The presidential election is the United States biggest and most important elections. Every four years we put a new leader into office by everyone going to their local voting booth and checking off a box for their preferred candidate, but what most Americans don’t realise is that they are not actually voting for one of the candidates, for example in The U.S’s previous election Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump they are voting for a side in the Electoral College a group of electors who have pledged to a certain side and then they vote for a candidate and the side with the most electoral votes from each state wins all the votes from that state and if a candidate gets 270 votes they win the election. This middle man in the election has caused a lot of trouble in the 2000 election and in the 2016 election and now the public is asking the question has the Electoral College outlasted its stay or is it relevant in our changing times.In the 2016 election the candidate that won the election did not win the popular vote, something that has only happened one other time in The United States’s history. So people are finally noticing the middle man in the election process. Newsmax has listed pros and cons of this process and they mention that the process “dissuades people from voting” and makes the public feel as if “their vote does not matter” but this is not true, the election process is just so complicated that people don’t understand it and feel like their say is worthless.
On the other hand a positive of the Electoral College is that it gives more power to the states. And allows the smaller states to have a greater say in the election. But really the public wants the election to be on their level, from people to president, not people to state to president. And maybe the Electoral College was made in an attempt to protect the American people from mob mentality, but would that not take away from our freedom of speech? The whole issue is complicated and I believe that it would be best if we abolished the Electoral College to simplify the election process.
The reason I say this is because would it not be rationally better to make sure that all American citizens have the chance to really know how much their vote is worth rather than the government attempting to protect them from a mob mentality. Our society should teardown what we know about voting and start again with something that will work well in our modern age.
There is a stereotype that young people generally disregard their civic responsibilities, and we have evidence to support this claim. In a poll conducted by NBC during the Presidential election of 2008, only 38% of young people between the ages of 18-24 actually voted for one of the two major parties, whereas 49% of senior citizens (65+) made it to the polls. This gap is rather large for such an important event in our country, and should not be taken lightly, however I do not believe it is enough to warrant a stereotype for all young people. In many states, the percentage of young voters for that election was well above the national average. Roughly 48% of all Floridian’s in this age range voted for a major political party in this election, and the same demographic in Missouri had a turnout of 56%.
Civic responsibilities go past filling out a ballot, however. Many would agree that military service is one of the most honorable ways to serve this country, and recruitment offices target demographic is young people. Looking at the two aforementioned states, Missouri and Florida, the two of them together make up for 9.7% of all recruits in 2013 according to the DoD. These states also have more recruits per thousand 18-24 year olds then most of the rest of the country. In an interview with Business Insider, Nate Christensen, a DoD spokesman, tried to pinpoint an exact reason on why some states have higher recruitment numbers, saying, “One reason might be exposure to large military bases in states where there are higher enlistment rates.” This reasoning, however, does not fully explain why these states have higher overall civic participation in the 18-24 year old age range.
Another possible reasoning could stem from the electoral college system. Battleground states, or states that are typically not assumed to lean towards one political party, always seem to decide elections, meaning that young voters in other states could feel as if their vote has no power. Similarly, citizens in states with a larger number of electoral votes will feel more obligated to go to the polls since their state accounts for a larger percentage of the nation’s votes. It is also important to note that the two aforementioned states voted differently in the presidential election, suggesting that young adult participation has nothing to do with political affiliation. In any scenario, however, the stereotype that young adults disregard civil responsibilities in our nation stems from a lack of meaningful exposure to our country’s many political outlets. I believe that more work needs to be done by politicians and Government agencies to increase exposure in all areas of responsibility in our country.
One can be a technically be a citizen, but if they do not practice their duties, are they really a citizen? Government taught me not only the foundations of our government system, but also how to understand, manipulate, and follow it. The thing I found most interesting was the election process. Honestly, I didn’t know anything about the electoral college before taking the government course. Knowing how the American government system works is the first step in becoming an active, and true citizen. Furthermore, knowing how to find and understand information is what makes an active citizen unique. Understanding the aspects of government is not small; there are many different components to it, but with the use of new information mediums, it is a reasonable task. The use of internet allows access to an abundance of information and must be utilized by an active citizen.
