Register To Vote! October 4, 2008 Jill In some states the deadline is today. So get out there do it it. Rock the Vote has a quick and easy form that you can submit to get all set up. GO NOW! And if you need additional inspiration:
The ostensible message of the ad seems to be that all of the problems identified will be somehow be solved by mere voting, so that it doesn’t matter who you vote for as long as you vote. But even if you accept that premise, there’s a problem with the logic of the ad — because even if you don’t vote, someone will be elected, the very same result as if you did vote. Unless the real concern here is that zero votes will be cast and the country will be left without a government, which seems highly improbable. But if that is the concern, there should be at least be a brief explanation and examination of the zero-vote scenario, i.e., whether the current administration will remain in power, whether the congress will assume responsibility for appointing the president and other office-holders, whether the government will continue with incumbents whose terms have not expired, etc. etc. I’m also puzzled by “the right to choose, the right to life, the right, any right . . . I’ve got 19 kids, never used abortion once” segment. Again, it only seems to emphasize that one’s actual position on a given issue is irrelevant, so long as one votes.
The message of this ad is that, if you care about any of the issues they mention, voting is the way to go about having influence on them. The way it’s delivered is a bit dramatic, granted, but it’s point is valid. If you care about abortion rights, the environment, education, health care, etc, get your ass out and vote, or sit at home and be powerless.
Did you know that, in Canada, you don’t even need to register to vote? You just show up with proof of who you are and where you live. You can show up with your library card and a utility bill and vote. Or, you can swear an oath and be vouched for by someone on the list of electors in your polling division.
You just have to be a citizen of Canada, older than 18, and living in the riding you vote in. Now that’s democracy. If only they would extend voting right to permanent residents, then we’d be getting somewhere.
um… like voting binary style for one of two candidates each of whom come bundled with their own set of issues and prerogatives really gives us any significant power. better yet, once elected and promises turn into gaugeable performance our representatives and officials are left nearly unaccountable (even bush stayed in office for all his FAIL), and then ride a wave of easy incumbency. i vote – but i know better than to think that voting as we do means as much as this over-dramatized video makes it out to be.
I agree wholeheartedly with the message of the video. The concept of civic responsibility has really yet to permeate into the minds of the younger generations. They stand as advocates of causes yet uneducated about the processes necessary in making those causes a reality. We are hoping to increase political awareness through a game our firm created called the Peritus Pundit. Over the past few months our firm diligently worked on designing an online game that would allow users to predict the next President of the United States while donating $1,000 to the winner’s favorite charity. We created this game because we wanted to inject some fun into the political season while benefiting a charity at the same time. We felt by creating a game that was essentially unprecedented, and entertaining we would be able to reach to people who are generally politically apathetic. So we asked ourselves, why can’t politics be fun for everyone? The Peritus Pundit gives the user an opportunity to compete against a national audience of political enthusiasts in picking the next President of the United States. The winner picks a charity of their choice and our firm will donate a $1,000 to the organization. We hope to emulate to some affect, the same excitement Americans get when filling out a bracket during March Madness.Our hope is to not only increase the amount of political participation by American citizens, but also give back to a worthy cause. I You can visit our site at http://www.perituspundit.com or you can also visit our Facebook group: Peritus Political Pundits.