Re: Reflections on an election

["T&E" <cumming@idaho.tds.net>]

>>Certainly it can be said that voting today is inconvenient.  The fair
>>grounds, as a polling place, is hard to get to, hard to park at, and you
>>never know who your going to have to talk to there.  Is it just a matter
of
>>convenience, or is there a more fundamental reason why four out of every
>>five residents is willing to let someone dictate the future to them?

It seems to me that part of the reason why voter turnout is so low,
not only in these counties and this state, but across the country, has
to do with voter apathy. So many people don't vote because they feel 
that their vote doesn't matter. If the results of an election don't go
the way of the voters, the politicians may simply change the rules
or dismiss thge vote entirely. This happened when Tom Foley went 
against the Washington voters' decision to set term limits, and the 
same thing is being threatened to I-695. The government doesn't like the
Initiative, so they will try to change it.
Another good example is with a presidential election. The popular
vote means nothing when it comes to electing a president, as the
electoral vote is what determines who wins. This helps to contribute to
the image that the voters voice doesn't count.
However, I don't buy into this theory. I have heard that voting for
a third party is "throwing away your vote." In my opinion, NOT
voting is throwing away your vote. If the majority of Americans began
voting for third- party candidates for any office (president, congressman, 
senator, governor, or even mayor or city councilman) perhaps the 
Big Two (i.e. the Republicans and the Democrats) will actually sit up and
take notice. Once they realize that there is more competition out there,
they may spend more time listening to the demands of the voters
instead of looking forward to the next political election.
I encourage people to vote whenever possible, and if they don't like either
of the "Big Two" candidates, look for a third option, or write one in.
If you don't like the way an initiative or bond is worded on the ballot, 
don't vote for it (it seems that there tends to be more coverage
in the news about Washington issues rather than Idaho. Shouldn't 
the Moscow/ Pullman Daily News try to cover both equally? 
But that's another topic.) 
Since you have read this so far, I assume that you're concerned about
low voter turnouts, too. Tell those who don't vote to take more
of a stand for their government. Tell them that their voices do matter, 
only that the American people need to start speaking louder in order
to be heard over the lobbyists and special interest groups. Tell the
government
that the voters do matter. Foley learned that when the people of
Washington refused to re-elect him. That should serve as a warning for
any politician who tries to dismiss I-695 or any other
issue approved by the voters. Your voice does count.

T. Cumming