High Voter Turnout

I'm really excited about how engaged people seem to be in the electoral process this year. In many states, the primary turnout has hit record levels and the recent debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was the most watched debate in cable TV history. My generation, which is usually disinterested in the electoral process, have been turning up in rallies and donating money -- especially to Barack Obama and Ron Paul. Recently, one of my co-workers commented that she had decided who to vote for in the primary based on arguments that she read on Livejournal, where the candidates are being discussed at length and with passion, while another co-worker, who has previously bragged about how she never votes, tracked me down to make certain that I had. In other words: At least one of the disenfranchised voter populations is doing what they have never bothered to do. They are voting.

The reason that I'm excited is that I believe that a large part of why the system in the country is broken is because so few people vote -- and it's always the same people casting their ballots, all in a small handful of select demographics, while large demographics of people don't bother. They rationalize this -- if they bother to rationalize it at all -- by telling themselves that it doesn't matter because no matter who is elected, nothing will change, and the system is always going to screw them over. And lo, nothing changes, and the system continues with the screwing. Aren't they smart.

What these people don't realize is that they're creating a self-fulfilling prophecy; nothing is changing specifically because they don't get involved in the process. They don't donate money, they don't work on campaigns, they don't show up for rallies, and they don't vote. Even if a candidate were to come along who wanted to serve the interests of these disenfranchised non-voters, they wouldn't have a shot in hell of being elected, because who would support them? Anyone who commits to the enormous strain and expense of running for public office is in it to win, and only a fool would rely on a fickle demographic that can't be expected to turn up at the polls.

And anyone currently in office has no reason to pander to non-voting demographics, because there's no chance of getting thrown out of office if they don't.

So nothing changes, and only 20% to 30% of the country get served. People like me, those small parts of the non-voting demographic who vote, are reduced to voting for the candidate who accidentally serves as many of our interests as possible while they pander to the people who actually will get them elected. That's the best we can hope for, and it's hard not to lose faith.

What would happen if 90% of the population got involved and started donating to campaigns, showing up at rallies, and voting? Suddenly, the sacred 20% to 30% wouldn't be enough to get anyone elected or keep them from being thrown out of office. Politicians would have to address the issues that affect the rest of us, the way they do now for the demographics that vote. In short, our elected officials would have to start serving all of the people, not just the few who're smart enough to make themselves part of the process.

It would be politics for the people and by the people in a way that it has never been in the history of this country. If Barack Obama really wants to get rid of 'politics as usual', all he has to do is to find a way to get this lazy country off its ass and into the voting booth.