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| America and Voter Turnout Should We Even Bother? by Executive Vice-President Michael Hassel In most western democracies and indeed most former Soviet satellites the voter turnout is a large majority of those eligible to vote. That along with a great interest in the government by those citizens makes these former communists states some of the most democratic places on the globe. Yet America, the city on a hill, has stumbled democratically in the past few decades. Today, fewer then 50% of all voting age Americans go to the polls, and the most disturbing statistics come from the younger generation whom go to the polls the least out of any other demographic. Many experts are baffled by these stats, why would America neglect its most sacred right and responsibility. Some state that the reason for this is that, especially for the younger generations, America has never had a true threat to its freedom. Therefore, when something is not in any kind of immediate danger people simple do not care. Yet, the true explanation is much more sinister. The fact is that American�s, yes even young people, are much smarter then most give them credit for, and they are not about to waste their time on something that means little or nothing. They understand that in the short term some change may be achieved through voting for one�s favorite candidate, either tax cuts or tax increases, but in the long run the end result from the two parties is much the same. They also understand that even though the idea of self-determination by voting sounds cool, the America that they know is much different from the America that their grandparents knew. Indeed, they know that America is no longer a democracy in any sense of the word, and they feel that they should not be wasting their time voting for a person or persons that can not effect the issues that Americans feel strongest about. Even voting for Federal Candidates became mostly useless long ago, until recently voter turnout on local issues was much more hopeful. Yet, as we have seen today even decisions made by local officials can be easily overturned by higher up officials. Yes, America today is an oligarchy lead by elite class that is appointed, rather then voted on. Indeed, the American people know that the true person that pulls the strings on the issues that mean the most to them is not the president but the judges of the courts. A good example of this is in fact the 2000 presidential debacle in Florida. The American people by the smallest of margins had made their choice, yet a group of judges in Florida decided they did not like the choice that the people had made and decided to chance it. Through all of this was it outcry from the people that overturned this illegal ruling? Nope. It was in fact another court. Further examples of this new ruling class are seen throughout the country, but more recently in Alabama. There the citizens had chosen by an overwhelming margin to elect a judge that had campaigned on placing a monument to the Ten Commandments in the state courthouse. The people had made their choice, to no avail. A Federal Court soon stated that the action of placing a religious monument on government grounds was illegal, a fraudulent constitutional ruling. Indeed, soon after this amazing ruling the New York Police Department placed a monument to the Five Pillars of Islam, there has yet to be a court ruling on that. Still more came when a court in California overturned parts of an anti-terrorism bill that was passed in Congress by one of the largest margins in near history. All of this court activity has left the American voter demoralized, and absent from the polls. So how does the Republic fix this problem? Stop trying to fight judicial activism, and embrace it. Yes, have judges both Federal and local elected rather then appointed. Perspective Judges could run on their experience, or their political views. Lobbying firms and special interest groups could stop wasting money on useless Politicians and fix on the people that are calling the shots, judges. Once judges can remove the veils of the �law� Americans can re-embrace the political system and government; thus voter turnout will increase. Only then can America again be considered a true democracy. The choice seems clear, have judges finally elected by the American people, or the other two branches of government could step up and enact their Constitutional right and responsibility to check the bloated power of the judicial branch. And everyone knows which of these is more likely to happen. |
