is not how you lose elections, it's how you kill nations
at least the malicious stand up and show their malice. you can fight them and defeat them
but what to do about this cancer of mindless cynicism that just bends over and accepts the malice and becomes willing slaves: what the fuck is that? how do you deal with that?
People need proof that their vote actually matters. Far too often, people don't vote because they know their vote barely matters, or doesn't at all. Not just because of the electoral configuration, but because representatives represent donors, which most constituents aren't.
I hit the voting booth for state/local propositions; I vote for president because I'm already there. I live in San Francisco. Once the primary is over, it's hard not to feel like my work is done.
However, I also stump pretty hard for the interstate voting compact. Trying to get some of that power back.
Problem is the people not voting are more than likely poorer people or they don't believe their voices will be heard. They tell their children this or focus on other things like feeding their children and making sure they can at least go to school. Along with that some people have a hard time registering to vote at all.
I believe the GOP suppresses the opportunity for people to get out vote on purpose. They know their demo are older white people they have the ability to ensure they vote. If we could potentially make it easier for everyone to vote we wouldn't be dealing with this in the first place cause it would swing drastically.
I did not have this from my parents, but somehow managed to get a very strong civic streak in me in spite of that, and have voted in every election since I turned 18 (not just presidential ones).
When I had my daughter in my early 20's, I started taking her with me. Even before she was really coherent. As she got older, I would explain the process to her, show her how I had my voter book marked with what I'd be voting on (because I research each person and ballot measure ahead of time), and show her how the voting machine worked. I let her push the vote button. I made sure she got a sticker (which was easy--the poll workers love seeing young faces!)
She isn't even sure she wants to get behind the wheel of a car, but she is excited for the day she can finally vote. And so am I.
Kids need enthusiastic support of voting and what it means to participate in the process. One more reason why I think we should be celebrating election day as a national holiday.
I’m actually an example of this. My parents always treated any election like a family event. My siblings and I are adults now and we haven’t missed any election we’re eligible to vote in.
my parents always vote. i remember them talking about voting and taking time to go out and vote since i was a little kid. the idea to me that there are some people who just never bother to go out and vote is SO WEIRD.
I totally agree with you here. However kids are impressionable. And this is how you end up with a kid in 7th grade that’s a conservative. Parroting all the conservative bullshit with no actual clue to what they’re saying.
Back in grade 7 I knew this kid that laughed in our faces when Harper was re-elected. Why did he like Harper? Because his parents told him too. Kids can’t form their own opinions on things like this.
Then I got to college, and the youngest kid in my class was conservative. Guess why? His parents were. Now that I can actually form coherent thoughts I asked him about his views. And guess what? Dudes kinda liberal. He just knows what he’s been told all his life. I told him the views he says he has don’t really align with his actions. That mostly the Conservative party is actively against his demographic. But he didn’t listen. Trudeau is still bad because mommy said so.
So while I agree on your early voting suggestion, I think independent opinions on matters like these are extremely important. Wether or not independent opinions are even possible at a certain age is a different discussion.
I said it in another thread but I'll say it here too. Young people especially feel like their vote does nothing so why bother even showing up. I'm happy to see some of my friends feel the need to get in gear after this election but it's not all of them. Many are even more jaded because Bernie didn't win the nominee.
I think we have to really hammer in the fact that Dems and progressive ideals DO win when more people turn out to vote.
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u/tyler-86 Dec 13 '17
Telling people to vote doesn't energize them,unfortunately. They need to see examples like this (and Trump).