The Thrill of Voting in a Meaningless Election: 2014 Edition

I’ve heard many a politician ramble on about how every American should vote in today’s elections and that voting is a sacred duty that we must all fulfill.  This must then explain the rise in voter suppression laws or rather voter ID laws that will likely help the Republicans take control of the Senate (as the old saying goes, when only white men are able to vote with ease, the Republicans will crush the Democrats and the idea of a fair and open election).  Well that and the general incompetence of the Democrats come election year.  The Republicans have spent their soapbox time telling the American public that this election season is a referendum on the failed politics of President Obama that have led to ISIS militants crossing the Texas border to spread their Ebola onto good, hardworking Americans.  The Democrats have countered by agreeing with their opponent and saying that they’re different from Obama.  Now for me, this answer would only be acceptable if it were followed up by the phrase “because my views are more to the left of the President’s”.  Alas, this is never the case.  Democrats are always in the losing battle of watering down their beliefs to reach people that will never vote for them.  Republicans will never do this.  As wrongheaded and plain evil as their ideas may be, they stick to their platitudes and do not compromise during election season.  We end up with a fired up conservative base perpetually ready to take back America from the evils of healthcare and multiculturalism.  The Democrats fail to rally their base of liberals and progressives because they are trying to reach the take back America crowd.  Take a page from the Teddy Roosevelt page book and own your persona!  You are the Democrats our supposedly liberal party, is it too much to ask that you act like it and be publicly proud of your ideas?  I want to see Democrats coming out for all of Obama’s policies in the next election and saying that they will go farther to the left because that’s what this country needs.  We need more liberalism and less centrism that always reeks of conservatism. 

So vote today, as if your vote really matters.  Did you know that 30 Congressmen and 1 senator are running unopposed this election cycle (thanks Roll Call)?  Even dictatorships have a show candidate to feign a democratic process.  How in this country which is supposedly at one of its more divisive states, have 31 people running unopposed?  My bet is on heavily gerrymandered districts that work to stamp out the democratic process and on the fact that people (voters) are just plain lazy.  We complain about the politicians but the fact is that we reelect over 90% of them.  Voting just doesn’t seem like much of a way to change the problem because we rarely do.  We have the same people running for office and winning again and again.  How will that amount to any sort of sea change in our country?  I always liked the idea of congressional term limits because serving our government shouldn’t turn into a lifetime career with no risks.  How can we inspire new and fresh political faces if the odds are heavily stacked towards the entrenched incumbent?  Unless a popular incumbent is under federal indictment or had to resign in disgrace (only to emerge as a lobbyist a few years later), there is a good chance a fresh faced challenger faces a massive uphill battle unless they are rich beyond belief or house a special last name like Kennedy, Bush, or Clinton.  After a good while not voting seems like the right idea.  As George Carlin said, as a non-voter you can complain because you didn’t vote for these people and can’t be blamed for electing this latest group of do nothings.  If the Republicans take power the Democrats will take their role as the party of obstruction and filibuster any prospective legislation in a hilarious role reversal (I will actually be okay with this).  Let’s see Mitch McConnell or John Boehner try to get anything done this go around.

So again, vote today and let your voice be heard.  It’s a nice way to say you made a difference when in reality only people voting in around six states can actually cop that claim.  Either way get out there pull that lever, and then put on some pants and vote.  It’s your duty as an American.        

Works Cited

Mindock, Clark. "30 Members, 1 Senator Running Unopposed for Congress." At the Races. Roll Call, 03 Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.