complete with fun graphs: joemalburg/blog/2014/11/3/dont-tip-the-vote-over Perhaps Sean Puff “P Diddy” Daddy Combs put it worst when he and his ill-fated Citizen Change political group surfaced in 2006 and ominously compelled American citizens to, without exception, “vote or die”. To the chagrin of hopeful, if not ideological slackers everywhere, none of the above was not an option offered by the rapper best known for being known. But none of the above is fast becoming the preferred option of older and older “young” Americans every year. In 1964 ninety percent of eligible voters were registered, more than half of those registered voters ages 18-24 voted in at least one election, state, local, national, that year. Of voters age 25-44, almost seventy percent voted and of age 45-64, more than 75% placed a vote. There was a presidential election that year of 1964 between Lyndon Baines Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Since then the percentage of 45-64 year olds voting has fallen below to 62%. More than half of 25-44 year olds don’t turn out on the average year. Among the youngest voters (age 18-24), the future of the system, of the less than half eligible registered 38% cast a vote each year. In 2012, our most recent presidential election between Barack Obama and we all forget (Mitt Romney) over 126 million votes were cast, just six million fewer than were cast in the Phillip Phillips won American Idol finale a number of months prior. Why? It’s far too complicated a question to have just one answer, but to start with American Idol was still good in 2012. Really though, it’s about detachment. Young people have been hit in the face with a dodge ball sized sack of political bull crap since Bill Clinton queried on the definition of the word “is”. It, along with an avalanche or more blatant and visible than ever political foley that followed, pushed people towards viament defamation of or defense of their previously selected mascot and colors. Or even worse as we now see, absolute indifference. The result it would seem; the only young people most other young people know who have strong political feelings lean one way or another so heavily as to discourage conversation of the issues with anyone outside their political halo and thus dialogue is halted and interest wanes among the middle. The divide between the two parties and their respective postures have never been nor feigned to be so distant, cold, vitriolic, while simultaneously being so operationally indistinguishable one from another. This puzzles my preconceived notion of politics when I first came online circa Ross Perot; I was always taught, fairly basically, the following: Republican political ideal: Smaller government, spend less, save more, protect the country and it’s borders, fervent patriotism, more conservative and sometimes strict on social issues i.e. marriage, immigration, poverty, protection of rights etc. Democratic political ideal: Government for the people, tax the more wealthy citizens to ensure to welfare of the less well off. More focus on national defense, less jingoism; more progressive on social issues. That along with the standard hot button issues that have divided the parties through my lifetime seem to draw a clear line between one side and another, but the more time I observe that divide the more time I feel like it’s a facade. I don’t see either side practicing what they preach unless it’s convenient, and even then it’s relegated to mere lip service nine out of nine and a quarter. I mean is it really possible that every person with an R next to their name agrees with every other R and disagrees with every D about each issue their party has a stance on? Are we sure they aren’t saying what they’re told because it’ll get them elected? Do we really think voting for a person who is either remarkably compatible with his party members or is at least a lil’ fibber, is really going to change our lives. Things don’t change because of who is president or governor is, they change because of what’s happening around that person when they are in office. This is the factor most paramount to how it seems to me we should consider When push comes to shove, the real measure of the people who aspire for political office shouldn’t be rather or not they agree on every issue with someone, it’s rather or not theyre willing to listen to the people who voted for them and against them and fight for whatever it is those people want. Don’t promise us won’t you’re going to do. Promise us youre going to find out what we want and do that. If you’ don’t do what we want, promise us you’re going to explain why not and be accountable for the consequences of your actions either way. Don’t take any money from any group that has any type of implication of posturing, bribery or anything else you know damn well would piss of the guy who owns the diner downtown. Don’t run ads telling us how crummy your opponent is, or how great you are, save that money and give it to the schools or whatever else you’d like us to believe you care about, even if you don’t win the election. Go out of your way to always do the right thing, at least when the cameras are on and you know we can all see. Holding political office has turned into a game of dodge-ball, and politicians are the worst type of dodge ball players, they are the hiders. When everyone else is out there playing the game for the spirit of fun, the joy and risk that is life, the hiders are cowering in the cracks of the society’s (or in this case the playground) fringe watching others die trying to do what they’d never have the guts to. Once they’ve survived one round, their only goal is to survive the next. Knowing doing anything could be their demise, onward they obstruct and deflect Worried only about their bottom line, a number or a letter next to their name. Written evidence that says “I am of more value than you”... “even if I am of little value to my self for having obtained it.” This is the hider and (s)he want’s your vote.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 02:08:32 +0000
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