The election is less than a week away and politicians are going all-out to win their respective campaigns. There have been some wild moments this campaign cycle and some that were just plain bland.
The talking points from the somnambulant Bentley-Sparks debates could have been pre-recited by any astute political observer, but at the same time, the Senate candidacy of Christine O’Donnell has been very entertaining as she has flopped like a fish in Delaware. In addition to candidacy craziness, there have also been many different ideas and numerous vibrant discussions on issues like Social Security, defense, immigration and the massive deficit. And, given the electric political atmosphere, turnout for this year’s election will likely be very high on Nov. 2.
However, there is one troubling thing about voter enthusiasm for next Tuesday. According to the major polling firms, college-age voters are less engaged than they were two years ago, when the 18 to 30 crowd was more energized than the nation has seen in over a generation, with the result of that effort being the election of President Obama.
Now, with enormous unemployment among recent graduates and crushing loads of student debt coming due, many have felt betrayed, lost the will to change their situations, or become completely apathetic. When polling suggests that a third of those our age do not care who controls Congress next year, it is obvious we have a problem.
One thing is certain: apathy is not the solution to our current problems.
We have millions of jobs gone to China that our parents and ourselves desperately need back; we have a devastatingly high national debt that will be due on our watch; we will also have to solve the entitlement problems that will come home to roost while we are in the workforce.
To fix these issues, our generation needs public servants that will work together to keep the American dream alive. However, none of these individuals can be elected if voters don’t put their ballot in the box at the polls. Democracy cannot move ahead if we the people refrain from expressing our points of view.
Voting is by far the most fundamental of American rights, but sometimes we forget how precious that right truly is. For more than 200 years, our brothers, our sisters, our fathers and our friends have given their lives for the maintenance of this freedom.
Every vote we have cast has truly been cast in both blood and sweat. Our founders and our forefathers knew the precious nature of this action, but over time we have forgotten its importance as the voting process itself has become suspect in many elections.
The epic Florida debacle in 2000 between President Bush and Al Gore diluted our confidence. Hard times can make voting seem like the least important item on our list, especially compared to paying bills and putting food on the table.
While all of these things are understandable, none of them should deter us from doing our duty as a citizen of the United States.
While it is easy to lecture on our duty to vote, the number one reason is the consequences of what will happen if we do not visit our polling locations.
The most obvious is that our voice will not be heard. With the exception of the 1968 and 1972 elections, the absence of the youth vote has in the past meant that the only voting demographics heard were those mostly aged 50 and up, and therefore any viewpoints expressed by Americans our age were shut out.
The nation has paid an extremely high price for this at different times. The result could be the same Tuesday.
More importantly, a failure to vote will not only mean that our voice is silent election day, but it will signal we are happy with the direction of this country.
As Pope Boniface VIII said, “silence gives consent.” In the context of this column, this quote highlights the implied response people give if they are politically silent — that they are content with the policies their representatives in government enact.
While it does sound like I am continually beating the same drum, it’s because I actually am. Voting is very important, regardless of whether you will live in this state, or even this region, after you graduate. We all have a stake in the future of our country and its destiny.
All students at the Capstone want what is best for our nation, and want to defend against those who seek to harm that vision. But remember Edmund Burke’s most famous words, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men (and women) to do nothing.”
Now go forth and vote!
Gregory Poole is a graduate student in metallurgical engineering. His column runs biweekly on Wednesdays.
