On The Sidelines Of Democracy: Exploring Why So Many Americans Don't Vote

[steve2470]

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/10/645223716/on-the-sidelines-of-democracy-exploring-why-so-many-americans-dont-vote

Among the other 4 in 10 who did not vote was Megan Davis. The 31-year-old massage therapist in Rhode Island never votes, and she's proud of her record.

"I feel like my voice doesn't matter," she said on a recent evening at a park in East Providence, R.I. "People who suck still are in office, so it doesn't make a difference."

Davis might sound contrarian, but she's not. Although these days more Americans say they're enthusiastic about voting in a midterm election than at any point in the last two decades, come Election Day, nonvoters like Davis will still probably be the norm. For every 10 adults eligible to vote, only about four cast a ballot in the 2010 and 2014 midterm elections.

You have to go back to the turn of the 20th century to find a midterm election when a solid majority of people voted (of course, back then, the right to vote was far more limited, so the eligible voting pool was smaller, more male and more white).

"She's proud of her record"....sigh....granted, Rhode Island went for Secretary Clinton but still.....

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. And people whom suck are still in office

because.......um.....people like her don't vote! Races have been decided because of a SINGLE vote. Everybody's voice matters!

[steve2470]

2. exactly, if you don't vote, you have NO voice at all nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. What's really sad

is that people like her have been brainwashed/conditioned/beaten down to *believe* that they can't/won't make a difference. Of course, part of the GOP mantra is that government "can't do anything right", so I'm sure that helps feed into the conditioning.

[smirkymonkey]

3. What an idiot.

She's proud of her record.

[SharonClark]

4. They also don't vote because they have short attention spans

and don't understand that change takes a long-term effort and is subject to reversal unless voters are vigilant.

As others have said, her voice doesn't matter because she doesn't vote.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. And if they don't vote, they conspiring to deny us our voices too...I don't put lightly w/ ...

this attitude. Everything that happens afterwards is reflective upon their FAILURE to uphold one of the greatest things and responsibilities in being an American citizen...Good people have died for this right, and thus, this is very disreputable and irresponsible.

Laws do mandate that businesses give time to their employees to go vote. No excuses.

[handmade34]

7. listened to this in the car this morning

the entire segment is a good listen...

[meow2u3]

8. If you don't vote, you're doomed to be ruled by evil men and women

That's one message we need to send to non-voters to get them off the sidelines.

[dlk]

9. Apparently, Too Many Americans Don't Understand...

When they don’t vote, they are giving two votes to the person they don’t agree with. Of course, they won’t be happy with the people elected. As the saying goes, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem (and have no right to complain.)

[Calculating]

10. It would help if all elections were held on weekends

Having elections on work days is stupid, there are lots of people with real obligations that keep them away from the polls.

[maxsolomon]

12. Vote-by-mail

WA State has had VBM for >10 years.

The excuse then became "who has a stamp anymore?"

Now, they've made the ballots postage-paid.

People are lazy and rationalize anything. Freaking flibberdigibbets.

[NurseJackie]

11. I think when we have politicians and celebs saying that there are "no differences" in the party...

"I feel like my voice doesn't matter," she said

I think when we have politicians and celebs saying that there are "no differences" in the party, that really depresses turnout. It also turns off support for Democrats and the Democratic party.

After all, why would someone bother to vote for a Democrat (or vote at all) if our so-called "allies" continually proclaim that the Democrats are "feeble" and "corrupt" and "ideologically bankrupt"? And why would someone bother to support a party when it's (incorrectly) described as being the "party of the one-percent"?

All the different variations and different ways to say "both parties are the same" are untrue and harmful.

All I'm trying to say is that when people like that tell OUTRIGHT LIES about Democrats, the end result it divides and weakens the party, it causes distrust, and it turns people away from the Democratic party. It may bring in some fundraising cash for certain politicians and other fringe groups that are hostile to Democrats... but ultimately... the ones who benefit the MOST are the GOP, and Russia.

I think we can all agree that it's important to stop trashing Democrats and the Democratic party and to vote ONLY for Democrats.

[steve2470]

14. very well said! nt

[CrispyQ]

13. A little off topic, but I wonder if Colin Kaepernick still thinks it didn't matter who won in 2016?

I applaud his take-a-knee protest, but his view on voting is totally wrong.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18009671/san-francisco-49ers-quarterback-colin-kaepernick-pay-attention-tuesday-election-results

Kaepernick, who did not vote Tuesday, said during a conference call Wednesday with media in Arizona that he "really didn't pay too close of attention" to the election, which was decided close to midnight on the West Coast.

"I've been very disconnected from the systematic oppression as a whole," Kaepernick said. "So, for me, it's another face that's going to be the face of that system of oppression.

"And to me, it didn't really matter who went in there. The system still remains intact that oppresses people of color."

more...

"To me, it was embarrassing to watch that these are our two candidates," Kaepernick said. "Both are proven liars, and it almost seems like they're trying to debate who is less racist, and at this point, I was talking to one of my friends who goes, 'You have to pick the lesser of two evils, but in the end, it's still evil.'"

HRC certainly had her flaws, but there was absolutely no comparison between these two candidates.

Now that he's in the spotlight, I wish he'd take this opportunity to GOTV.