Electoral College
Elections represent the founding spirit and beliefs America abides by, and are arguably the most significant facets of our society. To begin, when looking at the electoral college, I was surprised to find a vote really isn’t a direct vote for the president. At the same time, votes are the solely the most important part of a democracy, and passively sitting back defeats and purpose of the system. Understanding what one’s vote is actually doing, as well as the power behind it is what makes a true citizen. The interactive part of our course where we made predictions on the outcome of the 2012 election was especially interesting. Looking at all the different information at hand, and then coming up with conclusions was really helpful in understanding what exactly was going on. It was also exciting on the election day to see who was wrong or right (my predictions were correct as usual). With all the excitement wrapped up in that, the use of technology was a refreshing outlet for all thoughts and opinions. Most teachers neglect to follow the technological world, and the integration of Twitter was exceptional. As a student, I was exposed to endless viewpoints from real people, and as a citizen I was able to conclude rational things based on the information at hand.
The word refreshing describes that technology is not used enough in the classroom. There is quite literally endless amounts of knowledge, and information provided though this medium. Technology adds fuel to the engine that is a student’s brain. When they think that they are doing something just for a grade, the ethics are not as enthusiastic. The internet backs assignments with reason and cause because of an audience. Using the internet as a medium also allows group collaboration between peers, and even outside sources. This is a valuable asset to current learning. I learned not only how to access the internet and manipulate for my on benefit, but also how to collaborate and gain new perspectives. All this information is necessary for a citizen to participate properly in government.
Participation in voting, although increasing, is below 70% American citizens need to be more active and understand their role
After understanding where to find the information, as well as learn all the facts, a citizen must understand the importance of using these facts, and the role they play in society. The Presidential elections is an obvious example of the necessity a citizen plays, but is only one of many. Understanding votes is easy, but there so many other ways to get involved in elections. The basis of getting involved in elections is through the pathways of actions (court, grassroot-mobilization, cultural change, lobbying, elections). These are the main seeds which have endless potential for growth. Elections are one of the pathways for a citizen to get involved. Deciding who to vote for is the first main issue a citizen faces. Grassroot Mobilization is a way to draw attention to a candidate. In addition to all the other pathways in government, I learned that a citizen must take an active role using pathways to become an avid voter. Voting is only a start to getting involved in elections, there are many other aspects a person can get involved in, especially in media and internet. Insight on how elections work is just one example of the importance of a citizen. The fundamental of American government is the citizen, and knowing one’s value is key.
Overall, the use of internet was the most unique, and boundless part of the course. Through it I rediscovered a new area of knowledge, and interaction. It has helped me become a well rounded citizen, and gave insight to information I didn’t understand before. Taking a passive role as a citizen nulls the efforts a democracy creates. Additionally, taking an active role as a citizen but remaining ignorant is just as bad. Not participating as a citizen cancels the idea, ideology, and overall beliefs of America. Active involvement in government, in addition to knowledge is essential for the system to work properly. Information is readily available to anyone who seeks it; government has taught me that.
Participation in the election process is one key role an active citizen must engage in
Voter participation is very low. While America defines itself as a democracy, it is hard to back this assertion up when such little of its population participates in electing the leaders of our country. According the CNN, only approximately 51% of our population votes, a staggering low number. Citizens feel that their vote really doesn’t matter in the large scheme of things, however the democracy of the United States is hurt by not having a majority of the population voting. I believe that this lack of participation is embarrassing, and I am relieved that people are addressing this issue and examine way to fix it.
As an eighteen-year old high school student, the most humiliating statistic is the number of eligible youth voters. Jessica Babtsite reports that only 42% of eligible voters between ages eighteen to twenty-four vote. Personally, it does not surprise me that this number is so low. It seems as if politicians have neglected to reach out and connect the young people of America, and they have left us hanging. Most kids are indifferent about how our country is run, mostly because people have never cared to inform them. However, the problem is on both sides. Young people need to understand that it is pertinent to participate in the democracy that America has provided, and politicians need to understand that the young people of American have opinions and they do matter. In 1990, an organization called Rock the Vote was created to improve the statistic of youth voting. The program informed kids, and encouraged them to vote. This program also awoken the politicians, and made them understand how necessary it is to address the youth of America. In 1992, just two years after the program started, there was nearly a 20% increase in youth voting. In 2004, 1.2 million young people voted in the presidential election. In 2008, 2.25 million young people voted. However in 2012, the level of youth voting stayed the same. As numbers have increased though, there is no doubt in my mind that despite the recent turnout in 2012, numbers in youth participation will continue to rise.
