The process of selecting the next President of the United States is now underway, and in a few months it will begin with major party primaries. I tend to eschew the major parties, as each has daunting relative weaknesses and have (in the last 20 years) acted more as vehicles for corporate interests, rather than the good of their constituencies. This lead me to consider the standing of the American doctrine of Government Of the People, By the People, For the People.
Financial estimates for a successful 2008 Election Campaign now exceed $100 Million. Similarly, members of Congress as well as state legislators and governors must raise significantly more money than the average American earns in a lifetime to even consider political campaigning. The monetary demands of candidacy have made it nearly impossible for any but the wealthy and well-connected to consider holding office: a far departure from the ideal of Government Of the People.
As a result, the major political parties have become multi-billion dollar political machines, with candidates acting as high-priced executives on behalf of the long list of contributors to their political causes. Special interest money and lobbyist groups now occupy unique positions of power in the political process, often able to speak in a louder and more economically persuasive voice than the average American. The recent Jack Abramoff lobbyist/payola scandal shows just how corrupt this system can be and has been. While in concept special interest groups provide an opportunity for concerned Americans to voice their opinion as a bloc, these groups have come to look very much like the parties they lobby: well-funded, big money political machines, and what has been lost in all of this are the concerns and activism of the constituency. Certainly this is an unacceptable departure from the ideal of Government By the People.
And what are the results of these trends in our political system? Despite the continued increases in economic indicators, the rise in our international power (though this is being checked somewhat with currency devaluation), the quality of life for the "average" American continues on the decline. The poverty rate has been on a steady rise since the 90s, and income inequality continues to be a concern. Most notably, compensation for the top 5% of the population continues to escalate to unprecendented levels. An example of this is provided by United Health (the nation's largest health insurer), whose CEO has netted more than a billion dollars since 2000, while record numbers of Americans (myself included, along with 46 million others) can't afford health coverage. What is occurring is an effectual redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich, and we can see those policies with only a cursory glance at the current administration. Thus, though Americans still live "better" than most of the world, they don't live as well as they could, primarily so that a privileged few can amass inordinate wealth. I assert that regardless of whether our government is still truly a representative democracy, it is the furthest from attaining the ideal of Government For the People.
While the effects of these transformations of liberal democracy are wide (political apathy, feelings of disenfranchisement, existence of a welfare class, widening class gaps, etc.), it is not doomsday. Though America may not at this moment live up to its ideals, it has not foresaken them. As such, the concerted effort of individuals CAN make a difference.
Most notably, Americans must once again utilize their most basic unit of political power: the right to vote. Voting has two basic impacts (among many): 1. Influences the outcome of elections (duh) - if you vote, your political voice can be heard in selecting the candidate(s) you believe best represent your interests and the interests of America; 2. Capturing the attention of political entities - in the modern age, political candidates have access to a large wealth of information, including voting demographics and issues and stances that each demographic prioritizes. President Bush was able to get elected simply by appealing to a very narrow demographic: Midwestern and Southern protestant parents. Even in 2004, when he garnered more than 50% of the popular vote, nearly 75% of the voting age populace of the US did NOT vote for the man who became President. When you exercise your right to vote, you also send the clear message that your opinion must be considered by candidates, and you affect the course of future political disucssion.
Despite the promise of free elections and the lofty ideals of democracy, the facts are that American political participation lags noticeably behind the rest of the free world (most notably Western Europe and Japan). To blame our governmental shortcomings only on corrupt politicians and incompetent leaders is irresponsible, when We the People aren't doing our part. So, I encourage everyone to take a little time (just an hour or two in the course of several months) to learn a little about an issue or two that matters, and then translate that into a vote. One vote may or may not be the difference in the election, but your one voice is too precious to silence and ignore.
With that in mind, there are some candidates from the major parties taking strong and aggressive stands on important issues and encouraging Americans to participate in their government. One such candidate is Barack Obama (Democratic Junior Senator-Illinois) who recently participated in a "town hall" meeting that webcast live on Myspace and was rebroadcasted on MTV. MTV.com has posted these videos (21 4-5 minute conversations on different topics from the Senator). Below is a link to those videos, where you can learn more about Sen. Obama and his ideas for America. In the video linked, he explains a core principle: whether you agree with him or not, it's important to be part of the process. Thank you for your time reading this, and I'll see you at the polls!
Barack Obama in Iowa
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