Tag: Election

Plan Your Election Day

Vote Democratic in the 2012 General ElectionElection Day 2012 is tomorrow, are you ready to vote? Make sure you know who and what you are voting for. It is very important that everyone that is registered to vote get out and get their vote in tomorrow. We live in a great country and it can only become greater if we all do our civic duty and vote in our countries elections. Elections are the very core of America and the democracy we all hold so dear. It is the responsibility of every American to vote in every election. Only then can we truly be the masters of our own fate.

Make a plan. Schedule a time to hit the polls and grab your friends and family that still need to vote. It is a lot of fun and there is a certain sense of pride and accomplishment that can be felt when we do vote.

Most people in America have already decided who and how they are going to vote. However if you are still undecided here are some of the big issues that are on everyone’s mind this election year.

  • If you are a college student, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you are a firefighter, police officer, teacher, or any other government worker, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think that the health care industry should profit off us being healthy instead of being sick, , vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you are a woman, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you are on unemployment, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you are one of the 47%, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you are one of the 99%, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you depend on Medicaid, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you depend on Medicare, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you depend on Social Security, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you don’t have a job now, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you depend on PERA, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you depend on a retirement fund, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you don’t want to see another  financial crash, , vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you know that a person’s health is vital to our pursuit of happiness, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you know that cooperation and bipartisanship is the only way to move forward, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you know that every human, without exception, has inalienable rights to freedom and happiness, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you know we solve problems through kindness and cooperation, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you know woman deserve equal pay for equal work, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you lost your job in the great Republican Market Crash, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you live on the coast, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you do not enjoy disastrous weather, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you realize a balanced approach to fiscal responsibility is the only feasible way to dig this country out of the financial hole we are in, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you remember the downward spiral of our country prior to  2008 and want to keep us on the path the repairing that damage, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you report less than 1,000,000 dollars on your business taxes, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you report less than 250,000 dollars on your income taxes, , vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you show up at the polls this year and you can’t vote, , vote for Democratic candidates next election.
  • If you think it is wrong to buy elections, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think it was about time that someone brought Osama Bin Laden to justice, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think our environment is worth protecting, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think that every America equally share the burden of balancing our national budget, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think that everyone deserves to be healthy whether they are rich or poor, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think that people of all origins deserve a chance in America, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you think that women’s health care is important, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a better education for your children, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a chance to afford education, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a government that focuses on real problems, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a President that can get things done even when an entire political party’s singular goal is to undermine him, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a President that nurtures and grows foreign relations, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want a President that sticks to what he says, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want American businesses to pay taxes in a country that makes them successful, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want bridge the income gap, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want cheaper drug prices, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want healthcare to be better and cheaper, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want jobs to be created in America and the jobs that are here to stay in this country, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want our schools to continue to improve, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want to expand our energy independence and versatility, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want to have a real shot at the American Dream, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want to make a positive difference in America’s future, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want to move America back to being a world leader, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want to see the reckless behavior of Wall Street stop, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.
  • If you want us to push forward into the 21st century instead of falling back into the 20th century, vote Barack Obama for President and vote for your Democratic candidates.

But if you want to take a step back in time, forgot about the costly illegitimate wars, the economic crash, don’t care women’s health, corruption, and cronyism that brought our country down so fast, vote for the other guys.

The bottom line is that everyone needs to get out and vote. So make a plan, talk to your friends and get out there and participate in one of the most important things that you can do as an American.

Happy voting!

Related Posts

Vote in the 2012 General Election Today!

general-election-2012-stack-ballotsWe have a week left in the 2012 Presidential Election. If you haven’t yet voted be sure to get it done as soon as possible. It is too easy to put off such an important civic duty. The more people that vote in America’s elections the better our democracy is going to work.

One of the great things about technology today is the ability to vote in many different ways. Not only that, technology also gives us an easy gateway to find out what we need to know. The Internet is an excellent tool to find out the information on all of the politicians and political issues that are on the ballot this year. Make sure you take a moment to study up on the political issues that will be up for a vote this November 6th and make sure you vote.

Mail In Ballot

If you have mail in ballots you only have a few more days to turn these in. The cut off in most states is the end of the week. You must have them postmarked by then. If you happen to miss the deadline you can usually turn in the ballots at your local post office.

Use the practice ballot you likely received earlier to mark your choices and write down the questions you have. Then you can research these though the local paper, the blue book, and other political material you have received, as well as on the internet. It shouldn’t take much time and you will have the confidence to cast your vote in a way that is best for you and those around you.

