Monday, September 16, 2013

VOTING AGAINST YOUR BEST INTEREST © 2013 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.

 VOTING AGAINST YOUR BEST INTEREST
 © 2013 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.


What does it take to get us into a voting booth?  Jobs? Potholes? New schools? The fear of a minority in control? Your best friend from high school?  The possibility that things are going to change, once and for all?  The right to vote is a very private one.  Who we vote for, why we vote for them, or what party we belong to, is really no one’s business.  So if we vote for someone or an issue that someone else doesn’t like, does that constitute voting against our best interest?  Only we who cast our respective votes will know for sure. 

But, as private as voting is, it is a community right as well that those who vote, or who choose not to vote, get a fair and equal opportunity to make their choices.  It is important that nothing, or no one obstructs our right to vote, regardless of how direct or subliminal.  Unfortunately, as many of us know, that is not always the case.  Voting is so important to our American way of life, that there are those who may take the risk of pre-empting the constitution to prevent, or obstruct other American citizens the right to vote.

But on the other hand, there are those of us who choose not to vote.  Why is that?  Yes, it is a private decision, understandably.  But, is it not a valid question? What keeps many of us from voting?  What keeps so many of us, as American citizens, from taking the time to early vote, to send in our absentee ballots, or just showing up at the voting polls?  How many “good excuses” do we have for not participating in the voting process?  In the interest of full disclosure, I have missed a few voting events myself.  My excuses were:

1.  I didn’t like any of the candidates, or,
2.  I put everything that day ahead of voting, and when I finally had the time, it was too late.

But I rarely miss voting.  I know how important it is, and when I have missed the opportunity, on those rare occasions, I felt extremely guilty.

I ask these questions while I reflect on several presidential elections of recent years.  One of those presidential elections that I reflect on is the one in 2000, between former Vice President Al Gore[1] and then former Governor of Texas, George W. Bush[2], which was ultimately determined by the United States Supreme Court.[3]

I also reflect on the Presidential Election of 2008,[4] between then, Senator John McCain of Arizona[5], and then, Senator Barack Obama[6] that ended with America’s first African American President.  And lastly, I reflect on the presidential election of 2012. That election resulted in America’s affirmation of President Obama’s work, by returning him to the presidency
Each of these 3 elections were a remarkable turn of events in American history. 

Many of us were fortunate to not only witness these last 3 presidential events, but to also participate in the voting process that for good or bad, or for better or worse, resulted in that part of American history moving forward.  Many of us were disgruntled, angry, mad, excited, filled with exhilaration, and perhaps, extremely emotional by the results of any one of these events.  And reasonably so.  Many of us voted for what we believed was in our best interest.  Or, did we?  Of course we did, didn’t we?

Let’s see:  We voted in our best interest when we voted either Democrat or Republican; we voted in our best interest whether we voted Liberal or Conservative, and no doubt, we voted in our own best interest when we voted for the first black president from Chicago, IL, as we did when we voted for the POW candidate from Arizona.  We knew that for all we were worth, if we voted, we were voting our in our own best interest, maybe.  What decisions could have made a difference in how we voted in just those 3 presidential elections?  I can only suggest five decisions that could have affected our decisions to vote one way or another, and perhaps, these decisions may have affected our best interest.  Here are the five:

  1. Voting along racial lines-   It is without question that many people who voted for President Obama may have not voted for him if he were not black, including non-blacks.  Is that a good thing?  Let’s agree, race is a very important part of our decisions to vote, whether we admit to it or not.  We have been taught this, however subliminally, that in America, only white males can be leaders.  We have been taught, subliminally, that the presidency, for example, should only be held by white males.  The underlying message seems to be that not even white women should run for the presidency.  But through the years, positions of political leadership have gradually eroded from the perception that only white males can hold roles of leadership, especially in our politics, and even in corporations.  Today, because many Americans have registered to vote, and in some cases disagreed with many of the philosophies often promoted by white males in leadership, many Americans, from varying backgrounds, race, creed, religions, and color, sought to promote people from their own communities.  Blacks wanted Blacks to represent their communities; Hispanics wanted Hispanics to represent their communities, and so on, including Asians, Native Americans, and others.  All of whom believed that they could best be represented by someone who looked the most like them. Or, so they believed.   But, history is beginning to show that even those who look like you don’t necessarily have your best interest.  Many of you may disagree, so disagree at will.  The idea of voting someone primarily because they have the same skin color, or perhaps the same sex as you, or even because they have the same religious background, would seem to suggest that we are lazy.  It doesn’t mean that we are lazy, just suggests it, and here is why. 
In today’s world of easily accessible information, the ability to research a candidate’s background and to find our who they truly are, is very important.  If a candidate’s background, or field of experience does nothing to move the community forward, would it make sense to vote for him or her if their only common denominator is that they look like you?  Or, if the only common denominator is that they are from our old high school? Or, if you and they share the same hairdresser?  Voting should seem more important than that, I believe.  Do you disagree?


