| The 2004 presidential election recorded one of | | | | politics. |
| the largest turnouts in recent American politics, as | | | | How about voter laziness? Believer it or not, |
| incumbent President George W. Bush defeated | | | | that's why some Americans don't get off their |
| challenger Senator John Kerry. That year, 63.8% | | | | blessed assurance to find a voting booth. |
| of registered voters turned out to cast their | | | | Remember that voting for president takes place |
| votes. So, where were the other 36.2% of | | | | once every four years. Oh, how difficult a chore |
| registered voters? | | | | that must be! To actually crawl of their beds, pad |
| Millions of Americans readily take for granted their | | | | some clothes on their bodies, and find out where |
| suffrage, their right to vote. I find this disturbing | | | | to go to vote one time every 48 months! |
| especially for blacks and women who had to wait | | | | Another reason is voter cynicism. "It won't make |
| for so long and fight so hard to win suffrage -- | | | | any difference; nothing will change anyway." This |
| the 13th Amendment for blacks; the 19th | | | | conclusion may be due to voters' distrust of |
| Amendment for women. There must be reasons | | | | politicians: Too many scandals. Run on one thing |
| why too many Americans don't vote. What could | | | | only to do another; flip flops after Elections Day. |
| it be that keeps eligible American voters from | | | | Woo voters during elections, then kiss them |
| taking part in the biggest privilege of democracy? | | | | goodbye after electoral victory. No real solutions |
| What is even more mind-boggling is that many | | | | to the real problems that concern ordinary people. |
| Americans actually register to vote, but then still | | | | No real difference between the parties. In the |
| do not turn out to vote on elections day. For | | | | minds of non-voting cynics, after the elections, |
| example, in the massive turnout of 2004, the | | | | there will be nothing but new gamers in new |
| number of no-votes was still significant. Registered | | | | game rooms playing the same old political games, |
| voters numbered 197,005,000. How many actually | | | | leaving the nation's challenges untouched or the |
| voted? The number was 125,736,000. But that | | | | problems made worse by the actions of those |
| 63.8% turnout rate meant a difference of | | | | very officials of government. |
| 71,269,000. People, that's a huge number -- more | | | | I wager to say that voter cynicism is the primary |
| than 71 million registered voters did not vote. It's | | | | reason so many registered voters do not vote. |
| even more pathetic than that, because that year, | | | | It's not because they're sick, working, bereaved, |
| a whopping 215,694,000 Americans could have | | | | getting married, moving, attending Michael's |
| voted. Using that number, the eligible voters who | | | | graduation, or any of those genuine reasons. |
| never voted were 89,958,000! | | | | But what is the root of such deep-seated |
| To be fair, let's grant that it is likely that on | | | | cynicism? It may have something to do with the |
| elections day, some of these registered voters | | | | total domination of American politics by the two |
| might have fallen ill, be injured or attending to | | | | major parties: the Democratic Party and the |
| family and friends who are ill or injured, may have | | | | Republican Party. It seems like the establishment |
| moved, be in the delivery room, traveling, on | | | | -- the political, media, and business interests -- |
| vacation, at work and/or working overtime or | | | | combine or connive to sideline, undermine and |
| swing shifts, attending weddings, on their | | | | leave out any independent voice or party. The |
| honeymoon, and yes, some would have died | | | | result is no different from silencing that outside |
| before or on elections day, and other registered | | | | challenge, which is often the lone voice of reason. |
| voters could be attending those funerals. Let's | | | | In the end, the establishment makes the |
| make room for all that and more. | | | | non-partisan whistle blower or challenger appear |
| However, when we minus all the possible | | | | as non-serious contender, nothing but a spoiler, a |
| contingencies that could keep registered | | | | sideshow, a laughing stock, a buffoon in the eyes |
| Americans voters away on elections day, we are | | | | of the American voter. Often the establishment is |
| still left with a substantial number that simply don't | | | | bold enough to ask that independent-minded |
| show up for no important reasons. Something | | | | candidate, "If you know you can't win, why are |
| happened between voter registration day and | | | | you running? Don't you know you'll only take |
| elections day that wiped out their interest in | | | | votes away from so-and-so?" In other words, |
| casting their ballots. | | | | "We 'the people' want you to drop the hell out the |
| Pollsters have queried Americans about why they | | | | race, so we can focus on the real candidates." |
| register to vote but do not vote consistently. The | | | | Will this establishment culture change in America |
| reasons are few and really simple. | | | | any time soon? Such a change is needed if we |
| Busyness is one reason. Some Americans are too | | | | are to see a significant drop in the gap between |
| busy to vote. "I don't have time" is a common | | | | the nation's registered voters and actual voters. |
| response. Will it help if Elections Day were a | | | | Every year that I am alive and well in this sweet |
| national holiday? Who knows? | | | | land of liberty, I'll choose to vote every time. |
| For some it's voter apathy or indifference. "I don't | | | | What's your comment? |
| care." That's a voter who has lost interest in | | | | |