Make sure to check the postage on your mail in ballot as it may need two or three stamps to be mailed. It would be a shame to do all the work only to have your ballot sent back with postage due.

Early Voting

Many states also have early voting. This is also another one of those great conveniences to help get more people out to the polls. Instead of trying to find time during Election Day itself you can go in early and beat the crowds.

Make sure you check the information you should have received in the mail to find out where you can and should vote. If you don’t know where you should vote stop by any polling place in your area and ask them. They should be able to direct you to the proper polling place. If you are unsure where to look most local library’s, community centers, and churches will have polling places in them.

More and more areas across America are allowing not only early voting but the ability to poll at any location in your district. This is very helpful as this makes it easier to stop by a location that is most convenient for you. Who knows, you might live in an area that allows early voting at any polling place. Early voting only takes a couple of minutes so don’t makes excuses, stop by the polls and vote!

Election Day Voting

If you are one of those that like to go on Election Day to the polls or otherwise need to go on Election Day there are a few things you want to keep in mind.

If you are voting during Election Day make an effort to go some time during the day. Mid-morning and early afternoon tend to be the slowest times at the polls on Election Day. This can minimize the amount of time you may be spending there.

You will also want to make sure that you take notes with you so you are sure of your choices in the booth. This way you will be prepared for the issues on the ballot because you have looked them up prior to the polls and made your decision. This avoids the hassle and confusion of trying to figure out what is on the ballot and what it does when you are in the booth. Plus, this helps move the lines along faster and keeps everyone in a good mood.

Lastly, if you are planning to go to the polls on Election Day, make a party out of it! Invite some of your friends, family, siblings, or anyone else to make it fun and enjoyable activity instead of an inconvenience.  This will give you friends to stand in line with, talk about the issues, and enjoy this very important civic activity.  While you’re at it try to invite those that you think may not vote. It can be great to help engage those that are daunted or unsure about the system of our democracy. Bottom line is have fun and get as many involved as you can!

Voting Made Easier (Mostly)

Overall it has become a lot easier to vote in America that it has in the past. With the ability to vote early, cast a vote through mail in ballots, and the ability to utilize the polling place of your choice voting caters to many more American’s needs then in the past. So do not be dissuaded, frustrated or put off about voting. It is our civic duty and a moral imperative as a citizen of the United States of America to be involved in our politics and vote in our elections. If you would like some help ask those around you. If you are an experienced voter, offer your help to those around you.

Good luck, have fun, and go out and vote because every voice counts!

Related Posts

Top Ten Ways to Vote Responsibly in Politics

people-politicpolitics-voter-infoWe are just under a month away and it is time to make sure that everyone, and I do mean everyone, in the United States of America is prepared, registered, and eager to vote in the upcoming presidential general election.

I would love to see Americans set a new standard this year for voter turnout. I would love to see the American people finally step up and show the world through their political actions that we are the premiere democracy we all hope and wish to be.

To this end I have whipped up this quick Top Ten Ways to Vote Responsibly in Politics checklist to make sure every eligible voter in America is registered and ready to make a responsible political vote come November 6th.

Top Ten Ways to Vote Responsibly in Politics

Number 1: Make sure you are Registered

With the voter fraud and ID laws that have been enacted in many states, many eligible voters have been purged from the system. Many of my friends and family who have been active in every election for years were removed, so don’t believe for a second you are immune to these voter purges. Make sure you are registered! Just Google “Register to vote [your state]” and pick the website that is a .gov.

Number 2: Make sure you have the Required ID(s) to Vote

Some of the voter fraud laws have restrictions that only those with certain types of ID or proof of identity can vote, even if you are registered. So be sure to have the correct ID ready and available. You should be able to find out this information when you verify your voter registration at your state’s website.

Number 3: Decide how you will Vote

In most states you have the ability to either vote in person at a polling place or to vote by mail. The preference is yours but I would suggest figuring out exactly what you are going to do so you are prepared come election day. If your state has been part of the new voter fraud laws you may want to vote by mail this year as the polling places are going to be stuffed and chaotic with many voters that will not be able to vote due to these new restrictions and laws. It might get really ugly. So to avoid these you may want to vote by mail this year. Or at the very least have a mail in ballot ready should your polling place be packed on Election Day.

Number 4: Know where you will Vote

It is important to find out ahead of time where your polling place is. Depending on the state you might have a very specific location where you have to vote or you might have the freedom to vote at any polling place in your district.

