charge was that he or she was “a Commie” now the epithet is “liberal”.
Years ago, the roles and base principles of the major political parties were clear. Republicans believed that government activity with respect to individuals or businesses should be at a minimum, even if the involvement had the purest of motives, e.g., welfare or charity. Government, especially the federal government, was limited to waging war, getting the mail delivered and not much else.
Democrats, on the other hand, believed the federal government had a significant role in bettering the lives and conditions of the people. Democrats were in favor of ready intervention in individuals’ lives, to promote welfare, abolish child labor, and regulate food, medicines, transportation and a myriad of other things. A Democrat had no problem in limiting the individual actions of a person or corporation – whenever the public good was involved.
Now things have certainly changed! The Republican candidates for office outdo themselves in promoting the imposition of personal moral beliefs on the rest of us.
The result is that, for example, in Hillsborough County, Florida, Commissioners keep themselves busy regulating the amount of overhead lighting in adult-use establishments and taking principled stands against civil unions for gays, gay pride activities and dirty books in the schools. And the crowd goes wild. Meanwhile the county infrastructure is crumbling, there is a dearth of teachers, and, on the state level, children are lost in and to the foster care system because no one will increase taxes to pay for more workers.
It is a fact of life that the conservative right is virtually monolithic. Its adherents will “get out the vote” and support candidates who will pander to them. It is also a fact of life that liberals, in general, are always willing to see three sides to the same side! They take "broadminded" to the extreme. Liberals, then, are less likely to unify and protest, less likely to put unified pressure on the candidates. The most strident voice is the one noticed, and this voice, for better or worse, is that of the conservative right.
In all fairness, it should be noted that in coming years, the strident voice could come from the wacky left. (See what I mean about trying to see all viewpoints?)
The presidential election in 2004 was decided by fewer than 600 Florida voters and perhaps 60.000 in Ohio. In Florida, four million people gave their vote to the Republican far right base by default. Perhaps, if these eligible voters had taken the time and trouble to vote, we might not have had an invasion of Iraq, a record making deficit, world-wide distrust of the United States, the alienation of friendly international relationships, and so on and on.
So when one says that he or she will not vote and has not voted, remind the speaker that a vote was cast on his or her behalf and if the result makes one unhappy, shame on them.
One effect of this constant and continuing noise is that, as my friend points out, is that we become bored and disgusted with all of the candidates and their name-calling. The worse consequence is the increasing apathy of moderate voters who do not vote at all. But they do vote by staying home. They grant a proxy to others to vote in their name, and that’s not a good thing.
I have noticed in Letters to the Editor, as well as private conversations with friends, that many potential eligible voters assert that have not voted and will not vote because of (a) disgust over negative campaign advertisements, (b) displeasure with respect to all candidates and (c) just plain apathy.
Each and every one of these citizens did, in fact, vote and will vote in the local, state and congressional elections in 2004 and 2006 and the presidential election in 2004 and 2008. The problem is that many have given their proxy to others to vote in their stead.
First, some boring statistics. As of the most recent census, the total number of citizens of the United States, over the age of 18, and otherwise eligible to vote, was 202.7 million people. The total actual number voting was approximately 123.5 million, or about 61.9 %. In Florida, again according to the U.S. Census, the total eligible number of voters was 11.6 million people; 66.8 % actually voted, about 7.6 million people. In the case of the country as a whole, then, almost 80 million people delegated their vote to others; in Florida, almost four million eligible voters chose to have others vote in their stead. President Bush, it is accepted, became president due to 600 votes, less than two-tenths of one percent of those who failed to show up.
The aim of most career politicians is to get elected or re-elected. If some have a desire to do good, in addition to doing well, that is a rarity and one for which we should be grateful.
How does the candidate plan on success? He or she must “energize the base” and hope that no one else shows up! In Florida, a “red” state, the base is, predominately, white, conservative, Protestant, blindly anti-tax, who get their news from Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and the gang at Fox cable news. They blast opponents with name calling. In years past, the charge was that he or she was “a Commie” now the epithet is “liberal”.
Years ago, the roles and base principles of the major political parties were clear. Republicans believed that government activity with respect to individuals or businesses should be at a minimum, even if the involvement had the purest of motives, e.g., welfare or charity. Government, especially the federal government, was limited to waging war, getting the mail delivered and not much else.
Democrats, on the other hand, believed the federal government had a significant role in bettering the lives and conditions of the people. Democrats were in favor of ready intervention in individuals’ lives, to promote welfare, abolish child labor, and regulate food, medicines, transportation and a myriad of other things. A Democrat had no problem in limiting the individual actions of a person or corporation – whenever the public good was involved.
Now things have certainly changed! The Republican candidates for office outdo themselves in promoting the imposition of personal moral beliefs on the rest of us.
The result is that, for example, in Hillsborough County, Florida, Commissioners keep themselves busy regulating the amount of overhead lighting in adult-use establishments and taking principled stands against civil unions for gays, gay pride activities and dirty books in the schools. And the crowd goes wild. Meanwhile the county infrastructure is crumbling, there is a dearth of teachers, and, on the state level, children are lost in and to the foster care system because no one will increase taxes to pay for more workers.
It is a fact of life that the conservative right is virtually monolithic. Its adherents will “get out the vote” and support candidates who will pander to them. It is also a fact of life that liberals, in general, are always willing to see three sides to the same side! They take "broadminded" to the extreme. Liberals, then, are less likely to unify and protest, less likely to put unified pressure on the candidates. The most strident voice is the one noticed, and this voice, for better or worse, is that of the conservative right.
In all fairness, it should be noted that in coming years, the strident voice could come from the wacky left. (See what I mean about trying to see all viewpoints?)
The presidential election in 2004 was decided by fewer than 600 Florida voters and perhaps 60.000 in Ohio. In Florida, four million people gave their vote to the Republican far right base by default. Perhaps, if these eligible voters had taken the time and trouble to vote, we might not have had an invasion of Iraq, a record making deficit, world-wide distrust of the United States, the alienation of friendly international relationships, and so on and on.
So when one says that he or she will not vote and has not voted, remind the speaker that a vote was cast on his or her behalf and if the result makes one unhappy, shame on them.
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