In "Civil Disobedience," Henry David Thoreau discusses the role of government in the lives of people and society. Thoreau believed that change can be made through social conscientiousness. That in some way this is a better way to scrutinize the law and government than voting for change. Thoreau believed that, “All voting is a sort of gaming,” and given the current state of affairs in the country today he would seem to be right.
Each election year voter participation drops and fewer candidates contest elections. Occasionally, there will be a slight upward blip when a candidate excites the voters, but overall the electorate is frustrated by the lack of vision shown by those seeking office. The sense of public frustration has not reached the leadership of either party and the cycle continues, uninspiring candidates, lead to uninspired voters, that in turn keeps voters away form the polls, leaving the same uninspiring politicians in office. So the “change” voters are clamoring for does not happen.
Change, real change is the last thing a politician wants. Much like casino operators, today’s politicians, want to control the odds. They do this by getting professional consultants involved and to them the campaign is nothing more than a game. Getting the “R” or “D” elected is more important than the beliefs or character of the candidate. Like Blackjack, getting elected is a numbers game. A consultant will figure out what percentage of blacks, whites, women or men are needed to win. Then develop a strategy to win a majority of a minority of groups. This fractured tactic hampers change. It pits the same groups that elected a candidate against each other as they are looking out for their own interests. These are the same interests promoted by the candidate during the campaign as a vehicle of change and unity.
The one unifying force that an elected candidate will support is dependence on government. Once elected, the legislator starts to bring home the bacon, making the voters more dependent on the government. The voter then begins to support and vote for the very person they may have voted against in a prior election. The government becomes bigger and more intrusive and the citizens become more dependent on the hand outs that the government supplies. Voters then begin to play their own numbers game, supporting whoever gives them the most bang for their vote. In the end the unifying forces become the greed of the voter, and the power craved by the politician.
Had Thoreau lived in these times, he would be speaking out about the growth of government, the loss of personal liberties and the lack of participation in the election process. The fault is as much that of the voter, as it is of the elected official. While much of the public wants a smaller streamlined government; they want it at some one else’s expense. Until government is smaller and less expensive, or the public is willing to give up all the freebies, that they are actually paying for, there will be no change. Perhaps in time more people will become involved in the election process. Ideally those that do vote will realize that when they register to vote they are not buying a lottery ticket with a guaranteed payout.
Each election year voter participation drops and fewer candidates contest elections. Occasionally, there will be a slight upward blip when a candidate excites the voters, but overall the electorate is frustrated by the lack of vision shown by those seeking office. The sense of public frustration has not reached the leadership of either party and the cycle continues, uninspiring candidates, lead to uninspired voters, that in turn keeps voters away form the polls, leaving the same uninspiring politicians in office. So the “change” voters are clamoring for does not happen.
Change, real change is the last thing a politician wants. Much like casino operators, today’s politicians, want to control the odds. They do this by getting professional consultants involved and to them the campaign is nothing more than a game. Getting the “R” or “D” elected is more important than the beliefs or character of the candidate. Like Blackjack, getting elected is a numbers game. A consultant will figure out what percentage of blacks, whites, women or men are needed to win. Then develop a strategy to win a majority of a minority of groups. This fractured tactic hampers change. It pits the same groups that elected a candidate against each other as they are looking out for their own interests. These are the same interests promoted by the candidate during the campaign as a vehicle of change and unity.
The one unifying force that an elected candidate will support is dependence on government. Once elected, the legislator starts to bring home the bacon, making the voters more dependent on the government. The voter then begins to support and vote for the very person they may have voted against in a prior election. The government becomes bigger and more intrusive and the citizens become more dependent on the hand outs that the government supplies. Voters then begin to play their own numbers game, supporting whoever gives them the most bang for their vote. In the end the unifying forces become the greed of the voter, and the power craved by the politician.
Had Thoreau lived in these times, he would be speaking out about the growth of government, the loss of personal liberties and the lack of participation in the election process. The fault is as much that of the voter, as it is of the elected official. While much of the public wants a smaller streamlined government; they want it at some one else’s expense. Until government is smaller and less expensive, or the public is willing to give up all the freebies, that they are actually paying for, there will be no change. Perhaps in time more people will become involved in the election process. Ideally those that do vote will realize that when they register to vote they are not buying a lottery ticket with a guaranteed payout.
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