Even if you plan to vote by mail it is important for you to learn where these ballots have to be turned in should you need to turn it in at the last moment.

Number 5: Learn when you can Vote

This is also important as it can save you a headache come November 6th. Many states now offer early voting. This has really helped to alleviate Election Day woes of long lines and confusion at the polling places. Most early voting starts around a week ahead of Election Day, but your area may be different. Make sure you know so you can take advantage of it.

Employers are federally required to give their employees time to go vote. So don’t let your work schedule stop you from getting out there to vote!

Number 6: Learn about the Presidential Candidates

Make a point to go out and learn about all of the political candidates for president. Read through the top issues they are campaigning on figure out who best suits your ideals, values, and beliefs. Then please make a point to do some research on them. Don’t limit this research to just the websites, media outlets or talk shows that support your candidate. Also search for those that represent the other side as well as those that are try to be unbiased and neutral. You will never ever hear the truth from a single source so do yourself a favor, become broadly informed.

Number 7: Learn about which Representatives are up for Election

These are the politicians that are going to represent your political will at the national level. These are very important as they will have your state issues in mind. They will also follow their party line to some degree. This can be very tricky as often times these two things conflict politically. When it comes to your representatives look to how and what they voted for. On occasion you will have a representative that doesn’t yet have a voting record so you have to take their word on faith. This can be difficult.

Number 8: Learn about your Local Representatives

Local political representatives are often harder to learn about due to many are often running for office for the first time. Generally this is where many politicians start. If they like being a politician and are liked by the people they often move up to the state level.

However, these politicians are the ones you can easily go out and talk to. They will have town hall type meetings in the area. Will often respond directly to email or phone questions. This can make it more personal but also allows you to find out where they stand on issues directly.

You might have to do a little digging depending on where you live to get good information on them but most local newspapers do a great job of going through the candidates that in your area. So pick up your local papers special politics additions to get the bead on which local politicians you want to support.

Number 9: Learn about the Local and State Issues up for Vote

You should be able to learn about the local issues that are coming up for a vote through your local newspaper and their website. You should also receive a voter booklet to help you learn about the issues.

Often times these are the same issues you will hear about quite a bit leading up to the election. These are going to be votes to change the local budget, approve taxes for schools, constitutional amendments, and a myriad of other political issues. You may only have a couple to look into or several dozen depending on your location.

Even though it may seem arduous, these local issues are going to be the ones that directly affect you so it is very important that you learn about these issues. Try to watch the news on these up until the time you vote as there can be some last minute changes and information that comes up on these local political issues.

Number 10: Create a Voting Cheat Sheet for Yourself

Whether you are voting at the polling places or you are voting with a mail in ballot make sure                   that you create a cheat sheet for yourself so you are sure you are voting how you want to. It is easy to get pressured, nervous, or forgetful when it is time to pull the lever and pick your circles. It’s important to make sure that you know exactly how you want to vote when the times comes.

Most states have sample ballots that you can print off. This is the best route to take as it should be an exact copy of the ballot you will fill out. Mark your answers on it and any notes that you want to add. Then when the time comes, double check the official ballot you are filling out is the same and you can quickly mark down your answers.

This assures that you vote how you want to vote and you speed up the process for everyone when the time comes.

The Final Touch to being a Responsible Voter in Politics

All of these tips and tricks should help you make an informed decision about what is best for you, your family and your area.

The very best thing you can do, after becoming an educated and responsible voter, is to speak to those around you about how to follow these steps and become a better citizen of these United States of America. At times it is hard to see how our one vote in millions makes a difference. It does, and it can make a dramatic one at times. However, these effects are often hard to see immediately and can lessen our civic excitement and duty.

However, by being a responsible, educated voter in America you are one of millions that is working to shape our future as a people and as a nation. Only through the power of the people will we be able to assert our will past the demagogues, the mountains of money, and those bent on keeping the people disenfranchised, and instead bring this country to a better place. By voting, you keep the reins in the hands of the people. By asserting yourself and helping others to become better voters you help the people to keep the power. And only by showing that we the people of the United States of America are engaged, educated and insistent can we hope to make a brighter future for our children and the generations to come.

See you are the polls on elections day!

Related Posts

National Voter Registration Day

national-voter-registration-dayToday is national voter registration day! Make sure that you are registered to vote so you can participate in the upcoming presidential election. No matter who you are, what your political affiliation is, you should be absolutely sure that you are registered and ready to vote.