Social media has as well begun to influence voter turn out. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, vlogs, and Youtube, and email have all greatly manipulated not only the Presidential elections, but also any government election across the world. In an article on Voice of America, an online news site, James Fowler proclaims just how social media can influence an election. He says that he once received an email that said, “There was also a link that you could click on that allowed you to look up your polling place. And in some of the messages we also showed people the pictures of their friends who
Social Media
had clicked on the ‘I Voted’ button earlier in the day.” Social media affects both sides of elections, the voters and the candidates. Voters can become very informed on any candidate within seconds, as well as develop opinions on candidates within seconds. Social media has allowed voters to connect to their candidates like never before. On the other hand, candidates can also connect with their people like never before as well. They can get a feel for what the people are feeling and what people’s opinions are. Through social media, it is much easier for candidates to conform to the idea of everyone, rather than just the people they meet face to face. All of the connections created by social media have definitely influenced voter turnout, and it has definitely increased the numbers.
There is no doubt in my mind that by addressing the issue of voter participation and creating ways to improve numbers such as Rock the Vote or social media tactics, voter participation will continue to rise. I predict that both youth participation and total voter turnout will be at its greatest percentage by the 2016 elections. I know I will definitely be voting for the first time!
We live in a media saturated environment where news and entertainment surround us daily on our Televisions, computers and cell phones. A campaign commercial is a time when candidates have complete control over their image. These ads can lead a voter to emotional reactions, inspiring support for a candidate or may even raise doubts about an opponent. The campaign process is becoming more complex and sophisticated with every single election. Unfortunately, the candidate with the most money tends to have the most favorable ad. Elections are also becoming more expensive; candidates must have contributions in order for them to “keep up” with society. There is no question that money plays an impactful roll on the candidate’s campaign.
Campaigns today are way more influenced and are about the individual candidate and less about the political party. Many people are affected by government policies, including large corporations. This causes the companies to have an incentive to invest loads of money in politicians. It is a necessity for them to make large campaign contributions, in favor of that candidate. In the end, these contributions will help sway the election by the publicity that is exposed, on TV and other form of media. The more money a candidate can raise will increase his popularity which is what gives him the ability to win an election.
Unfortunately, voters refuse to take the time to get to know the candidate and his motives. Voters look solely at the 30 second to 1 minute commercial shown briefly on TV, and choose that candidate based on the way he or she looks, how they interact with their family and potential voters. They fail to pay attention their ideas and motives for bettering our country. They tend to pay more attention to their personal lives. A great example of this was the Obama election in 2008. He went to a bowling alley and bowled with average citizens. This event was televised seen and had an immense impact on the people of the U.S. If voters feel like they can relate to the candidate then they have a feeling of reassurance; they will feel like the candidate they voted for is simply an “average Joe.” The negative side of this is that if a candidate were to say something on the media by accident or brining someone else down, that mistake can brand them permanently, leading them to their decline.
Ultimately, the candidate must have a plan of strategy that maximizes his or her chance of winning. In order to be successful in this, the candidate must be visible. They must have a message that relates to the people and have an overall winning strategy. It’s vital that the candidate have a positive image in the media.
Throughout our Government and Economics course this year, we spent a great deal of time focusing on elections, specifically the essential question, “Do elections express the hopes and concerns of average Americans?” With the 2012 elections coming upon us quickly, voter participation is a huge part of average American citizens expressing their needs hopes and wants for the future of this country. However, in recent elections, there has been a lack of voter participation (the Illinois Primary is just one example) causing the voices of the citizens to vanish.
Americans want to express their opinions, but there are many distractions and difficulties when it comes to voting, causing a lack of voter participation. One example is attitudinal change, which is increased distrust and alienation. Negative attitudes towards politics are increasing year after year causing a modest turnout. Americans are becoming less and less confident about their own role in changing the government so they simply choose not to vote. What Americans do not realize is if they do not vote, their voice has no chance of being heard.
Another example that causes less and less voter participation is the Lifestyle Change Theory. This theory talks about how our lives are just too busy and we are too distracted to really jump into politics. This argument, all in all, suggests that we are too distracted by the media, new technologies and our jobs to be involved in politics. If American’s let their lives get the best of them and they choose not to vote, they will have no impact on the election.
Lastly, the role of the news media today seems to have a significant impact on the lack of voter participation. Today, anything that grabs the public attention seems to be fair game to the media, but people feel the media is attacking politicians for coverage and popularity, whereas in the past, the politician’s personal life was kept out of the news. When people only hear only the negatives about the candidates, it causes a lack of confidence in the candidate and causes the people to not want to vote.
In this November’s presidential election, votes will be crucial.” Campaign participation in all its forms, from voting to watching debates, is likely to continue its downward slide” according to Thomas E. Patterson, the Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. American’s everywhere deserve for their voices to be heard, which is something that has had an impact on me throughout my time in Government class. Voter Participation will be essential in the 2012 presidential elections – people need to vote for their voices to be heard.
Throughout our Government and Economics course this year, we spent a great deal of time focusing on elections, specifically the essential question, “Do elections express the hopes and concerns of average Americans?” With the 2012 elections coming upon us quickly, voter participation is a huge part of average American citizens expressing their needs hopes and wants for the future of this country. However, in recent elections, there has been a lack of voter participation (the Illinois Primary is just one example) causing the voices of the citizens to vanish.
Americans want to express their opinions, but there are many distractions and difficulties when it comes to voting, causing a lack of voter participation. One example is attitudinal change, which is increased distrust and alienation. Negative attitudes towards politics are increasing year after year causing a modest turnout. Americans are becoming less and less confident about their own role in changing the government so they simply choose not to vote. What Americans do not realize is if they do not vote, their voice has no chance of being heard.
Another example that causes less and less voter participation is the Lifestyle Change Theory. This theory talks about how our lives are just too busy and we are too distracted to really jump into politics. This argument, all in all, suggests that we are too distracted by the media, new technologies and our jobs to be involved in politics. If American’s let their lives get the best of them and they choose not to vote, they will have no impact on the election.
Lastly, the role of the news media today seems to have a significant impact on the lack of voter participation. Today, anything that grabs the public attention seems to be fair game to the media, but people feel the media is attacking politicians for coverage and popularity, whereas in the past, the politician’s personal life was kept out of the news. When people only hear only the negatives about the candidates, it causes a lack of confidence in the candidate and causes the people to not want to vote.
In this November’s presidential election, votes will be crucial.” Campaign participation in all its forms, from voting to watching debates, is likely to continue its downward slide” according to Thomas E. Patterson, the Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. American’s everywhere deserve for their voices to be heard, which is something that has had an impact on me throughout my time in Government class. Voter Participation will be essential in the 2012 presidential elections – people need to vote for their voices to be heard.
In just four short months, I will be 18 and over this past year I have been very excited that I will have to opportunity to vote in the 2012 Election this November. Being in Government and Economics class this year has really opened my eyes to want to become more aware of and more involved in our government today. Knowing that I will have the opportunity to vote has really influenced me to pay more attention and become more aware of what is going on in society today.
Over the course of this past trimester, we have covered many topics such as the Elections, Congress, the Presidency, and the Courts. The one unit that we have covered that has truly interested me is when we discussed Elections and we talked about voter participation and campaign commercials. Many would argue that the votes of young Americans don’t matter because they are inexperienced and don’t completely understand what America really wants, or needs. Even though young Americans aren’t as experienced as their elders, most people don’t understand how important the votes of young Americans really are.
One question that we were asked to think about was, “does modest voter participation in America really matter?” I believe that if people are uninformed about what is going on in our U.S. government, their votes wouldn’t do anyone any good. In other words, it would be better for them to not vote at all. If these uninformed people voted, their votes wouldn’t help us, U.S. citizens, get an accurate depiction of what the people in America actually want to see in a leader. The elite democratic model suggests that full participation is not as important as having a fair leader that the people of America who are involved in politics want. I agree completely with this model. If unmotivated and uninformed people vote in the Presidential Election this would hurt our government, not necessarily help it. However, even though this is my opinion about younger voters, I still believe that if a majority of young Americans were educated about politics then this would positively impact the result of any presidential election greatly. This is seen to have happened in the 2008 Election; approximately 2 to 3 million more young people voted than in 2004, causing the voter-participation rate to be the highest in a century. Also, in 2008, 66% of American citizens under 30 voted for President Obama making the difference between young voters and any other age group the largest since the exit polling began in the presidential election in 1972.
In order to target these young voters in the 2008 Election, President Obama clearly took advantage of the use of campaign commercials. One can infer this from watching the campaign commercial, “Yes We Can”. In this commercial there are a lot of young Americans from different backgrounds showing their support for President Obama in the 2008 Election. This probably helped lead to the agreement between all young Americans from all different backgrounds to think of “Yes We Can” with President Obama as president. I believe that this ad really helped out President Obama in 2008. I liked how the commercial “Yes We Can” had a song in because it made me believe that the country would be better with a change in the White House. Throughout this unit, it truly amazed me how a commercial or a group of people can really affect the result of a presidential election.
