The Process of Voting - Essay Example

Vote On November 5th every election year, the excuses begin concerning the National Presidential Election and people's failure to vote. Coffee and water cups are filled as co-workers expand on their latest reasons for not voting. The biggest excuses are that they were too busy to make it to the polls, and they couldn't make a decision. They didn't know anything about the candidates. These same individuals will claim later as their Social Security payments, educational benefits, or gas prices soar that they were victims of circumstance from the bad policies of corrupt politicians. However, Americans are not feathers on the wind of government. Americans have more opportunities to vote then any other country in the world, and the impact of voting is felt in every aspect of American life. From the beginning of American history, it has been proven that voting is important. History highlights the importance of voting and the terrible conditions that occur when this right does not exist or is suppressed. During the Revolutionary Era the French, Haitians, and Americans recognized the destructive power of living under a government without a voice. The French masses starved while the aristocrats dinned well under the regime of Louise XIV. Like the Americans, the masses were taxed heavily without representation. No taxation without representation was an ideology that spurred on the American Revolution once the Stamp Act was enacted. In addition, after the implementation of the Stamp Act, "ordinary people came together to call for the boycotting of British goods" (Woods, 1992, p. 244). People began to understand how coming together to influence policy would make a difference in government. The Haitian Revolution demonstrates the biggest impact of living under a government without representation. There were 600,000 black slaves living in Haiti (Girard, 2005). The other ruling groups were comprised of French Officials, white planters, and free blacks total population was approximately 60,000 (Girard, 2005). As the Americans and French lived under unfair laws, the Haitian slaves lived under the Black Codes (Ros, 1991). The Black Codes invited white men and women planters to decide the fate of a black slave on a whim. One woman burned her slave alive in an oven, because of a slightly burnt pie (Ros, 1991). There weren't Civil Rights for the 600,000 slaves, who were bound to the earth and deprived of social mobility. They lived in dirty huts in a society where torture instruments were hung in the windows of prominent businesses (Girard, 2005). The Haitian, French, and Americans eventually won their freedom, but it was at great risks and many deaths. The sacrifices made then and the perils the people endured emphasize the importance of the average person participating in the government. Common people must remain vigilant to the new laws created and make sure they benefit the entire society. No pure democracy is in existence. Democracy is a work in progress. Constant participation by the public is vital to ensure there is a balance in society, where the average person has a voice. Next, with the protective laws passed such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the American with Disabilities Act, many Americans feel they are safe from unfair treatment. They don't need to participate in the government or provide balance. The current governmental system will simply take care of itself and them. Voting isn't necessary. Yet, there are a growing number of individuals that don't believe that we need regulatory laws that will govern discriminatory behavior. A very popular American President, Ronald Regan supported this notion. He "enacted the Executive Order 12991 in 1981, where no regulatory action can be undertaken unless the potential benefits to society outweigh the potential cost" (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, 2007, p. 4). Supporters of this policy state that businesses want to make profit. They will hire the most qualified person without discriminating, because it will give them a strategic advantage. It is this type of ideology that could lead to repealing Affirmative Action. Is the country really to the point where women and minorities have hit all the glass ceilings' With women and minorities holding a very small number of seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as positions as CEO of fortune 500 companies, it is apparent that Affirmative Action is still needed. The election of Barack Obama, a minority, is a change that Americans created with their vote. However, it is only through voting for representatives that understand this perspective that protective laws will stay in tact, and it won't take another two hundred years before a second individual, who is a minority is elected. Furthermore, Employment Law is an area that impacts that very core of American society. It affects the personal life of the average American. This is not a system that can run itself without voter vigilance. Now in the current financial crisis, voters must participate more than ever. Moreover, the workforce is constantly changing, and "in 2008, the workforce is projected to include 11.5 African American, 12.7 Hispanics" (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, 2007, p. 456). The individuals making these policies are elected representatives. By having a large voter turnout, society is better represented in their policy making. The United States has a very diverse population that requires diverse laws to meet the needs of its people. And, these needs are in a constant state of fluctuation. For example, people enjoyed their retirement, but today with company cutbacks and losses in the stock market, older people are remaining in the workforce past retirement years. They are finding that the regulations and laws that once protected them are not covering the range of challenges that they are facing as older workers. For example, "in 2003, more than 19,000 claims were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission based on the Age Discrimination and Employment Act (ADEA), resulting in monetary awards of almost $50 million" (Bennet-Alexander & Hartman, 2007, p. 490). It is vital for all interested parties to vote, because even if it is in small amounts, there will be groups that will vote. These groups could be counter to an individual's needs or beliefs, and old practices that did not support the whole of society could