It is our belief here at People Politco that everyone that is eligible to vote should vote. It can be hard to be excited or be involved in politics. However, it is something that affects us all. It may not feel like it does at times but the decisions and actions our politicians takes directly affects us so in turn we all need to be directly involved in politics.

There have been a flurry of voter laws that have passed recently to purge out registrations voter eligibility. Regardless of your thoughts on this recent voter purge it is absolutely vital that each and every one of us makes sure we are registered and ready to vote.

I have already re-registered. Despite my constant participation in elections and making sure that I was active and up to date these voter purges has affected me and my house hold. I say this because I want everyone to make sure they register to vote. Even if you are pretty sure that you are, make sure you go and verify that you are still registered to vote. It has been amazing how many people that I know have been actively involved in the elections have had their names removed from being eligible voters.

Most states have a place you can check your voter registration. You should be able to just search for voter registration in your state. This should get you started. It is very easy with most states and will only take a few minutes.

Just make sure that you do not hesitate to get registered to vote. Each state has different deadlines but all of them are coming up. So get out there and make sure that your get registered to vote. While you’re at it make sure that those in your household, your friends and co-workers register to vote as well.

The more each and every one of us participate in this democratic America the more democratic it will truly become.

 

Related Posts

Disturbing Political Trend in Truth

collums-and-stairsThe closer we get to the 2012 Presidential Election the more crazy distortions of the truth I see. I know that perspectives are skewed and manipulated during the heated and often ugly run up to the general elections, but it seems like the preposterous rantings of what were once the loonies on the fringes are becoming the battle cries of the leaders of the parties.

Where once we frowned on unfounded accusations and scoffed at the baseless ramblings of the extremely paranoid or deranged, now we the people as a whole seem to latch onto them as truth, as brave, as somehow heroes that are standing up to some fantastical conceived threat.

I am not really sure how or why we have become so accepting of the blatant lies, abuse, misdirection, misinformation, and outright name calling that has become such a normal part of our everyday life.

Maybe it has been the years of dirty and low down politics. Maybe getting nasty every election became the new normal. We never got over the hateful rhetoric and over the years this strange morality creep gets worse and worse and we barely notice it.

It has gotten so bad that those who advocate these insane stances are held as the “truth bringers” and those that refute these idiotic statements are challenged to prove it’s not true. However, no accusation, should be accepted as truth unless it is grounded in independently verifiable facts.

Take the whole Birther issue. Some far right fringe lunatics came up with this ridiculous idea and for some reason it gained so much traction that President Obama thought it necessary to take time out of dealing with American’s real problems to present his birth certificate that clearly, without a doubt, proves that he is an American. Then, after months and months of these crazies saying all they need to do is see it, when they do see it, they still don’t believe it.

Our society has allowed itself to be manipulated into focusing on whatever nonsense is going on right now instead of focusing on the very real and troubling issues that America faces.

I am shocked, appalled, and embarrassed to see so many Americans get caught up in this drama. I am not proud to say that I have also fallen victim to the insane crap these politicians and pundits are shoveling on us.

This is not going to stop until we as a nation stand up and shout to our politicians and pundits that all political discourse must be based on fact and reason, and hold our media accountable for covering the facts, not the crazies.

We also must make sure that we keep each other on track because it is so easy to get distracted by the little stuff, the crazy ramblings or the issues that simply do not exist. We need to watch each others’ backs because our political system is not doing that now. We need to respectively and honestly work with each other to stay on track and stay on topic.

We have to look America, each other, and our political system objectively, factually, and critically for us to have any chance of growing as a nation.

We must not re-elect those that waste our time with nonsense. We must turn the channel, page, or URL when the media gives imagination more coverage than reality.

We need jobs and healthcare. Right now millions of Americans are without both.

We need fair and easy taxes. Right now income and taxation disparity between Americans is at a record high.

We need honesty and integrity within our society. Right now we allow the misinformation and lies to rot our core.

We need to have a prosperous and cutting edge America that is once again a contender for greatest nation in the world. Right now, we are falling short, terribly short, of what our forefathers had hoped for. We can’t allow America to be that country that can only work together when things like 9/11 happen.

America’s issues can be solved, but not until we all decide to be honest and respectful. We must pledge to have an open mind with everything we see and hear. We must vow to think objectively and critically.

