Earlier today, I posted a blog entry admitting my own personal disgust with elections these days, and pointed out some of the frankly many, many problems that we have with our elections.
Yes, but that said, for what it is worth, I still urge people to go out and vote.
Wait...isn't that a bit of a contradiction?
Well, probably it is, admittedly. However, please just hear me out for a moment. First of all, I do believe that there is something to the whole notion that you realistically forfeit any legitimacy in criticizing our elections, or our political system more generally, if you cannot even so much as be bothered to show up and exercise your right to vote. It frankly does feel like the least that we can do. Also, it does work sometimes. It might not always be inspiring. However, in the last presidential election, millions of otherwise apathetic voters (a bit like me) nevertheless showed up and voted Donald Trump out of office. So it clearly can work, at least sometimes. So there's that.
Also, and more importantly, what alternative do we have, exactly? I mean, throughout recorded history, we have had some form of organized governance over us or other. It has been religious institutions or churches in many places, it has been monarchies of some form or another at other times and other places (and sometimes, the same place). There have been military dictatorships, and perhaps some other forms of governance. More recently, we have more and more democracies around the world, flawed as they often may be. And today, we seem to increasingly have corporations and private moneyed entities who seem to exude enormous influence over our lives.
Of all of those, the only one that we actually have some kind of voice with is our democratic government. Yes, it is flawed, and just lately, those flaws are looking extreme, admittedly. In fact, it almost feels like corporate, moneyed interests are already ruling over us, in a de facto sort of way. But the only way that I believe that we can solidly eliminate this undue influence is through some form or other of democratic government, where we all get to vote. Seriously, we all have a voice. The specific problems with the elections and our overall form of government can be addressed, and probably will be over time. But I want to say this, also: we have the government that we deserve. The very corruption that is so much in evidence in our government - particularly our national government - is a reflection of our own values. Let's face it; Randy Newman was right when he sang about how it's money that matters in the USA. He sang that decades ago, but if anything, it is even more true today then back then.
Another thing that we often can feel horrified by is the sheer level of ignorance of many of our lawmakers. Some of them are, frankly, stunningly stupid. But again, that feels like a mirrored reflection of how far too many Americans have allowed themselves to be, as well. We like to parade around and claim to be the greatest country in the world, but a lot of that has to do with our ignorance of the world outside of these precious American borders. When you have the level of ignorance that all too often is allowed to prevail within this country, why wouldn't it eventually find it's way into what passes for our leadership in Washington? What does it say about us that we have gone from leaders that embodied our successes at various times in our history, from Washington to Lincoln to Wilson to Roosevelt to Eisenhower to Kennedy. Many of those men had some flaws themselves that may seem clear and obvious. But they also had some great ideas and a measure of respect for democracy, at least enough on some level to often command respect from the world community. Now, we have mediocre and often transparently self-serving politicians who simply fail to truly even come close to uniting the country. Again, that's not only a sign of the times, it's a testament to our own limitations and overall decline as a nation.
Indeed, if things are going to change for the better at any point in this country, then it's going to be the people who make it happen. Until then, we will only continue to see a slide and overall decline. But that is up to all collectively, and us as individuals. And the only way to try and get political leadership that no longer makes us sick is by an informed citizenry actually electing worthy leaders once again. Things certainly will not improve through even more apathy and lack of interest and participation.
So again, continue to go out and vote!
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