A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won’t cross the street to vote in a national election. [Bill Vaughan]
With apologies to Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes, have you ever wondered why Election Day in America is not a national holiday? After all, more than any political machine, this would be the best way to get out the vote (GOTV) and increase participation in national elections to more respectable levels.
Moreover, since most Americans now observe President’s Day by going to shopping malls, why not have this holiday fall on Election Day so that they could observe it by going to voting polls?
Nonetheless, for today, get out there and vote! (And ignore celebrities who shout out “vote or die” while they don’t and thrive.)
But here’s to paying tribute to American presidents, henceforth, by voting, not shopping, on their holiday….
NOTE: I was stupefied yesterday when an otherwise intelligent associate informed me that he intended to vote for Democrats today because “they’ll bring the troops home”. Alas, I was constrained to disabuse him of this misguided expectation.
Because even if Democrats win control of the House and Senate, they will have no power to “change course in Iraq”, let alone force President Bush to bring the troops home. Bush has exclusive authority to keep troops deployed in Iraq until the last day of his presidency. And he has vowed to do just that – even if “only his wife and Barney (his dog) support his [stay the course] policy.”
Congressional elections
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