The Act of Voting: A Right or a Privilege?

How do Americans view the right to vote? One responsibility that Americans have is to ensure that their leaders are serving their needs. This right and privilege should be taken seriously. I feel the right to vote is not to be abused; and that phrases such as “Get Out the Vote” or “Rock the vote”, which is directed at teens to encourage them to register the moment the turn 18, lead citizens to vote for the wrong reasons. This slogan encourages a false sense of satisfaction, and a person casts their vote, they feel they have benefited the community and their country and hence they are a more involved and respectable citizen. Uninformed voting is the result of political schemers and ultimately irresponsible citizens.
An 1955 article entitled “Let’s Not Get Out The Vote” by Robert E. Coulson addresses this issue of uninformed voting and the slogan that has provoked citizens to vote for nothing but the preservation of their reputation. Not much has changed since 1955—politicians are using the same tactics and people are still falling for them. I feel that this article is reflective of the American propaganda system. Political candidates have used slogans and other platitudes throughout the years; whether in 1955 or 2008, it has been proven that these sayings will help them win the most votes.
According to Coulson, the voting behavior of three typical Americans are active, “I have studied the candidates and have made up my mind,” passive “I know nothing about the candidates or the issues. I will stay home, and allow the election be decided by the votes of those who have made a study and formed an opinion,” ignorance, “I don’t know anything about the candidates or the problems, but by golly, I’m going to vote. It’s my duty. I’ll pick the fellows with the shortest names.” (1) Simply getting their name out there is the goal of a campaign.
The one-sided view of a number of Americans is that you are not an active, intelligent, or patriotic citizen if you do not participate in the voting process. Each citizen has their method of influencing the country in which they live. I believe that voting is not the only way in which to further the building up of the nation; one example is school involvement. You can unite parents and administrators to encourage more efficient learning techniques. The more that people simply persistently seek the furthering of their communities and ultimately the world, the more they will work, because their heart and soul will be the underlying force driving them ahead. When you combine the heart and the country of just one citizen, it is then that you are making a difference.
Coulson argues that “Instead of urging people to vote, we ought to be urging them to study and form opinions.” (2) I agree. If we vote and put the wrong people into power, we will all pay. The decisions we make not only affect our families, our communities and our country, but also the rest of the world. Voting has intention; it can be done for the right reasons or the wrong reasons. Coulson states that in 1955, “In every election, not more than one-third of the people care very much about how it comes out.” (2) If serving the needs of the people is our reason for voting, then we are not voting in vain.
In conclusion, the right and privilege we have to express ourselves freely in America is one that should not be forsaken. In 1955, those who were encouraged to vote are the same as those who are encouraged today; so regardless of what time period we live in, there are still those who are active, willing and ready, passive or not conclusive, and ignorant or apathetic. Although campaigners continue to use the tactics, I believe that if we pursue involvment as active citizens of the United States, we will be more effective and efficient citizens. Voting is not just some “civil duty” that we must fulfill for games, show or to win popularity; the purpose of voting is to allow the people to speak and through who they choose, whether they choose, and how they act upon their choice. A guilty conscience should not drive the heart of the American to speak out on election day, but rather a clear and informed one; because “If voting is made a duty, it ceases to be a privilege.” (1)