Posted by According to Heny J. Kaiser Family Foundation,in 2018, there were over 270,000,000 citizens in this great country . Every citizen no matter born here or not, needs to understand the responsibility of what that means. It is no better exemplified than in The citizens Oath.
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
Each Citizen should read this at least once a year to keep their perspective. At the top of the list far and away, in my humble opinion, is the right to vote. If not just to honor the over 1,300,000 Americans that paid the ultimate sacrifice over the years. Unfortunately, a majority of us sometimes think, in the recesses of our mind.
In the scheme of things my vote doesn’t count, after all it’s only one vote out of millions. Think again. Below is just a small example of why you need to perform your patriotic duty and vote..
In 2016, 61.4 percent of the citizen voting-age population reported voting, a number not statistically different from the 61.8 percent who reported voting in 2012. In the aftermath of Clinton’s loss, some Democrats have argued that the low voter turnout was driven by Republicans’ voter suppression efforts, such as strict voter ID laws and early voting cuts. But the research shows that these types of efforts have little to no impact on voter turnout. And, again, US voter turnout has been fairly stable in presidential elections — typically fluctuating between around 55 and 60 percent
Voter participation also depends on the state where you vote. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis on state participation, fewer Americans vote when their states are less competitive in races between Democrats and Republicans. While solutions to the voting dilemma remain fluid, the turnout rate in the U.S. may also come down to the age of the country’s democracy. One Harvard University study found that citizens from advanced democratic nations tend to abstain from voting.
Here’s a list of the 5 closest 2016 states, according to The Cook Political Report’s running tally, ranked from narrowest margin by percentage to widest:
1. Michigan -0.3 percent
Trump 47.6 percent, Clinton 47.3 percent
Difference: 13,080 votes
2. New Hampshire -0.4 percent
Clinton 47.6 percent, Trump 47.2 percent
Difference: 2,701 votes
3. Wisconsin -1 percent
Trump 47.9 percent, Clinton 46.9 percent
Difference: 27,257 votes
4. Pennsylvania -.2 percent
Trump 48.8 percent, Clinton 47.6 percent
Difference: 68,236 votes (99 percent reporting)
5. Florida 1.2 percent
Trump 49 percent, Clinton 47.8 percent
Difference: 114,455 votes
One could say that those numbers put to rest the excuse “my vote doesn’t count”
A excellent example is the 2018 democratic primary in the 14th congressional district, when incumbent and well known Joseph Crowley was upset by newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The registered voters turned out in a anemic 13%, allowing the challenger to win with just under 17,000 votes.
When our elections become as tight as they have been, truly each vote matters.
With that being said, as citizens of this great country we need to be ever vigilant in this privilege, to make sure it’s not corrupted.
Statistical source: “The American Citizens Handbook” A Candid Conversation from a Concerned Citizen.
Thanks for the conversation! God Bless America
Thomas Jefferson wrote that “a well-informed electorate is a prerequisite to democracy.”