raise their head again. The side effects of low voter turnout were evident in Kansas. The United States has been fighting against intermingling church and state since the Pilgrims fled England to avoid religious persecution. There was a low voter turnout in 1998, but church supporters turned out in unusually large amounts (Gibson, 2001). Their elected representatives decided to let teachers decide if they wanted to teach evolution or creation in public schools. This meant that children, who did not believe in creation, could have to attend classes with teachers who taught nothing else. This policy caused national embarrassment and controversy, because this policy didn't represent the entire state or the national educational practices. These elected officials were representing the values of only a small group in Kansas. This voter failure makes an important point. There are many opportunities to vote at the local, state, and nation level. A race that seems to have no great importance can lead to policies or laws being made that effect education curriculum and religious freedoms with much bigger life changing implications. Once enacted, these harmless laws can be considered unconstitutional and lead to expensive court battles. More importantly, politicians and policy makers recognize and allocate money to the groups that are voting. Voters will special interest that have high voter turnout will get the new roads, have better educational systems, and healthcare in their communities. They are in an empowered position to get their needs met. Elected officials pay close attention to the voting patterns in the United States. It literally pays to vote. In the 2008 National President Election, resoundingly Americans based their decision for who to vote for based on the economy, healthcare and taxes. A substantial 57% of voters wanted changes made to the current economy, and voters based their Presidential choice for the person they believed understood the financial crisis the best (CNN Politics, 2008). President Elect Obama is already working quickly to get his financial team together (CNN Politics, 2008). Also, although he won, not all states agreed that President-elect Barack Obama was the best candidate for the position. This is critical information for him, the rest of the country, and other Washington elected officials to know. This provides a clearer understanding of the American people and their priorities. If individuals choose not to vote, this is the only way to have a vote not count. Individuals in states such as Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma supported the ideas of John McCain. For President-elect Obama to take the country forward united, he will need to consider some of the ideas of the losing party and its candidate. Their votes were not wasted, because their voices must be considered in the future of the United States Furthermore, the men and women of the military understand the importance of their vote. They manage to fight a war and find time to vote through absentee ballots when necessary. Service members more than any other group understands how greatly the election can impact them. For them, depending on who is in the White House will determine how much funding the troops receive; how many soldiers are deployed; and how long they will be away from their families. Active duty and their family hold powerful voting numbers of 3 million (Cain, Mac Donald, & Murakami, 2008). The impact of voting is important to the military, and it is important for our nation's security that everyone has an opportunity to provide their input on war and foreign policies by voting. Finally, elections days are when Americans let their voice be heard. This can only be done by encouraging others to vote and making sure that the voting process is fair. The United States has come along way from armed men stopping the rights of blacks from voting. Few voting pole areas and faulty voting machines can harshly hamper the results. For many voting is a one step process. However, sketchy results like the ones from Florida in the National Election can only hurt the democratic process and damage the results in the international community. Voting can include taking a more active role in the process from helping getting the information out to supporting stricter regulations for voting machines. Having a higher number of turn out in voters will benefit the local, state, and federal community. It will create better schools, health services, and economic conditions for the United States. The only way to hurt this processes is to not participate with it. In closing, voting is important. The Revolutionary Era showed the severe consequences of living under a dictatorship, where the common person lived without representation or dignity. The sacrifices of the French, Americans, and Haitians made it possible for democracy through voting to create protective societal laws. With low voter turnout, these laws are in jeopardy of being repealed. A small minority of individual's interests can become represented. It is only through high voter turnout that society's values will be preserved. Thus, it is important to vote at all levels of government. Moreover, voting does not have to be a one step process, but can be a comprehensive involvement that encourages others to vote and express their opinion. In the end, the Unite States is a diverse country with strong values and constantly changing needs. To best meet the needs of the country, Americans need to vote. References Bennett-Alexander, D. & Hartman, L. (2007). Employment law for business. (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Cain, B., MacDonald, K., & Murakami, M. (2008). PAR symposium on election administration: administering the overseas vote. Public Administration Review, 68(5), 802-813. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com. CNN Politics. (2008). Election center results. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/ Gibson, S. (2001). Lessons from Kansas. Skeptic, 8(4), 8. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com. Girard, P. (2005). Caribbean genocide: racial war in Haiti, 1802-4. Patterns of Prejudice, 39(2), 138-161. Retrieved November 23, 2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com. Ros, M. (1994). Night of fire: the black napoleon and the battle for Haiti. New York: Sarpedon Publishers, Inc Wood, G. (1991). The radicalism of the American Revolution. New York: Random House Read More