Spring Break
In defense of the non-voters
by Daniel D. Snyder
Associate Editor
Op-Ed | 9/2/08
Posted online at 12:02 AM EST on 9/2/08
For a nation that seems ready and willing to invade others with the intention of spreading our system of democracy, we don't do a very good job of practicing it ourselves. I don't mean to say that we're being secretly oppressed by a shadow government hell-bent on maintaining the illusion of citizen rule. Our system of government, flawed though it may be, remains a marvel of citizens participation in government rarely seen throughout history. What I mean is that we, the people, do a poor job of realizing this fact and putting our privilege to good use.
According to the Federal Elections Commission's Electoral and Popular Vote Summary, only 122 million people exercised their right to vote in the 2004 presidential election. That's well under half the country. That's pretty sad. Whether our system works or not, our soldiers are killing in its name all over the world and taking more than a few hits themselves. With this in mind, it seems like poor form to continue ignoring our privilege.
Now, I haven't sunk far enough into a mentality of self-deprecation to attribute our lack of participation to laziness. That's the stereotypes talking; the European image of a fat and complacent America. Nope. I still believe that we are a comparably well-educated, ambitious and perceptive nation with no shortage of politically motivated activists. However, I do believe that it is this same sense of perception that has turned more and more citizens away from the ballot box.
As I see it, the fundamental principle behind our system is that the citizenry will have a say in the direction of our nation by the power of their individual votes. It sounds great on paper, but what happens when people start becoming unsure of exactly what they're voting for?
As politicians pander to more groups, moving toward an ambiguous centrist platform, it becomes harder for voters to remain confident in their own decisions. Politicians have a history of betraying their constituents, riding their votes into office and then selling out to more politically profitable interests. This kind of political pandering is nothing new, but after 232 years, it's bound to begin eroding the people's confidence in the system.
According to the Federal Elections Commission's Electoral and Popular Vote Summary, only 122 million people exercised their right to vote in the 2004 presidential election. That's well under half the country. That's pretty sad. Whether our system works or not, our soldiers are killing in its name all over the world and taking more than a few hits themselves. With this in mind, it seems like poor form to continue ignoring our privilege.
Now, I haven't sunk far enough into a mentality of self-deprecation to attribute our lack of participation to laziness. That's the stereotypes talking; the European image of a fat and complacent America. Nope. I still believe that we are a comparably well-educated, ambitious and perceptive nation with no shortage of politically motivated activists. However, I do believe that it is this same sense of perception that has turned more and more citizens away from the ballot box.
As I see it, the fundamental principle behind our system is that the citizenry will have a say in the direction of our nation by the power of their individual votes. It sounds great on paper, but what happens when people start becoming unsure of exactly what they're voting for?
As politicians pander to more groups, moving toward an ambiguous centrist platform, it becomes harder for voters to remain confident in their own decisions. Politicians have a history of betraying their constituents, riding their votes into office and then selling out to more politically profitable interests. This kind of political pandering is nothing new, but after 232 years, it's bound to begin eroding the people's confidence in the system.
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