One of my main goals as a teacher is to convince students that civic engagement matters. That means lots of different things at lots of different times. The most recognizable and fundamental aspect of civic engagement is voting. So many Americans choose not to engage in the political system. This is the beginning of a series to examine those reasons, and hopefully to explain why they’re not as true as many may think.
If a citizen believes that there are no substantial differences between two or more political candidates, the choice to abstain from voting seems more than reasonable. “They’re all crooks!” “They’re just in it for themselves!” “Lobbyists run the place!” “They don’t do anything for people like me anyway!” These complaints and more have been overheard - and spoken - by so many of us.
Anger often drives voters to the polls. However, the sentiments above are not driven by anger. They are indicative of apathy and resignation. Those who are mad at a certain politician will be motivated to vote him or her out. Those who feel like nothing will change regardless of the outcome of an election will likely stay home. This feeling is widespread, and it is highly problematic for the future of our republic.
So what do we do to fix this problem? How do we “fix” our political system - and our politicians - so that we always feel like our choices can create meaningful change? How do we move past the weak resignation of “Washington is the problem” or “Jeff City changes people”? The short answer is one most of us don’t want to hear. We must change our own behaviors first.
Why does “nothing” get done in Washington from the perspective of so many? Quite simply, we as voters have given our elected representatives no incentive to compromise across the aisle for fear of giving the other side a win. We’re also very good at sending mixed, and even contradictory, signals to our elected representatives. This is a bipartisan phenomenon, and it’s not new.
Think about what opinion polls tell our political leaders we want. We want lower tax rates for ourselves, yet demand that someone else pay them (often in very large numbers). According to the Tax Policy Center, 44% of American households paid no federal individual income taxes in 2018. Take a look at your tax returns. After deductions, you may be among those 44% without even realizing it. This is not at all meant as a criticism if you fall into that category. Far from it. With the new tax law firmly in effect, many of us are now in this category without even realizing. The point is, we must deal in facts. State-level taxation systems, however, are a much different story. Missouri, for instance, must balance its budget, and it shows in its behavior.
We ask the government to spend on the social programs we hold near and dear, but to cut those that we consider wasteful or invaluable. The truth is that every existing program is deemed to be absolutely essential by someone. That being the case, they all tend to stick around.
In short, the American people basically ask our political leaders to do three things: lower our taxes, spend on programs we value and at least get closer to balancing the budget. The problem is that a + b definitively do not equal c in this equation.
We become frustrated because our politicians are stuck in gridlock. We are perplexed when they engage in nonsensical rhetorical flourishes. We can’t believe it when they support two seemingly contradictory policies. Given the messages we send that I laid out above, is it any wonder?
Are all politicians the same? No. There are substantial policy differences in many races on substantive issues such as environmental issues, gun policy, agricultural issues and a host of other very important topics.
The best thing you can do is to determine the three to five issues that matter most to you. Educate yourself on those issues, and examine the stances of candidates. Ask questions of them, then vote accordingly. Then follow up to see what they do. If an elected official takes a stance with which you disagree, let him know. If Congress has a vote coming up about which you care deeply, write your member. If your congresswoman keeps a promise that is important to you, be sure to thank her.
Members of Congress respond to the preferences of voters, but they have no idea what we think if they don’t hear from us. They want to know what we think. That being said, the thing that makes their job hardest is the thing that may be the most difficult obstacle to overcome in human nature. We very rarely ask for things with others in mind.
If I want the highways to be fixed, those dollars have to come from somewhere. Can it always be someone else’s piggy bank? Social Security and Medicare have become vitally important safety nets for older Americans. Will they still be there for our children and grandchildren? Medicare’s H1 trust fund is projected to become insolvent in 2026. Why will these programs likely not become solvent any time soon? Why will the federal government continue to rack up huge deficits even in times of prosperity? The answer is complicate, but at the end of the day it’s simple.
Campaigns long ago stopped being about doing what is in the public interest. It’s not because politicians got tired of talking about the public interest. It’s because voters largely got tired of hearing about it. Today both parties race to see who can do more for “normal people” and “everyday Americans.” That “more” costs money, and that money almost always exceeds tax revenues.
We know that someone must be blamed for this, so who is it? Do we blame Congress, the president or the bureaucracy? While they all play a part, the answer seems to be closer to home, but harder to fix. We’re so frustrated when our votes don’t seem to change the status quo, so who do we blame for the way things are? To answer this question, America needs to look no further than the closest mirror.
It’s no one person’s fault, and it can’t be fixed by any one person. However, politicians will not differentiate themselves in a positive manner until we demand it of them. They will not restrain themselves from offering us things that may or may not be in the public good until we say no.
How do we force politicians to give us positive choices in our elections? First we must oblige ourselves to make positive changes as an electorate. First we have to fix us. Thanks for reading!
Spot on Bill! As a former Election Authority I heard and saw many instances of the examples you gave that people use as an excuse for voter apathy. Now as a legislator, I put myself out there for criticism but try to stay true to the reason why I was elected; to serve my constituents when voting on issues of importance to our area and way of life.
Keep up the good work on the column. Your students are lucky to have you as a positive influence in their lives!