  1. Voting for or against someone whose ideals are inconsistent with a popular issue via “fear-mongering[7]”. When we talk about popular issues, we are speaking about issues such as abortion (Roe v. Wade[8]), the 2nd Amendment,[9] Affirmative Action[10], or Obamacare[11].  As the 2014 elections come around, the Affordable Healthcare Act[12], or Obamacare will continue to be an issue that Conservatives will target as a taxing issue, literally.  And this not to pick on the Republicans.  (This is not a Republican bashing post, I am an independent.  Democrats are not exempt here).  The fact that Obamacare focuses on preventing insurance companies from dropping those with terminal illnesses, and does not include abortion, is of no consequence.  So, fear-mongering is the order of the day.  The messages seems to be:
“Obamacare must go, or we will be taxed into oblivion!” Or,
“Obamacare must go, or there will be abortions at the ready when Obamacare is fully implemented”, and the fear mongering continues.  
Additionally, the 2nd Amendment is another hot button issue.  If the President of the United States can be portrayed in any way, shape, or form as having an agenda to “take our weapons”, he will be portrayed as being the president capable of violating, or even repealing the 2nd Amendment.  As we have all seen, this level of campaigning, “fear mongering” often results in otherwise good, intelligent, law-abiding, God-fearing citizens running for the sporting goods stores, or gun shops buying up every type of weapon and ammunition believing that they will never be able to own a gun again. Or, that every gun that they ever owned will be confiscated, on general principal.   

  1. Voting for those who have a history of holding offices, but whose accomplihments are lacking (What have they done for you lately?)-  Our constitution, and our various state and city charters allow us to decide on who to vote for within certain guidelines.  One of those guidelines is term-limits.  Depending on the office, some candidates can almost hold public office for an indeterminable amount of time, or so it seems.  Or, there are candidates who seem to be great at jumping from one office to another, and yet, we vote for them.  No harm, no foul, because it’s legal.  It’s America, and unless there is a violation of law, let’s just go with it.  What harm can come from voting for the same candidates over and over again?  What harm can come from politicians who eventually establish dynasties by their family members occupying any number of offices throughout the community, yet, the community moves forward at a snail’s pace, if at all?  If voting for someone new frightens us, then we should continue to vote for those whose history of success does no more than solidify their future in public office.  Again, no laws are broken, and it is far from unethical that political dynasties exists.  I’m just saying.

  1. Voting blindly without researching the background of existing or new candidates-Chronic voting is a good thing, right?  Maybe, but not if chronic voting means we just walk our little happy feet into the voting booth and we haven’t done our homework. It only means self-satisfaction that we are chronic voters if we are doing everything reasonable to ensure that our vote not only counts, but that we are voting responsibly.


  1. Not voting at all- It is a big responsibility to vote.  But that responsibility is just as important if, as American citizens, we don’t exercise the right to vote.  People of Color should appreciate this right now more than ever.  The fact that the United States Supreme Court has just ruled to remove certain provisions from the Voting Rights Act of 1965[13] should give People of Color great pause.  The repercussions are yet to come, but they will be coming.  For those of us who choose not to vote, regardless of our heritage, the failure to take advantage of this right is as dangerous as voting for someone who means no good to the values that we hold dear.  How is that?  Think about it.  Not voting is voting.  It is the one time “No” means “Yes”.  By not voting, it gives consent to those whose agenda maybe counter-productive to the community at large, to carry out the very ideals and programs that our vote could have prevented or made possible.  But, it’s our individual choice not to vote, and we have the right not to vote, even it is essentially voting against our own best interest.

Conclusion
These five areas may not apply to any one of us.  But, it is possible that we are influenced by fear mongering.   Or maybe, we do our homework by researching each and every candidate and issue that we vote for.  In either case, we are doing what the constitution allows.  And if we are, then choosing to vote for the same candidates over and over, or candidates who look like us, are the rights that the constitution also provides, and if so, what harm is it?  No harm! No foul!

Maybe, I am over analyzing, and perhaps, I just needed an article to post, but the 2014 mid-term elections are coming up, very quickly.  And then, to be followed up by the 2016 Presidential election.   These elections will be filled with candidates and issues that will no doubt be filled with fear mongering, possible voter suppression activities, as well as the usual array of back-biting, mud-slinging that makes American politics what it is.   What we, as Americans have to decide, is whether to vote for or against anyone who remotely agrees  with abortion, or the taking of our guns in violation of the 2nd Amendment is really the issue that affects our decisions to vote.  We have to decide how important it is to vote for someone who looks like us because of the color of their skin, or the fact that they are a woman, or whether they have the same sexual orientation, or not.  These elections will be filled with campaign promises from Democrats and Republicans that all but promise the moon, while delivering far short of the stars that either party is willing to fulfill.  Yet, for us to be swayed by any issues that are blatantly untrue, or lacking substance, is in itself, against our best interest. 
Our future generations are depending upon us to draw conclusions about their future based on substantive issues that help them to be successful.  Our future generations can’t be successful if, as in the 2012 Presidential election, voter suppression was running rampant.   Our future generations can’t expect to be successful if we, who have the opportunity to make a positive change in our American society, decide that voting was so insignificant, that not voting was a choice that so many of us make today, and perhaps forfeited the future for the better.  But that’s okay, voting is a private matter, but let’s not forget, it has a public impact.  So, in conclusion, any vote that is not cast, or cast for any reason that is made blindly, and without consideration for what the candidate(s) brings to the table, cannot benefit our community.  Any such vote is a vote made against our best interest, individually, as well as, collectively.  It’s our choice to continue voting as we do, where the end result is for our communities to remain unchanged, and lacking economic benefit in the form of jobs, job training, vital infrastructure improvements, schools, or any other improvements that makes our community a great place to be and live.  It’s our choice to vote, but it’s in our community’s best interest how we all vote.


Disclaimer:  Information deemed to be from reliable sources but not guaranteed.  Consult your respective representatives regarding your community’s future.  No one person, persons living or dead are implied by this posting.  Any incident suggested is coincidental, your situations may vary.


[4] Presidential Election 2008- http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/
3 Presidential Election 2012- http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2012/
[13] Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Court 2013- http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-96_6k47.pdf
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