Why Is It Important To Vote? Your Country Needs You Too, That's Why!

In the mid-term elections traditionally, the president's party doesn't do well. Low voter turn-out has been the reality of modern-day politics for the Democratic Party in off-year elections. The Republicans are still reaping the benefits from the last mid-term elections held in 2010. Not only, did the Republican's gain in the House and Senate. They also gained control in the state and local governments in the South especially. What resulted? Gridlock!

Now that the Republican's have power look what they have done. They have ruined state economies with their policies prime example Gov. Sam Brownback from Kansas.[ See Article]

Republicans have been able to control agriculture and education policy.
They have completely gerrymandered political safe zones creating a major uphill fight for the Democrats, in the House especially. The reality of this is the Democrats taking back the House in the for-seeable-future is at best vague. The Republicans have been able to " tip the playing field."

This Is Why Its Important To Vote!

In addition, the Republican Party backed by deep-pocketed factions like the Koch Brothers and others have waged a flat-out-assault on Voting Rights. Since the 2010 mid-terms, 18 Republican-controlled states acted to restrict voting.[See Source] So, in 18 states it is now harder to vote because of the Republican Party. For example, in the state of North Carolina you can no longer enjoy same day voter registration. In Wisconsin, lawmakers there passed new laws making it much harder to vote. Just recently, those laws were overturned by the Supreme Court. 

Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)

Wisconsin Is One Walker Of A Mess!

Something has happened on the Voting Rights front that never has happened in the past. The Government Accountability Office [GAO] which is a non-partisan arm of Congress. Reported, once these republican states starting changing these voting rules  five U.S. Senators wrote the GAO requesting a study of state legislative actions that may affect voter registration or voting. In states where these type voter suppression laws have passed there was a clear indication that it lowered the voter turnout. The GAO looked at six states. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, Maine, and Tennesse. They looked at these states from 2008 to 2012. Between the two presidential elections, the overall turn-out declined in 2012 from 2008. In Kansas and Tennesse the turn-out dropped more than the other mentioned states. During the study period, it was both Kansas and Tennesse who enacted very strict voting laws. The study found  voting suppression measures effected young voters and African-American voters between the ages of 18 and 23 the most.

This Is Why Its Important To Vote!  

How do young voters tend to vote? Democratic. How do African-American voters tend to vote? Democratic. The finding of this study was more verification than surprising. What is ridiculous is that the purpose of these laws were to stamp out a non-existent voter fraud problem. These new over the top voter ID laws are being reversed in some states. However, even so, they will be allowed to stand in this coming election in particular states that puts the Democrats at a disadvantage. It is the position of the House of Public Discourse if you are an eligible voter and a duly registered voter you should not be weeded out of the process by some new over and beyond voter ID requirements. These actions are not fair, legal, or American. In America, we encourage people to vote, not to disenfranchise themselves from the process. It is clear the Republican Party does not want a fair system of voting. They want a system that tips the scale in their favor in spite of the Constitution. Honestly, we must call this for what it is, 'cheating, because using political power to change the rules and disrespect our Constitution is not in the best interest of this nation.

Democrats Need To Grow A Backbone!  

As a progressive liberal, this writer is perplexed on how Democrats have just sit back and let the Republicans "getaway" with this behavior. By not getting out to vote we play right into a political design that has worked for the Republicans time and time again. What we have seen over the last six years is a consequence of disenfranchisement from the process. Gridlock, Obstruction, Dysfunction have been the order of business in Washington D.C. Yes, Democrats have put up some resistance, but; for the most part, we have watched them do it. So, as we near the 2014 mid-terms no matter what, we will still feel repercussions from our lack of involvement in 2010. It is enough to make one swear. Democrats must get engaged and stop taking things for granted. Democrats must take a let's do something as opposed to nothing approach, and take back our country from radical right-wing factions who are running rough-shod in the present. Why is it important to vote? Your country needs you too that's why! Take part in the process. Get out to vote.