Voter Turnout

"You have been given citizenship in a country like none other on the Earth, with opportunities available to you like nowhere else on Earth. What will be asked of you is hard work, nothing will be handed to you. Use your education and success in life to help those still trapped in cycles of poverty and violence. Above all, never lose faith in America. Its faults are yours to fix, not to curse."

-Colin Powell

Like the infamous Uncle Sam illustrations, Americans like to point our fingers, and the media is the biggest enabler of this habit. Nearly every news channel cites a variety of things that are "wrong" with this country, however, I am unable to recall any major media outlet ever placing their viewers, readers, listeners, etc., on their list. From a business standpoint, this is easily understandable. From a patriot's standpoint, its dumbfounding!

In 2008, about 56% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the presidential election. In the preceding year, nearly 900 US troops gave their lives in Iraq alone so that 102 million Americans could choose not to exercise their right to vote. In 2010, only 37.8% of eligible voters earned the "right" to criticize their government. Despite the state of the economy, the other 62% did not deem it necessary to participate in electing members of Congress, the body of government with the authority over financial and budgetary policy. Their GDP is less than one third of America's yet Malta boasts a 94% voter turnout rate. What do Venezuela, Bulgaria, Chile, Romania, Russia, Costa Rica, India, and Poland all have in common? Other than being listed as developing countries, they all have a higher voter turnout than the US. Does it really take such poor conditions to create a desire amongst citizens to take control of their government, therefore their lives?

Winston Churchill was famously quoted as saying, "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." Perhaps the only thing more dangerous to our country's future than the non-voter is the uneducated one. It is necessary to clarify that there is a significant difference between schooling and education. Thomas Edison had just 3 months of formal schooling, but over 1,000 US Patents are proof he was an educated man. Henry Ford was also a man of little schooling, but he too was perhaps a genius and played as instrumental a role in shaping our country as we can hope for any politician to. What's troubling is that there are countless soundbites and videos documenting voters who may know who they are voting for, but certainly not what they are voting for. You cannot make a chocolate cake without knowing the ingredients and expect it to be edible, let alone good. I've often said voters should be required to read or hear about each candidate's views, platform, etc. before being allowed in the voting booth. This always draws some laughter, but I'm only halfway kidding. When such a small percentage of citizens are deciding the future of America, we can't afford to have uneducated voters. With the amount of resources available to the public its ridiculous that this is even an issue.

I heard a joke the other day that went something like, "I'm beginning to think no matter who gets elected, I'll still have allergies. Politics are such bullsh--!" While I admit that I laughed, its astounding how many Americans believe this. We have come to view politics as a money game controlled by Wall St. and are disgusted by our representatives in government. I am more disgusted by the people that continue to elect them despite an 8.2% unemployment rate and a national debt that's in the trillions. In his centennial address to Congress, James A. Garfield said, "Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature..If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in the controlling of political forces." Just like there is a difference between schooling and education, there is a difference between a politician and a statesman. A politician is often connected with the lies, deceit, bribes, etc., that have so many Americans fuming. A politician has an agenda and will sell their soul and the souls of the American people to meet that agenda. A statesman on the other hand, knows his or her position is a public service and their only responsibility is to the voter. The only way to fix the government the media loves to condemn is to demand our representatives actually represent us. If an elected official should fail to do so, he or she should not see another term.

What I have written is not anything groundbreaking. The importance of an educated voter turnout is a concept I understood by the time I was 8. I was just as excited voting in the school's mock Bush/Gore election back then as I am for my first presidential election as an eligible voter this year. Whether you agree with my future posts or not, I hope this blog ignites in you a desire to become not just a resident, but a citizen of the greatest country on the face of this planet.

God bless the USA and the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for my right to this blog,

Kat