Young people urged to make informed vote
With the election at hand I hear public service advertisements urging young people to vote and I agree, vote, it is your responsibility as a citizen. But your responsibility goes beyond voting, beyond just marking a ballot, it is important that you make an informed vote.
Many people who vote have no idea the core issues surrounding the initiative, or the candidate that they are voting for. When politicians run ad campaigns, they are trying to could the core issues by casting aspersions at one another, to keep the focus off of their own shortcomings.
With the election at hand I hear public service advertisements urging young people to vote and I agree, vote, it is your responsibility as a citizen. But your responsibility goes beyond voting, beyond just marking a ballot, it is important that you make an informed vote.
Many people who vote have no idea the core issues surrounding the initiative, or the candidate that they are voting for. When politicians run ad campaigns, they are trying to could the core issues by casting aspersions at one another, to keep the focus off of their own shortcomings.
Most of the religious right in Utah will vote for Bush without studying a single issue, their church leaders, in not so many words, dictate how their congregations will vote.
It appears that these people cannot think for themselves, or do not want to, and prefer to be told what to do.
It would be interesting to see some fundamental changes in the way we do things. First off, how about instituting a small voter awareness test in order to qualify to vote. This would help to prevent these auto bots from voting “according to Hoyle.”
While we are changing things why not pass an amendment to the constitution that changes are representation in the Senate. Since we have to Senators from each state a law should be passed dictating that one senator from each state cannot have earned in excess of $100,000 in any given year of their lives.
As far as the House goes, since the middle class and poor out number the wealthy by at least 20 to one, then congress should reflect that.
Second, eliminate the benevolent order of the Electorate; I thought we got rid of stewardship for the ignorant masses in the dark ages. What is the point of voting if some wealthy person decides we are all to ignorant for our own good and votes in the Electoral according to how they think we should have votes.
As far as the presidency, how about a presidential trifecta, a democrat, Republican and an independent. It may seem complex at first, but it would prevent abuse of the Presidential Powers act, and would likely prevent us from entering third world conflicts such as Iraq without congressional approval.
It would also provide equal funding for domestic and foreign matters in every administration. It would also reduce the impact lobbyists have on the first office.
Finally, we can change the way campaigns are run. Under the current system, only the wealthy can afford to run for office.
If government funds were mad available for each candidate, and each was limited to a spending ceiling it would level the playing field, and water down the influence big business lobbies have on congress.
How many found it interesting that at this year’s Republic National Convention Michael Moore, of Fahrenheit 911 fame, was surrounded by members of the Secret Service, who prevented members of the press form talking to him. What, no first amendment?
Look up Prescott Bush on the Internet, and see what you find. Look up the Iran Contra scandal, look up Kerry’s voting record, I am not asking you to agree with me, but I would ask that you vote, and vote informed. We owe it to each other!