I make this pledge to myself and to you. I ask that you do the same for yourself. Then together, regardless of sex, age, religion, or any other affiliation we can all push forward to a better, brighter America.

Related Posts

Invisible Mitt Romney at the Democratic National Convention?

steaming-pileNow that the Republican National Convention is finished, we are left wondering what the heck just happened. It seems all the DNC needs to do now is to try not to feature a senile rant at an empty chair. Who knows what this convention has up its sleeve? It seems we as a nation have lost grip with reality, and in many cases, sanity.

Why is it that so many people are so loyal to one party or the other? It’s as if the political parties are family and they cannot fathom disloyalty to that party, even when that family member lies, cheats, and steals. For some reason so many feel that they still need to defend a political party, along with every bit of their platform, with their last breath.

The real question I have is why did the Republican National Convention find it so important to blatantly lie to the party’s faithful? The unapologetic lies should disgust anyone with a shred of decency.  Sure, more than just Republicans heard some of what was said at the RNC, but the message at these conventions is aimed at energizing the Republican base. And shouldn’t their base hear facts from their leaders?

Politicians have always twisted the truth or omitted some information in order to make a point (or a sound byte). But it seems like they used to take some pride in having some measure of truth in their speeches. Now, they’re just making up lies and hoping no one catches them in order to justify their viewpoint. Then they scramble for excuses when they are called out on those lies.

Why are they doing this? Either they are trying to deceive their own supporters—people who are already planning to vote for them, or they are either so incompetent or lazy that they can’t be bothered with ensuring the veracity of their own speeches. If a person can search “closed auto plants”, that person should also be able to check what year that plant closed, and who was president at the time. Or if time is short, just typing Factcheck.org can help save some fumbling and backpedalling later.

Since I can’t handle the idea of listing all the lies that were told at the Republican National Convention, you might want to check out one of the fact checking websites to get an idea. They are able to be diplomatic and call it “exaggeration” and “misleading” instead of “stinking mounds of manure”.

I am really hoping that the Democratic National Convention takes the same appalled view I had of the Republican’s convention and decides to take the high road. It seems that America needs to be reminded that President Obama took the reins at one of the worst economic times in America’s history, and that his attempts at bipartisanship were met with scorn, and his compromises were met with anger from both sides of the aisle. He has accomplished much, and those things he could not accomplish were because Republicans blocked him so many times—even on legislation they were previously in favor of, and on legislation that was favored by the majority of Americans, regardless of party affiliation. Perhaps they just need to be reminded that the Republicans’ number one priority for the past four years has been making sure President Obama doesn’t receive a second term in office.

They say fight fire with fire, but I am not sure how to fight bat shit crazy. However, I think if we can all donate a chair to a progress-blocking representative, we can let them shout at it for the next few years while we try to continue to repair the horrible damage they did to America and the rest of the world.

Related Posts

Voter Fraud: More Evidence of No Evidence

voter-infoI saw this article last weekend on NBC news. It has a some good, detailed information regarding the big drive to pass voter fraud bills. Again we find, as has been obvious in many other reports, that voter fraud at the polls is so minute and inconsequential that it should outrage all Americans that our politicians are wasting the valuable time they have to try to tackle an issue that doesn’t even exist.

Not only did this article dive deep into the entire issue of voter fraud, it used the raw data collected by News21 and their new database to illustrate just how inconsequential in-person, at the polls, voter fraud is. The number of actual cases is somewhere near the 1000th’s of a percent range. That is .001%.

All the voter fraud legislation will effect around 10% of the population, effectively stripping them of the right to vote in the coming general election unless they take extra action to assure that they are still registered and able to vote. Many of these voters are not even aware that these laws have taken effect, taking away their ability to vote in future elections. That does not sound very patriotic to me!

I have actually been a victim of this legislation. I was surprised to learn that the legislation in my area had removed me from the eligible voter list. Even though I do not fit into any of the “main demographics” that are going to be affected by the voter suppression legislation. As frustrating as that is, it is easy to re-register.

So your first order of business is to make sure that you register to vote again. It only takes a minute and it will save you frustration come election day. As Americans it is our duty to vote, every single one of us.

Here are some places you can use online to register to vote:

Next, check out this very interesting and educational article regarding voter fraud legislation and suppression:

If you want to jump right into the voter fraud database go here:

Now, contact your representative and demand that they spend their time on actual real life issues that actually affect Americans before they start a six week debate about the best way to legislate free roaming unicorns and to determine if they are subject to restrictions in state boundaries.

