Jim Stillman
NevarIf you choose not to vote...
August 4th 2010 00:18
You’re going to vote, whether you want to or not.
Reactions to my postings on a number of websites in which I take positions that are admittedly to the left of center are, often, argumentative. Many of my immediate family’s views are far more to the right than mine and we have spirited conversations which I find stimulating and literally exciting. On the other hand, I read a substantial number of posted comments from people who will not vote because of (a) disgust over negative campaign advertisements, (b) displeasure with all candidates and (c) just plain disgust with what they perceive to be the direction in which the country is moving.
Notwithstanding this attitude, every one of us will be casting a ballot in local, state and congressional elections this year and the presidential election in 2012; for some of us, we will vote through a proxy, a person whose views may be counter to our interests and, indeed, whose views may well be abhorrent. But our “representative” will cast our vote and it’s perfectly legal.
First, some boring statistics. In the 2008 presidential election, the total number of citizens of the United States, over the age of 18, and otherwise eligible to vote, was 231.2 million people. The total actual number voting was approximately 132.6 million, or about 56.8 %. 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.
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, and blindly anti-tax; the “base” get their news from Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and the gang at Fox cable news. Glenn Beck is a favored source of the “truth”. 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. Regulation of businesses or the banking giants was felt to be unnecessary and, worse, a drag on the economy.
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 supplies, 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 accept increased 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 those 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 more of 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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Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics