Get out the Vote

What is in the newspapers and on television everyday? Politics and the upcoming presidential race have been smeared all over the media for months now. Being over the age of eighteen now, I know that I will get to vote in this huge race. I am so excited that my opinion actually matters now but the problem is that I do not even know who I would vote for right now. As the primaries drew close, I kept saying how I needed to start learning about all of the candidates.
Last Tuesday, when the primaries began, I said I would go vote. I do not know who I was going to even vote for but I thought I should since it is one of my rights. Although I ended up not voting because of the drive and the weather conditions, I had all intentions of going to vote for someone I knew nothing about. As I read Robert E. Coulson’s article “Let’s not get out the Vote” my opinion changed on voting and the principle of voting. After reading this article, I realized how important it is for me to learn about each candidate and the office he or she is running for so that my vote is worth giving. The candidates Americans are voting for are so important because they are the people who keep our country running smoothly. Although I think people should vote since it is our right, I also think that it is important to know information about the candidates so our country chooses the right people to hold these offices.
When I first heard the slogan “get out the vote”, I immediately saw campaigners on the side of the road holding up signs for their candidate. To me those people are so annoying. All they want is to encourage people to go vote for their particular candidate. Although I think voting is very important, I do not think that we should encourage people to go vote for someone just because of their name, age, or other unimportant aspect. I think that this article is geared for anyone who is eligible to vote. It does not matter your age or which party you are for, it matters that you know who you are voting for and why. The article is not geared to a specific person but just anyone who will and is willing to vote.
I knew voting had always been an issue in the United States but I would not have guessed that this article was written in 1955. When I think of the past I think of Americans being more involved with their country and its candidates. In history books, they tell only tell you how many people wanted to vote instead of telling us how many people actually voted. Back then, so many people were not even eligible to vote. I think that many of times we forget that at one time only white males could vote meaning no women or African Americans. I guess we forget that there are always struggles with getting people involved.
Unlike many countries, America has the privilege to vote. I think that many people are careless and lazy and do not want to get out and vote or keep up with politics. In America, it is so easy to keep up with politics too. Radio stations, television stations, and the newspapers are constantly posting new information on candidates and the upcoming elections. People just need to turn the radio on or pick up a newspaper and they will be so much more informed not only on the candidates’ views but also on the views of other Americans.
I personally, think that as Americans we have been given the right to vote so we should take advantage of this. I think that so many Americans take voting for granted. They just think that it will always be available and if you do not vote this election then you can in the next election. This article has not only made me want to vote but it has also made me want to vote intelligently. Instead of going out and voting for the party you most agree with, you should go out and vote for the individual you most agree with. In order for America to get people in the offices who are willing to make a change for the better, Americans must go vote for the candidate who they believe will be the most successful in that position. I do not think that people should be forced to vote but I also do not think that it is fair to complain if you did not even take time to learn about the candidates and give your opinion.