Well, let us face the fact that in the United States we have a system that is supposed to be self-correcting with the voting system. Any person of the age of 18 who is a citizen, regardless of religious views, party affiliation, race or gender has the right to vote after going through a registration. This system depends upon the participation of the citizens to vote whenever they can. When things aren’t working out the people have the opportunity to vote out inept leaders, but if the people do not vote then things don’t get corrected.
Some blame it on how the system on making registration too difficult. In some states there were rules that a person wanting to vote in an upcoming election had to register three months before the elections but a law passed said that no state may make registration laws restricting time to register more than 30 days before the election. So states that have a traditional view on society usually have a law that says a person must register to vote 30 days before the elections.
Some states that have moralistic views will allow voters to register at the polling places, or states like North Dakota have absolutely no registration laws. A person can go to the poll with a photo ID and vote. In the 90s the Clinton administration made it easier for people to vote by passing the National Voter Registration Act in 1993, or the Motor Voter Act. Whenever someone applied for welfare, they are given a voter registration form. Whenever someone got a driver’s license, or renewed license, they were given a voter registration form.
So, regardless of legislation there is no reason why people can’t vote yet they don’t. Remember that the key to the success of our system is the participation of the people. Unhappy people who don’t vote are as much the problem as those that continue to elect the same people. Incumbents that serve for decades continue to do what they do and think what they think because they either believe that they are doing the will of the people that are obviously happy and re-electing them or they know that the people won’t vote them out. Giving them the benefit of the doubt let’s say that career politicians believe they are doing right by the people. The problem is that the ideas in politics need to change with time and career politicians don’t change thinking, they continue to do the same thing over and over again. Term limits would circulate ideas and politicians would know that they have limited amount of time to do their job.
Other countries around the world, especially in Western Europe do not have term limits on anyone but their presidents. Their parliaments have not term limits. Some might ask, why do we need them but no one really brings it up in these countries. Well parliament sessions don’t have a set time like we do. A session can last 2 months in one year or it can last from election to election. Also we have to go back to key point, voter turnout. In Italy’s last three elections 79%, 82%, and 84% of the voting age population turned out to vote. In Germany it was 72%, 73%, and 75% of the voting age population turned out. In the United States 37%, 56%, and 35% of the voting age population turned out to vote. The 56% percent was a presidential election with a popular opponent and an extremely unpopular incumbent.
I would like to point out where I got these numbers. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
No comments:
Post a Comment