(With apologies to Anthony North):
Some largely nonpartisan things that have been bugging me about the electoral process in the United States recently, and not so recently.
MONEY: It has long been an issue, and there have been a series of legislative actions, Such as McCain-Feingold trying to limit the effect of money on the campaign. However, in January 2010, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court decided that corporations and unions have the same First Amendment rights as individuals, and as such may now directly and expressly advocate for the election or defeat of candidates for federal office, as long as they do not coordinate their efforts with campaigns or political parties. Without getting too wonky here, social welfare organizations may engage in some political activities, so long as that is not their primary activity. As a result, there is a lot more election spending this cycle than ever before. GOP political operative Ed Gillespie said last week on ABC News, and someone said similarly on NBC’s Meet the Press, that the American people do not care about outside spending; I care– a lot.
RANCOR: With that much money, candidates are even more willing and able to run negative, misleading, even inaccurate advertisements. One can and should debate the issues, but it’d be nice if they could get along better while doing so.
Someone’s Photoshop of 2008 Democratic candidate for President Barack Obama, and Republican candidate for Vice-President Sarah Palin
NO REAL CHOICE: A growing number of people believe a third party is needed in the US. Now, there are third-party candidates legitimately doing well this political season, but it doesn’t reflect a sustained, or sustainable national organization. My sense is that there never will be without instant runoff voting.
VOTER SUPPRESSION: Latinos for Reform is running ads on television, radio and the Internet telling Nevadaās Hispanic population not to vote on election day so as to teach Democrats a lesson for failing on the promise to deliver on immigration reform. Others have reported intimidation tactics of voters likely to vote for the opposition.
Another form of voter suppression, I believe, is the overuse of polling. When one hears that Candidate X is a “sure thing” to win or to lose, voters often lose interest and stay home, skewing the results. I’m not sure what to make of poll results anyway. I’ve read that the Republicans may win 100 seats in the House of Representatives. I’ve also noticed another poll, which includes people whose only phone is a cell phone, Democrats lead by 6 points on the generic ballot.
All that said, and in particular, in response to the voter suppression tactics, I encourage people to vote at every opportunity. Not only do I believe it is one’s civic duty, but, for me, it is a personal necessity. I’ve had ancestors who could not vote, so I would be dishonoring those who fought for the ballot not to exercise the franchise.
Did you ever notice that a large number of the Amendments in the US Constitution, after the Bill of Rights, deal with voting?
Amendment 15 states that race or previous condition of servitude (i.e., slavery) is no bar to voting (1865), passed right after the Civil War.
Amendment 17 requires that US Senators be elected by popular vote, rather than by the state legislature (1913) – someone please explain to me why some candidates this year have indicated repealing this amendment?
Amendment 19 provided for nationwide women’s suffrage (1920), though some individual states had allowed women to vote earlier.
Amendment 23 gave the Presidential Vote to Washington, DC (1961) – now if they could only get a voting member in Congress.
Amendment 24 bars the imposition of a poll tax as a requirement for voting (1964), eliminating that particular voter suppression tactic.
Amendment 26 set the voting age at 18 years (1971); unfortunately, statistically, the group least likely to use it.
So VOTE! And if you’re elsewhere in the world, VOTE when your next chance occurs.
A Third Party COULD potentially develop if they would start at the bottom and work their way up rather than trying to go top-down. Most National Third Party participation seems to be going for the Presidency, but they have no power base to support their agendas. They really need to prove their chops on school boards and county legislatures, then graduate to State politics, IMO. Demonstrate that they can be effective, then people may listen to them.
Well, maybe. Structurally, the system is still stacked against a sustained third party. That’s why, in NYS, they often do the cross-endorsement thing.
Here in Canada, we have a 3 party system but there are many other “independent” type weaker parties that not too many people pay attention to. Many people vote differently whether it’s a federal or provincial election – our next provincial one is going to be extremely interesting to follow as our Liberal Party premier introduced a new tax this year that is generally hated along with his method of “sneaking” it in. However, overall I think our current Liberal premier has done a better job than any of the times the NDP party has been at the helm. People forget so quickly all the problems and scandals of past leaders, complaining only of the present problems of government. One must consider the past and the present and vote with knowledge and good judgement of all the issues. Best of luck to all my American friends that they get the leadership they need in these trying times.
I hate Polly Ticks, and will be glad when all the mud slinging is over and done with. Maybe next week I’ll be able to view TV again. This week, I don’t even turn it on.
A most worthy post. Well said. And thanks for the link š
Yes! I agree! VOTE! Everyone, vote! It is a precious civil right that we take for granted. For many of us, the privilege to vote was fought for against all odds.
As always, a thought provoking post, Roger!
