I just don't get it. It has dumbfounded me each and every election of my 64 years as an American. How can you be a citizen of this democratic nation and cavalierly dismiss your responsibility to vote? And yet that's exactly what many say they have decided to do — to sit this one out.
I understand the frustrations involved in making informed choices about candidates and political parties. I agree that the process seems convoluted, unbalanced and unfair at times. And the institutions involved — political, corporate, the media — appear monolithic, self-serving and greedy. Additionally, there is a degree of disgust involved in the present election, a reaction to the ill-mannered and derogatory discourse witnessed in debates and political advertisements.
But I maintain that the best means we as individuals have to address our deepest concerns and improve the overall health of this democracy is to freely speak our minds within the privacy of the voting booth ("Early voting begins: Marylanders get first opportunity to cast their ballots for Clinton or Trump," Oct. 27).
I'll now put aside my expectations and try to appeal to matters of self-interest. The intention to refrain from voting in this election has been expressed by people of all ages. In further discussion, I will not delineate among the generations: Millennials, Generation Xers, Boomers, Silent and Greatest Generation. Admittedly, many life experiences and historical events are shared within large cohorts of people. But the numbers are truly so large that I can't be convinced that everyone shares the same opinion on any given issue within the same age group. My own experience is one of sharing in the lives of people cross-generationally as do most of my family and friends. Conversation with them has revealed this shared agenda of concerns in this week's elections.
Education. Our democracy will not survive without equal access for all people, throughout the life span, to the best education possible. Equal access is not possible when resources are unbalanced or absent. Both communities and individuals suffer when their budgets are overburdened with debt. The decision as to whether adequate financial support will be provided depends on the election of candidates who will write and pass the necessary legislation. American citizens must learn to think critically about educational issues and make informed choices when voting locally and nationally. The ideals and values we hold most valuable will not survive if we don't share them and imbue them with life within our educational institutions.
Social Security. This is a system that most people would like to see survive in perpetuity, or, at the very least, to the end of their lives. People recognize the surprise element always lurking somewhere in the background of our lives. There are no assurances other than the "security" that this "social insurance" can provide if managed properly. Personal responsibility for retirement savings and investment is recognized but the history of Wall Street and national banks has included periods of volatility and unreliability.
Money. Campaign financing, corporate greed, trade, the ever growing gap between the haves and have-nots, these hot button issues are not going away. We are the richest country in the world, controlling and using many of its most valuable resources. Has greed become a shared value? Do we look out for only Number One and the rest be damned? Not in my survey of acquaintances. Many are annoyed and dismayed at this emerging perception of Americans and others are horrified. The sense of America as a caring nation is under attack. A reassertion of the value of sharing our resources more equitably is desired by many.
Supreme Court. Marriage equality, gun control, campaign finance, abortion, more hot button issues for many but people continue to share a vision of not turning back the clock on respect for the rights of others, particularly women, gays and minorities. Most are frustrated with the long-stalled, politically-motived process of approving a new justice and are quick to point the finger at current representatives as the spoilers. Due to the ages of some sitting justices, many people agree that a number of court appointees may be made by the next president.
Criminal justice. The concerns extend primarily to the unjust treatment of minorities and immigrants. Most people see a need to review current laws that deal with drug offenses and petty crimes, a need to overhaul long, drawn-out court processes that disrespect an individual's right to due process, reestablishing penal colonies as institutions for rehabilitation, more equitable hiring of police officers and more extensive training for them and, finally, reforming immigration law with reasonable, binding and humanitarian solutions. Justice is an arena in which local and federal departments need to be impartially investigated and provided the means to improve.
Climate change. Immediate and compelling measures must be taken to assure our healthy survival and the survival of all life on this planet. This sentiment is universally recognized by those who accept the results of scientific research and those who are presently suffering the ill effects of climate change. There is no time to stall. To quote the recent Nobel Prize winner, Bob Dylan, "Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call. Don't stand in the doorway; don't block up the hall…"
Foreign Affairs. Many people state a desire to be at peace with the world and to be respected, but not feared, by other nations. We recognize that our national security, trade and travel are dependent on continued positive relations that honor other countries' needs. Many people claim both national and world citizenship and want to be free to travel uninhibited – to study abroad, to attend international conferences, to join in the activities of professional organizations, to experience diverse cultures. Connecting with the world outside our borders allows each of us to act as ambassadors for freedom and democracy.
Hopefully, reading about these few issues (admittedly, there are many more), might lead to the recognition that voting for one's own self-interests inevitably intersects with the wants and needs of the community-at-large. America is a hard-won union of empowered individuals who, through the election process, aspire to attain for each fellow citizen "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In all the current discussion of privilege, we can each act upon the uncontested privilege we have as Americans to decide the future direction of our country. Be a part of American history and exercise your right to vote.
Gerry Cohee, Catonsville