Twice in the last two weeks while canvassing for Wolf in Lansford I ran into women who said they would not vote. In today’s Times op ed columnist Charles Blow wrote about how the low opinion of government combined with various attempts at voter suppression have combined to depress turnout and increase non-voting.
I would add that the overwhelming amount of money in campaigns and the prevalence of negative advertising have also turned people away from voting.
As Blow points out, this is exactly what the Tea Party types want. Rich people vote. The fewer poor people who vote, the less their power. They certainly can’t compete with campaign contributions, but one person’s vote still equals another.
The problem is that when I am canvassing, I never know what to say. I’m tempted to say, “Look stupid, this is your only way of exerting some influence,” but I know that won’t work. I could say, “So, I guess those men died in Normandy for nothing,” but I don’t think people are moved by those arguments.
I really don’t have a good answer. I’d appreciate suggestions.
This is an issue that I occasionally come up against. I try to look at the persons age and think of issues that might affect them. Fot instance an older person might consider Social Security or Medicare a concern. I have asked them how they would like it if they were cut and how they would be impacted. For younger people I bring up college loans or starting another war. I find men to be less understanding than women. Maybe these ideas might help. If anyone else has ideas, I would love to hear them. It's always good to learn from others.
ReplyDeleteOf course some people are so set on their beliefs that you can never make them understand. In that case I say - Don't complain when you get a raw deal form a politician.
I'll try that approach next time. Right now I just turn away and don't say anything. I'll let you know how it works the next time it happens.
ReplyDelete