Right to Vote

After an election is over, I like to ask people, "Did you vote?"

It's a good way to find out why voter turnout is so low.

It's an interesting thing, too, because whenever someone admits that they didn't vote, they offer an excuse in the same breath. "Oh... no... I had so much to do that day, I just totally forgot."

If you press non-voters about it, they'll justify their non-action by saying that "it doesn't matter, anyway" and asking, "What possible difference could my one vote make?"

Well, my stock response is that, yes, it probably doesn't matter who you vote for... it only matters that you vote.

Y'see, boys and girls, as long as officials are elected by money and not plurality, the money will continue to be the elected officials' constituency.

Who do you think they'll be listening to after they're elected? The small number that voted them in, or the special interests that donated the bulk of the money to their campaign?

It isn't that a citizen of this country has a "right" to vote, it's a matter of having a duty to vote.