Ok, so by now you all have heard about the election that is going down this November. You know, the one with the old white guy and the black guy that wants to change things.
Well what I want to determine is why we put so much more emphasis on the presidential election over the congressional races.
The media and we as Americans place so much press time on the presidential election and minor coverage, if any, of the congressional races. With the system of checks and balances being what it is, you know, with one branch not to have anymore power than the other.
If this system is what it is, and we believe it to do what it is supposed to do, then why don’t we place more importance on the people we elect for the congress and the senate?
We don’t have any control on who sits on the judiciary bench, so that issue won’t be discussed.
In the 2006 congressional elections, 48 percent of registered voters got out and cast their decision for the new and
returning members.
That is, not to be Captain Obvious but, less than half. That means the majority of the voters sat at home and decided that they would rather watch television or yell because some idiot got voted off something … yeah they didn’t vote for that either.
In the 2004 election between Cowboy W. and apparent war hero, three-purple-heart-winner who is married to the ketchup queen, 64 percent of voter-age citizens cast their ballot choices for the man who would “lead” the country.
What is the deal with these numbers? 48 percent for the congressional elections and 64 for the presidential; why is the voter turnout for the presidential election so much higher? Because when someone runs for President of the United States, they are put on a pedestal since they will be “in charge” of the country.
But what about the congress? I understand that each branch has its own set of powers that the other branches don’t have, but when the President makes a decision, it has to go through the congress.
Like to declare war for instance: The President of the United States of America can’t send our country to war without the consent of the congressional body, even though he (or she) is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
So who is more important?
My problem with the elections is that the emphasis on the presidential election is so much more than what is put on the congressional elections. The truth is, we need both to be adequate in order for the country to be well led.
I believe the American public has lost its ability to think for itself and not be cornered and
swayed by propaganda.
Maybe if we actually paid attention to the political debates and found out what each candidate, be it for congress or president, stood for and voted because of that, our country would be in a better state.
I mean for goodness sakes, if less than half the people show up and vote for the congressional races, and more than half whine about the current affairs, how can they feel like they have the right?
Of course, this is the land of rights we don’t necessarily deserve; but to admit that would mean to be appreciative of those who got them for us, and surely we can’t be expected to take time to do that.
Nah, we’ll spit on them when they come home from fighting. Sorry-tangent.
So when it comes to voting time, be it for the congressional races or the presidential race in a few months, please do your homework and make your vote count by actually voting for whom you think will do the best for the country.
Take pride in which candidate you vote for and if you choose not to cast, don’t gripe.