Now the real work begins

The Evening Standard headline was typical of London newspapers Wednesday trumpeting the Democrats' election victory. Headlines like "Bushwhacked" and "It's the War, Stupid," were the order of the day.

The Sunday Scribblings prompt is to write something based on a Diane Ackerman quote: "I do not want to be a passenger in my own life."

This week American voters decided the same thing, overwhelmingly voting for change and a new direction for the country. Voting is a responsibility for citizens in a country whose founding fathers envisioned "government by and for the people."

But too many Americans simply don't bother to register their voice at the polls. All kinds of excuses are offered, such as "couldn't get to the polls," - that's why absentee ballots are available - while some people won't vote because they fear being called for jury duty and worry they can't miss time off from work during a sustained trial.

Voting irregularities including computer glitches, power outages, problems with voting machines and long lines waiting to vote may deter many voters, as evidenced in Tuesday's election. Voter reform is an issue that must be tackled by our leaders. But voter apathy is an issue for individuals to address.

Voting remains an elusive privilege in some parts of the world. I'll never forget seeing the South African singer Miriam Makeba in concert in San Francisco in 1994. Well into her '60s, she talked about her excitement as a black woman being able to vote for the first time.

In Kuwait, women couldn't vote until 2005, when an amendment to Kuwait's electoral law allowed women to cast their ballots and stand in parliamentary and local elections. After Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the Kuwaiti government promised its Western rescuers it would initiate voting reform and political rights for women. Fifteen years later, that promise was finally realised.

In the United Arab Emirates, where the Parliament is officially appointed, neither men nor women have the right to vote or to stand for election. In Saudi Arabia, in 2005 men took part in the first local elections ever held in the country. But women were not allowed to vote or to stand for election.

So we are lucky to have the right and responsibility to choose our leaders and take them to task if they're not doing their jobs. In Australia, it's the law that every citizen must register their vote.

And now that the Democrats have control of the House and the Senate and the Speaker-of-the-House is a woman? We must find ways to cross partisan lines and work together for the common good.

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing is a field. I'll meet you there." - Rumi

Comments

[verity writes]

Excellent post Tara.

[TwilightSpider]

This is a fantastic post, and something that I feel so strongly about myself. I hate that Americans view things such as voting and doing jury duty as a nuisance, rather than the privelege and responsibility that they should be. Although I am now registered to vote in California (where I do, proudly, in EVERY election), my home-state of Montana had an enormously close Senate race this year and the Dem candidate, Jon Tester, won by less than 2000 votes. Every vote DOES count, although I'm with Bonnie in wishing the end of the electoral college - that would at least eliminate one excuse not to vote.

Thank you for giving us all so much food for thought!

[Kay]

I had the great priveledge to go vote with my husband and my kids. The greatest thing was explaining to my 4 year old son what voting means.

I always get a little choked up about the process. Silly patriotic fool that I am.

Nice post.

[bonnie]

Why do you think we have such a low voter turnout? It is such a gift! My friends from Australia and New Zealand don't see mandatory voting as a problem, but I am glad that we have the choice. I just wish they would get rid of the electoral college, because it seems that the popular vote doesn't matter because of it. Nice post! You keep us on our toes!

[Autrice DelDrago]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Outstanding observation.

[Rosa]

Baby, I wish I could have voted a couple of more times here in TN. We were shy only 2% to get another D in! Grrrrrrrrrrr.

[Rethabile]

"too many Americans simply don't bother to register their voice at the polls"
----------
They're passengers in their own lives. Myriam Makeba would have been happy: she fought for it hard enough.

I voted for the first time at age 45, and yes, it is a liberating experience. Powerful tool. Those who have it tend to take it for granted.

[sarala]

You hit it right on the head. I have been feeling like a passenger in this country's politics. Not that the dems winning will cure all of this but it helps.
I am always frustrated by everyone in this country opting out of voting. Even a woman I know who is passionately political did not vote because her state was pretty much a sure thing.
Nice post for prompt.

[January]

I think a lot of people, particularly low income and lower middle income folks don't vote because they feel dienfranchised. But you hit the nail on the head--voting is a privilidge that Americans take for granted. And while folks want less government in their lives, it's the men and women in state and federal offices who keep the roads in good order, our food safe, and our water clean.

Politicians get a bad rap but most of them want what's best for their constituants. I still believe it is the most honorable of professions, despite news reports to the contrary.

Great post!

[Kerstin]

Spoken from my heart. And it is not just that compared to other countries we should take our right to vote seriously, our fore-fathers and sister have also fought hard for it.

