|
Voting a 'straight ticket' should
not be an option
By Debra
Hawkins
October 6, 2008 | With universal health care, off-shore
drilling and the war in Iraq, this year's presidential
election is full of heated debates. The two major political
parties argue constantly over the best way to handle
the issues, each claiming to know what is best for this
country, and when they aren't arguing about the politics
we hear a never-ending comment barrage on go-go boots
and community organizers, leaving the country to wonder
if this is a fashion show or a presidential election.
The only relief we will get is when America finally
steps into those voting booths on Nov. 4, silencing
one candidate. In all of the heat coming down on the
presidential election, it seems that some of us have
forgotten they are not the only people being elected
that day.
Congressional candidates and other political hopefuls
may become the American people's afterthought as they
try to decide where they stand on the presidential election
or help campaign for the candidate they do support.
With everything else on our nation's plate, it would
be very tempting to vote straight party as a cop out
for knowing the platforms behind the candidates.
The designers of the voting booths have made it so
easy, that all you have to do is select your desired
party at the beginning of the process and the machine
will vote that way for you. You don't even have to look
at the candidate's names before you are out the door.
It's the fast- food version of politics.
While this may be the highest form of party loyalty
there is, it is also a disloyalty to yourself and your
country. It is the responsibility of each citizen over
the age of 18 to make an informed decision based on
their personal set of values, not relying on the R or
D in front of the candidate's names on election day
to be their cheat sheet.
If an informed voter decides to vote straight party
because they truly believe in each candidate they are
voting for, that is one thing, but voting straight party
for the sake of party purity is ludicrous. Just because
you believe in the politics of one party's presidential
candidate does not make those politics carry over to
a congressional candidate just because they belong to
the same party.
In this day and age politics are extremely diversified,
not just between the two major parties but within the
parties themselves. Rarely does one person completely
agree on every topic with their claimed party but rather
mostly agrees, lining themselves up with the party that
received more correct answers on their compatibility
tests. With many Americans agreeing with their party
on only most of the issues but being too busy to figure
out which candidates fit their belief system the best,
it has left elections wide open to be decided by straight
party politics rather than on the beliefs of the majority
of the American people.
If voters would just buckle down and take the time
to learn what the candidates believe and vote for the
candidates that most closely resemble their own beliefs,
it would be more likely that America would be run by
the candidate the people wanted, regardless if they
were Democrats or Republicans.
One of the major follies the government has made is
the enabling of the American people to vote straight
party simply by checking one box at the beginning of
the election process. This requires no thought, no preparation,
just a remembering every election day whether you go
for the donkey or the elephant, one check and you are
on your way.
This time/brain saver should be removed from the polls
immediately. At the very least the American public should
have to see the names of the candidates before they
make their possibly country-altering decision.
NW
MS |
