Not Voting? Maybe it’s the candidates, stupid
Arizona is considering a ballot measure that would turn elections into a lottery, holding out a one million dollar prize for a lucky voter. A nation-wide ad campaign, meanwhile, features actresses urging young women to “do it”—vote, that is.
“We’ve tried everything under the sun and nothing has worked,” Mark Osterloh, a Tucson doctor and political activist who is sponsoring the Arizona measure, told AFP.
“Let’s motivate them with a good old capitalist incentive.”
Really, who wouldn’t want people who view lottery tickets as a sound investment choosing who will formulate the state’s budget, tax laws, educational policy, infrastructure development and resource allocation plans, penal codes and welfare system?
I’m a frequent voter. I’m usually in charge of analyzing ballot measures so my family can vote as a block of six. I give voter registration cards for 18th birthdays. But when I look at the candidates both major American parties tend to field, I kinda feel for the half to two-thirds of the country for whom election day is just another Tuesday. And it’s hard to feel your vote matters with the power of incumbancy weighing so heavily.
Even this year, supposed to be a landmark, will likely see at best 30 seats change hands. That’s 7%. Sure, it will have political consequences for the president if Republicans lose either house of Congress, and maybe that will mean a slightly different policy in Iraq or on immigration or [insert contentious issue you find important here]. But for 93% of the country, you’ll have the same guy going to Washington to fight your fight.
Presidential elections offer no further hope. My friend Trevor and I split the 2004 presidential election. He went one way, I went the other. We both marked our ballots with a groan. It’s not that we don’t have convictions, quite the opposite. It’s just that voting for the guy you think will screw up the country least isn’t what we thought this whole democracy thing was going to be about.
On a more personal note, I’m going to miss the midterm elections. I didn’t figure out how to vote abroad in time, and I hate myself for it. I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18, even the boring school bond initiatives and city council races. I love chatting up the old people at my polling place (most recently a retirement home, and a church before that). Now I’m in China, where I can’t vote or talk to old people.
Quote of the Day:
I’m all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone takes the next step and concludes that two idiots are better than one genius.
—Leo Szilard
October 30th, 2006 at 6:29 pm
Look, your vote was never going to make a difference. Schwarzenegger is going to win by a landslide. There is nothing you can do to stop it.
By the way, tell me you’re giving away free hugs in China.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/oddlyEnoughNews/~3/43358935/newsarticle.aspx
October 30th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
I know, one vote, who cares? It’s really the coffee and cookies and old people I’m gonna miss.
And the hugs.
November 1st, 2006 at 5:05 am
You can get coffee and cookies in China. And old people smell so you can avoid them.
Ä°’ve got one better. On election day Ä°’ll post a comment as an old person at an American polling site.
November 8th, 2006 at 5:55 pm
Just wanted to say hello buddy. I have greatly enjoyed reading your blogs and it seems like you are seeing many cool aspects China. Also just wanted to update you on the elections back home back here in the states. Democrats took back the house and the senate is now about 50/50. Pelosi was named Speaker of the House today and Rumsfield resigned. It will be an interesting next two years. Talk to you later buddy. Keep up the good work and keep the blogs coming. Good luck with getting to Dandong and seeing the DPRK.