 

Related Posts

Voter Suppression in Politics

voter-infoMore voter suppression arguments are out there this year and if you ignore the indignity of the voter fraud and just look at the numbers involved, it would be very easy to solve this issue. Especially when you look at the very low numbers involved in actual voter fraud versus legitimate votes getting mixed up, tallied wrong, lost or the myriad of other things. The bottom line is we need to work on getting people out to vote, not stopping those that do vote.

Getting People to Vote

We need to get every single American and dual citizen of voting age to vote every single time. We need to ingrain in our children, in our people, the importance and significance of voting. The quality and functionality of our democracy is directly related to how many of its people are involved, educated, informed and acting on their democratic duty.

I would go as far to say that we should PAY people to vote. Invariably people will pay at least some attention and most have some idea of who and what they want out of life in this country. If you were to offer a $500 tax credit for voting in the general elections, it would greatly increase turn out. Just getting people excited and involved would go a long way to make this a better country.

Personally I find it appalling when the reporters exclaim that we have recently had record-setting voter turnout, and the record-setting number is in the 40% range. That is embarrassing, pure and simple. As the “world leader” in advocating and pushing freedom and democracy, we simply have to do better than that.

So I propose this to you: Make it your mission, as a responsible voter, American, and patriot, to get one person you know to register and vote this year. Let’s make those days of seeing 40% of voter turnout something of the past as we tag on 10-20% more.

A Political Fix to a Non-Partisan Problem

The Politics of Disenfranchisement: Why Is It So Hard to Vote in America?

Why Is It So Hard to Vote in America?

With the next wave of voter registration and polling legislation comes another slew of outcries to voter suppression. I understand the basic idea behind the argument; however, the proposed solution is no solution at all.

These pieces of new legislation are meant to tackle the estimated .0002%-5.000% voter fraud that has been reported recently. These numbers vary greatly depending on who, what and where you are looking but with the dozen or so articles, websites and other sources I investigated, the highest was floating around 5% with some as low as .0002%. Part of the reason for this is that we are addressing specifically voter fraud. We are not talking about mistakes in registration, people who have moved from their old addresses, people with the same names, addresses, lost ballots, miscounts, and the myriad of OTHER things that causes inaccurate vote count.

Much of the current legislation that is pending this year revolves around forcing all those that are voting to show valid and up to date photo IDs at the time of voting. This may address the lower end of the vote tally and fraud issues but would leave most of the other horrendous holes and problems with our system in place.

However, legislation to force presenting photo IDs in order to vote is estimated to affect at least 10% of the population that currently votes now, legally and without problems. Many of these voters without photo IDs tend to have lower incomes and are much more likely to vote Democratic than Republican.

This could also affect a much greater number of people that vote from abroad or by mail. Many places have been voting strictly by mail, especially for the smaller elections. If everyone now has to go back to a polling place to vote, won’t that decimate the numbers of people who can vote?

Make Voting Easier Not Harder

There is such a small portion of the population that votes fraudulently it has almost no effect on our current system. The numbers show the problem is nearly nonexistent. 80 fraudulent votes in a general election are not going to make much of a difference when we are talking about millions of people voting.

Instead of further limiting a minority group to vote, and making more difficult what should be an easy process and every citizen’s duty, we should be empowering all Americans to register and vote.

I’m not so proud to be an American when I find out more people vote for American Idol then in a general election. That is unacceptable and shameful.

What we should be doing is passing legislation to move our voting system from the 19th century into the 21st century. We have an archaic system to pick our representatives and run our country.  We should be embracing the newest, best, and most efficient ways to insure our democracy is protected.

Just think about it: we currently trust so many facets of our lives right now to the technology around us.  Why not support improvements in voting technology as well?

It’s easy to say that voting systems can be hacked, of course they can. However, many more people are currently skewing election results with lost ballots, miscounting by hand, going to the wrong polling place, voting as a dead person, you name it. This Pew Research document points out some of the huge flaws we have. Those are the issues that need to be addressed, the problems that need to be fixed.

I know it’s not perfect, no system is. However we have the technology, the know how to do it, we just need the will. Change can be scary but using technology and the computer power of America could and would streamline our voting process in ways we can’t fully appreciate.

We need to get 10-20% more voters voting. Not reduce the number of valid voters by 10% or more.

Here are some links to some more info and some of the specifics in voting issues around America:

 

Related Posts

1 2