Generally speaking, most Americans tend to take their hard-won voting rights as guaranteed givens that go with the territory of U.S. citizenship. Such a lackadaisical attitude is extremely dangerous and may backfire with permanent loss of a false sense of political security, however. The primary reason why that’s true is due to proverbial mice’s bent to begin playing whenever their space is free of human inhabitants. In practical real-world terms, such a scenario invariably leads to progressive devolution of life circumstances beyond the point of no return that could have been completely avoided by electing the right candidate for the job. This is precisely what non-voting citizens do by effectively surrendering to defeat by default.
True democracy vs. total hypocrisy
There are many reasons why you should vote, but the first and most important thing that non-voting eligible U.S. citizens must fully comprehend and keep firmly in mind at all times is the basic purpose of casting a ballot in any election: Tacit expression of personal preference in a public representative. That basic rule holds true for U.S. Presidential campaigns and local court administrators alike: Selecting the best candidate to represent constituents’ special interests.
Therefore, failure to vote constitutes implied consent to governance by incumbent public officeholders. It further equates to forfeiture of any right to voice any complaint about current governmental officials – despite how inept or corrupt they may be. The combined truths of all foresaid facts of American political life amount to a singular conclusion: failure to vote equals inexcusable neglect of public and private affairs.
Voting rights are mandatory responsibilities for naturalized and native citizens alike A popular school of thought exists that holds voting as a mandatory obligation for naturalized U.S. citizens. The official Guide to Naturalization contains the following verbatim passage: “Citizens have a responsibility to participate in the political process by registering and voting in elections.”
As such, the standard naturalization oath requires pledgees to solemnly swear or affirm to support the U.S. Constitution, which entails voting as an integral part of that affirmation.
While native U.S. citizens currently have no legal compulsion to vote, many knowledgeable observers urge the passage of legislation to mandate that every eligible citizen participate in all popular elections. Many benefits vs. major detriments of voting
Despite a lack of notoriety or fame, political activism by casting a ballot in all elections can impart many subtle indirect advantages to citizens that include but are not limited to: 1. Having the relatively rare opportunity to exercise one of the primary privileges of membership in a democratic society.
Public officials in the U.S. are handpicked by a majority vote of governed populists. Such a momentous privilege must never be taken lightly and always exercised rightly. Numerous wars have been fought and many lives were lost to build and preserve democratic governance. Anyone who doubts the gravity of that point merely need to ask a fresh foreign immigrant whose homeland is ruled by leaders that weren’t chosen by the people. Indeed, such social catastrophes are precisely what many immigrants seek to escape by taking up residence in the U. S. of A. Even more startling is the dawning realization that failure to vote by all eligible citizens would result in an identical situation for America. After all, if no one bothers to express their desired pick for public representation, the U.S. federal government will install somebody to fill open seats in Congress and elsewhere throughout Washington.
2. Enhanced political clout and personal credibility Even the least informed people can readily appreciate and respect potential gains to be made via consistently high levels of political activism. Thus, voting on a regular basis garners greater respect and admiration of others who become inspired to do likewise on their own behalf. This positive trickle-down effect ultimately culminates as increased voter participation on a much larger scale that is more representative of the entire electorate.
3. Nobody wants, needs or appreciates taxation without representation As taxpayers, most citizens want some say so in where and how their hard-earned money goes and the manner in which the nation is run. The only way to ensure having some say to hold major sway with delegated responsible decision makers is voting for those in whom you repose complete trust and confidence.
In the final analysis, voting offers a means of speaking your mind without ever talking loud enough to let your voice be heard! Your vote is your voice. When you vote, you actually tell elected reps what you want and where you stand on important issues pertaining to public safety, retirement benefits, affordable healthcare and other matters of vital import. If you don’t vote for your personal beliefs, others will and you probably won’t like the end outcome. Not to dare mention betraying children by tossing their futures to the whimsical Fates.
A prime example of proof that one man, one vote really works was the 1960s Civil Rights Movement whereby sweeping, far-reaching positive changes occurred solely due to political activism of African Americans fed up with generations of extreme deprivation and second-class citizenship to such an extent that even precluded entry into public places via the front door. A peculiar aspect of those major victories was having to fight for the right to vote before being able to vote for positive change. However, take heart! If those forbears of color did it while facing huge hurdles that had to be overcome, so can you!