You have two parties to choose between, we (at times) have nearly twenty: including left wing, right wing, christian democrats, christian conservatives, party for the animals, socialist party, party of freedom and many more. It’s like the trees and the forest really…
Very thought provoking Roger.
It was my privilege to vote today.
It seems to be a full time job these days to sort out the issues and weed out the false claims. I’m relived to know I can answer the phone and watch TV again after today!
Excellent post, Roger. My two-cents worth is that I’ve seen a third party candidate elected to the California legislature. And then saw the dominant party freeze her out so she could not get legislation to the floor. I think it wouldn’t matter who was in power at the time, a third party is felt as a threat to the status quo. It seems that coalitions between parties is now anathema in our current political system.
Very thought provoking.
Provocative post. I cannot find words to add –
The Politics in your country Perplex me. So much finger-Pointing; so little Pleasant debate. Poor America; Poor world. Perfect P Post.
I always vote in elections because we’ve all had ancestors who weren’t allowed to. They were called “women”.
perfect poll appeal!
Sorry Rog,
But this is way over my head!
Remember, I am only barely a foot high when I walk on my all fours, which is usually what I do.
But P is for ‘Polly’ huh? Is that a girl? Then who are the ‘ticks’???
Purrs,
Sara Cat
Almost forgot!
That you so much for stopping by to read my P-post! I gather those pirate films were not exactly your cup of tea. I would not have chosen then either, but this is all I get to watch – what the two-legged kittens want to watch on DVD. So they put on a round flat mirror-like thing into the computer and poff! We can see the moving images of fairy-tales and pirate adventures.
Now you don’t have to see the other two films because I have shown you the very best parts. Aren’t you glad?
Purrs,
Sara Cat
For the benefit of other readers:
Sara Cat’s abcWED-round-7-P
Watching the election from Canada, I am afraid. So many politicians behaved badly! I hope Americans wake up soon and realize they NEED to pay attention and not just let things happen. I’m sooo sorry to learn that many people are more interested in TV and shopping than what’s going on in Washington and in their state capitals. Sad. Very sad.
In Belgium we have at least 6 major parties (I think, it may have changed) and I stopped to count. If I am not wrong there are 3 in the opposition and the others in the government. In any case only two parties is not enough !
As usual Roger, you provided us with much “poly” filled food for thought! I think our state, California, won the prize for the most $ spent. Personally, I would never contribute monetarily to a campaign. And I’m grateful the whole thing is over (for now!).
Politics – here in UK we HAD 3 major parties – now well goodness knows where we are, who we are, who is leading us – and where the hell they are taking us! Will send you a postcard when we get there!
Thanks so much Rog – your insight and words are always so thorough, true and an insight into the great land they call America. God Bless the President! (Yes tis written with tongue in cheek! lol)
Love the photoshop dance. That is obviously the answer a dance off for election. Although disillusioned I still vote, the triumph of hope over experience.
Political antics would be funny if it (sadly) wasn’t so true. I’ve been fed up with campaigning on both sides for years. No one tells the truth. They just tell enough of the truth for it not to be a flat-out lie. It’s also very sad that it takes a bazillion dollars in order to run a campaign that people will actually see. But…for all it’s shortfalls, our political system is still one that many countries try to emulate. Go figure.
It surprises me that anyone votes these days. There’s wall-to-wall coverage in the months leading up to an election, with views repeated ad nauseam and every commentator quite sure they know what the result will be. Pollsters are everywhere muddying the water. Election day dawns and there’s more intense and usually fairly uninteresting, or at least unenlightening commentary. Finally, the result is announced leading to days of analysis and ‘what ifs?’ and then the mud-slinging really starts as the whiter than white outgoing government slates the incomers with catcalls of derision over failed or amended promises. Or is that just in the UK’s? Everyone knows it’s really the civil servants who run the country š
Very interesting post for the day. I didn’t know much about polly ticks.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m all for getting everyone to vote, whichever way they vote when they get into the polling booths, but it seems to me that the same old issues are rehashed at each election, in pretty much every civilised country. And – what a surprise! – when a government finds itself OUT of office, they start complaining about the very things in the new government which they themselves were bad at when they held office. In fact, very often, they complain about the mess the present government is making of (let’s face it) the mess that they themselves left them with!
I continue to vote in a carefully considered way, but I’m heartily sick of the whole process and I’m ready for some proportional representation, myself!
When i was in College, I hate my Political Science subject because i hate politics.
Thanks for this “Polly Ticks” post.
Thanks also for the visit and commnet.
Thought provoking and informative.
Ernest Hemingway~ Theres nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility is being superior to your former self.
Hard to believe that Sarah Palin has a TV show now. What happened to her not having time to be finish her governor term?
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