I strongly agree with “Ending Voter Apathy” by Erica G. It exposes the basic problem with the American political system: apathy. The statistics she cited are embarrassing: “The U.S. maintains a measly 48.3 percent [voter] turnout rate over the past 60 years.”
She did an excellent job laying out the problem. However, I feel that the consequences are even more serious than she suggests. As a result of the lack of concern by Americans, the political parties can sway elections merely through clever advertising. Since there are so few voters, a campaign can succeed by not dealing with the issues. Ads focus on the hot – and often less important – issues. This works because big blocks of voters sometimes come from activists who are very passionate about a fringe issue. The end result is that a candidate can be elected without having to deal with the larger issues.
She did an excellent job laying out the problem. However, I feel that the consequences are even more serious than she suggests. As a result of the lack of concern by Americans, the political parties can sway elections merely through clever advertising. Since there are so few voters, a campaign can succeed by not dealing with the issues. Ads focus on the hot – and often less important – issues. This works because big blocks of voters sometimes come from activists who are very passionate about a fringe issue. The end result is that a candidate can be elected without having to deal with the larger issues.
This piece has been published in Teen Ink’s monthly print magazine.
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