First off.. if only the educated should vote. I totally agree that people who vote should be well-informed. There is more than just Obama and McCain. If all people knew this then there would be more major political parties. There are other minor major parties like the Green, Liberal, and Constitution parties. My mom is someone who did not get a higher education then grade nine, and I love my mom to death but that is why she doesn't vote. She doesn't understand the politics. But what many Americans do is not vote.
That is the worst thing. In the definition of a true democracy it is the duty of the citizen to vote in local, state, and then national level. I know it's a lot of time to take researching these topics, but it is required. George Washington once said that parties would be suicide, and I agree. I hate political parties. I was reading in a community newsletter about a guy running for office in our city. He basically said that he was a libertarian running on the platform of democrat. The benefit of running in a party is because they give you more money for campaigning. Instead of all that money going into advertisement they should invest it into charity and small-business owners, like they claim to do once they get elected. I think the best campaign would be for someone to actually start doing instead of talking about it.
I don't even think half of America votes, I know for sure only about 28% of people know more than one fundamental freedom. (from Govt. Statistics) That is just really sad. I hope more and more people get to be educated. I am from a pretty good school system and not sure how inner and poor city schools are run, but from the statistics I have seen from Austin they are falling at a high rate.
Most people vote on what the candidates are saying but most candidates are really vague on what they are going to do. Obama and Biden say that they will help the middle class, but what is the middle class? Honestly if you think your middle class ask what your mom and dad make in a total year. Obama is setting the standard of $250,000 and above as high class. But that isn't a lot. Not to say my family makes that much. (Which we don't) My government teacher and a few students, including me were talking about this, who can determine the rate for the middle class. Also have they said how they are going to do this? They are going to raise the upper taxes and cut the lower. Do you know who makes about 250,000 and maybe a little higher? The small-business owners, but that is also who they are trying to help.
On global warming issues, JEEZE!!!! No one has a clue what they are going to do. Clean coal, less oil, decreasing and cleaner cars, more public transit. They say this is going to take twenty years. I am going to be married and have kids before we get to a good start. The only difference I see about the Democrats and Republicans on this issue is that the Dem. want to do it a little faster. But honestly, no one has no plan. I think that is the big problem with candidates today. Palin said "I don't know, but I'll get back to you on that." What kind of answer is that? People are looking for a leader, not a researcher.
So this year, even though I am seventeen, my mom promised me that I get to tell her to who to vote for, so in a way I do get to vote. I am currently undecided. I don't think McCain because he doesn't seem like change, but I also don't know about Obama because the middle class relief.
I think a really big issue is going to be the economic issue. They just passed the bailout bill which will hurt our economy (at least I think, and many do agree). America is so much in debt that it's not even funny. We spend too much on everything. This "war on terrorism"
is absolutely ludicrous. Terrorism is an ideal How can you fight it? It's like trying to soccer punch God. (I mean that as a general god, to be "political correct") We spend so much money trying to fight problems for other people that we should focus on us for a change. We are going down like the Roman Empire as so many people have liked to call it. And I am starting to agree. I am seriously scared for how my life will turn out.
But the good thing is that I live in Texas. If everything comes crashing down, I am voting for a person who will get our State to secede.
You make some great points, especially given your age, and lack of education about candidates, parties, and the political process and lack of voting is a major problem. But should people vote if they do not like either of the candidates more than another? Should you vote just to vote, or vote against one candidate rather than for another?
I don't know exactly how I feel either way.. it is obviously important to vote, but part of me feels guilty about the thought of endorsing (voting for) a person that I do not fully agree with, or do not fully feel comfortable with representing me and leading my country. It's a difficult thing to decide, and sometimes not voting may be the best moral thing to do. If everyone votes against someone, then the person who wins isn't really endorsed by the public. Some would say this is what happened with Bush's reelection in 2004. So even though I see the need to increase voter turnout across the nation, I may not be voting in this election because I am too undecided and refuse to vote against someone (unless they are Hitler) or for someone I am not comfortable with.
I would rather vote for someone, even if you don't agree fully with everything they believe, because you're not always going to get the perfect candidate of your choice.
I don't believe I mentioned voting about congress, senators, and local government officals. I will write about that next time. But I think that if you can't decided between the president then at least vote the others they make more of a difference anyway.