Do people really understand how much is at stake this coming Tuesday, with the elections that are at hand? Looking back on what has been sacrificed, what is being sacrificed, and what will be sacrifices just for the opportunity for people to actually get the "RIGHT" to vote, and it is hard to look at the apathy at the actual process. Listening and reading what the pundits, analysts, what comes in the mail, media, and the Internet blogs are all saying, just sends chills down the spine.
Over the last three days, all of the candidates in Missouri, have ratcheted up the pressing of the people. In the public post offices, after office hours, the lobby is littered with the droppings of candidates direct mailings and the amendment (like the Amendment 2, for stem cell research) mailings. As the trash cans are overflowing, with what most people consider "Junk Mail," only one word comes to mind. Apathy.
There is a base that will vote for a liberal/democrat, whomever they are. There is also the opposite, party line voter, for the conservative/republican. However, there are ten to thirty percent of the overall people, who are left to decide whether to vote, or not to vote. Those people who are left in the fray of the commercials, direct phone calls and mailings, and the overall spin machine of both the republicans and democrats. It does not matter what you are seeing and reading, wherever a voter may gaze. All of the things that are presented "are" from a certain perspective, slant, and for a candidate. This is where most of these "independent voters" are left with a definite set of decisions: 1. They can see all of the ads, mailings, and propaganda, from both sides and make some kind of decision based on that. 2. They can actually look at all of the facts, do some research, and become an informed voter, placing their ballot with whom they believe deserves it. 3. They can become completely apathetic, fed up with the process, and just turn their backs on the whole process, not giving a second thought to who will win, what will come out of it, and the future of their country (plus, the country of their families, and future family).
Apathy can go a long way, and with the majority of people (23% of the people voted that the Congress was not doing a good enough job, George Bush has a 43-48% approval rating 'depending on which poll you look at, or who you listen to', and finally the Senate has not done anything about the issues of "illegal immigration, having a plan for Iraq, and other heavy handed issues"). With the problems of the current administration and the house, as a whole, will people actually turn their backs on the voting rights that they have been given? If they do choose to take the "easy way," throw their hands up and just say "I give up," then do not vote at all. What does that say about the people in our country? What do the outside countries, both friends and foes of the United States, think about this kind of thinking? Finally, why did all of the leaders, the "founding fathers," the men and soldiers who have given their blood and lives, actually fight for "ALL AMERICANS" to vote, if 10-30% of them will not even cast a vote?
Apathy is a tool that is used. Campaign people are trying to win the election for their candidates by inundating the American people with a flood of head bashing ads, candidates family's and choices being drug thru the mud, and dirty politics that are being thrust at the American people at a pace that has never been seen before. These tactics beg to be looked at. Why would the actual candidates and their machines use "Hitler ads," Michael J. Fox stem cell ads (freely paid for not by the people, but by a "ONE FAMILY," who has spent $26 million dollars, out of the total $32-34 million on the stem cell issue alone), and constant "race card" commercials from both parties? The answer is simple. If the people that are in the 10-30% of Independent voters are left with their heads spinning, a bad taste in their mouths about politics in general (especially when people do not like to talk religion and politics, as a whole anyway), and they are confused with all of the false information, character bashing, and anything else that can be calculated into the formulas of these candidates they will be more apt to vote for whomever they are least disgusted by. Apathy and disgust are the tools of both the Democratic and the Republican parties, mixed with a last four day push of "clean phone calls," polling and mass, direct mailing (perfected by the Republican party, in the mid to late 90's), and "micro-manipulation of actual congressional and senate districts."
Personally, I am going to vote my mind and conscious. However, I know that I have received seven pieces of mail from each Senator (here in Missouri), six pieces of mail from my republican congressional district candidate (who I actually went to high school with), and finally I have had three phone calls in the last 36 hours (over Thursday thru Friday) for polling. I can only pray that people look at the candidates without the distorted lens, without the scandal and overall disdain shown between the candidates, and most of all I hope that they do get out and vote. Apathy toward a democratic voting system is doing nothing, but kicking every person who came before us to lead, who spilled their blood on far away shores, and most of all it is spitting right in the face of the statue of liberty and all of what America stands for. VOTE ON TUESDAY. It only hurts our country, and the country's future generations.
Peace, DMAN
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