Which is why I am so crushed that because of my non-citizen status both in the UK and now in the US I haven't been able to cast a vote in a major election for more than fifteen years! I can still vote in Germany but not having lived there since the early 90s I feel too far removed from it to make a sound judgement. I want to have a say in the country that takes my taxes and where the politics affect me the most. As a German I am not allowed to have dual citizenship so becoming a citizen of the UK or the US is not an option for me because I do not want to give up who I am. At least in the UK they should allow EC residents who have lived there for more than, say, 10 years, to have a vote.

How many voices remain unheard because of people like me?

[desert rat]

Here in Ontario we're in the middle of municipal elections. For the first time in my life, I'm feeling that tug of apathy; not because I don't want to participate, but because the available choices are so darned uninspiring. But after talking to lots of people this week (reading this helped too), I think I'll grit my teeth and do the good citizen bit after all; it's so easy for choice to get taken away from us, and it really does seem to be a use it or lose it kinda thing.

[myra wexler]

Standing ovation for this piece, Miss Madame.
You are so right.
We in America are so lucky and priviledged to
have the right to vote.
You really brought this home to me in what you
had to say here.
Go Democats and Nancy Polosi (SP?)
We have an opportunity here.
Let's hope we move forward with some
dignity and grace and show the world
what a great democracy is capable of.
Let us lead by example.
myra.

[Colette]

Great piece, Tara.

Another big excuse I hear is, "One vote won't make a difference." Imagine how many people think that...let's say 100 or 1,000 or 10,000 and more.. what a difference those votes would in fact make!

People have to understand that they get the government they vote for or not vote for, and they have therefore no right to complain if they don't vote.

[Laini]

Great post, Tara. Thanks for posting the picture of that headline, too. It made me smile. I too get so frustrated over Americans' willful ignorance about politics as something that doesn't have anything to do with them. Arg! I sometimes wonder (and hope we never find out) how bad things would have to get here before the apathy about voting went away. Very very bad, I think.

[ren.kat]

I do think driving without a brain is illegal - even in America. Let's hope Congress takes the wheel now.

[Marilyn]

Voting IS a privilege...and I wish all American citizens would view it that way. It's so annoying to hear people complaining when they haven't bothered to vote.

[Amber]

Super great post, Tara! Because when we don't get involved, we are just making ourselves passengers in life. I love the connection you made with this SS, and what is happening in the world.

This last comment by Catherine is very intresting, too. It really speaks to the fact that getting involved MUST be an internal process. How do we motivate people to care, even when they have th rights!? Amazing... I think what you have done,pointing out how others do not have the right, may help people to step up and "be a driver". I hope so.

And those words by Rumi! Wonderful. I heart Rumi.

And I heart you ;)

:)

[Mandi]

I've almost forgotten what it feels like to have a glimmer of hope about our government -- how wonderful it is. But, yes, now the real work begins. Our elation won't last long if we can't make things right.

[bella]

I remember, at age 18, the first time I voted.. it was such an amazing experience. The candidate I voted for won, and I remember feeling very proud that my voice and my vote had counted and made a difference.

[Scott]

Oh boy....a daily dose of Nancy Pelosi. Just when I thought life couldn't get any better!

Most of the races in the US were quite close which is indicative of how divided the country is.....which probably has more to do with when the last time the dems had control than the recent Republican run. Dems put us in Vietnam and Repubs put us in Iraq.

Today's media magnifying glass and proliferation of voices makes me believe that we will never again have popular elected officials. At best, we have, "they haven't got caught doing anything.." as our highest standard.

What the heck do I know....we'll make the best of it.

[JanePoe (aka Deborah)]

whoops (hit enter too soon!) the hard work is yet to be done. Wonderful post & quotes. xo, d

[JanePoe (aka Deborah)]

Wonderful pic of the newsprint headlines! Warms my heart. But yes, the hard work

[kristen]

I took voting very seriously and I'm thrilled to see the Dem's took over!! Now what happens remains to be seen.......I think this Sunday's prompt sums up EXACTLY the role our current president has adopted since he's been in office and I think that ride is over. It will be an interesting next 2 years. I've got a wish (impeachment) and my husband's wish, that he'll go down in shame as the worst American president EVER, seems to be coming to fruition.

[GoGo]

well done. I knwo I take my vote seriously!

nice take on the prompt this week.

[miss*R]

ye, here in Australia, it is compulsory that we vote in all elections and we are fined if we don't.

[Catherine]

In New Zealand I believe it is law that everyone is registered to vote (but not that everyone actually vote). Nevertheless, not everyone is registered and no one ever gets prosecuted. I do believe we should all vote - but laws that are unenforceable are a bit pointless, they just encourage disrespect for the law.
At one stage in NZ we had a woman Prime Minister, woman leader of the opposition, woman governor general and woman chief justice - it doesn't automatically make their policies any better.