Over the course of this school year I have honestly and truly learned a lot. I really feel like I have grown to appreciate what the government does to help and secure America as the “land of the free”. Being in Government and Economics has helped me start to form my own opinions that I feel I will carry for the rest of my life. Being more aware and being educated about politics at a young age is very beneficial because it allows more people to know that they can make a difference in society today. After all, “children are the future” and in order to create a future that young Americans will be proud of, more involvement is necessary in the government to form America around the values that we want it to be like for the rest of our lives.
Over the course of the trimester we spent a lot of time discussing elections. We covered many topics pertaining to the elections process including the Electoral College system, Electoral Strategy, Money and Elections, Voter Participation, and Campaign Commercials. Of all the topics, the one most striking to me was voter participation. It’s surprising to me that the voter turnout on Election Day is historically very low. Some people consider voting to be the foundation of all electoral participation, yet they choose not to use their opportunity have a say in democracy.
Election turnout in the early days of our republic never rose above the teens until 1800, when it jumped up to 31%. This low number rose over time and hovered around 80% in the 1860s, but it fell back down to around 60% a century later. Currently, voter participation lingers around the 55-65% area. The societal lack of interest in the Elections Process is baffling to me because I don’t understand why anybody would pass up the opportunity to make a difference in our government. However, I discovered that there are actually many factors that dissuade people from voting.
One possible theory for low turnout is attitudinal change in the United States. Survey data supports the claim that negative attitudes toward government have increased over the years. Americans are becoming more reluctant to trust the government. For example, in the early 1990s just over 20% of Americans are described as trusting their government to “do what is right all or at least most of the time” (www.electionstudies.org). This new attitude towards government is caused by increased cynicism, distrust and alienation. Social media can also take part of the blame for this change. The new role of news media has shifted to using methods called, “attack journalism” and media “feeding frenzies”, which focus on exploiting a politician’s personal lives. This combination has effectively repelled voters from the polls.
Another similar perspective is called the lifestyle-change theory. This theory suggests that life today is simply busier than in the past and offers more distractions. People tend not to place voting very high on their priority list, therefore it is very easy to let distractions such as television, technology, and social networking sites consume our time (150). According to the U.S. Census Bureau the top eleven reasons for not voting are:
Too busy
Illness or emergency
Not interested
Didn’t like candidates
Out of town
Don’t know
Registration problems
Forgot
Inconvenient polling place
Transportation problem
Bad weather
Lastly, age has always been a major factor in voter participation. Young Americans have always voted at lower rates because they have a less completed education, less likelihood of owning property, and are less likely to be as affluent. However, youth voting has made a dramatic turnaround in recent years. For example, people of age 18-24 represented an 11 percent increase in 2004, which was double the rate of increase in any other group. Also, 49 percent of people under 25 years old voted in 2008. One might ask why the recent change? Many organizations such as MTV have started programs to try to engage the youth in participating. Also, new elections pathway organizations including Americans Coming Together and MoveOn.org have tried to bring youth the polls. Hopefully all Americans will follow this example set by the youth to take initiative and vote.
Passing up voting is passing up your chance to represent yourself in democracy. The outcome of elections directly affects all Americans in some way, shape, or form. Therefore voting gives citizens the ability to voice the issues that are important to them by choosing their ideal representative. A vote is a powerful expression of one’s political beliefs, yet unfortunately most people do not see it this way. Americans need to wake up and realize that their vote really does count, and their missed votes are missed opportunities. In my opinion, you can never be “too busy” to express your beliefs and make a difference in democracy.
Out of the things we have learned in government this year, one of the most over looked, yet most important topics is the Electoral College. The Electoral College is one of the most important factors in the election process and isn’t always clearly understood. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding and false accusations surrounding the Electoral College. Some of these accusations can sway the mind of some Americans to not vote. The Electoral College is the final say of the final decision, they choose the outcome and the Electoral College has been around since the very early days of our country. If the process was better understood I believe that it could help turn non-voters into participants in the election process.
Each state has done a good job with normally electing the same candidate as the popular vote. The biggest dilemma the Electoral College has ever faced was the 2000 election. The original problem first occurred when it was announced that Al Gore won Florida which in turn made Bush’s chances of winning much slimmer. As the night progressed, it was declared that Florida had gone from Al Gore winning to undecided. At around 2 a.m. eastern time, it was declared that Bush had won the state of Florida and when American’s woke up the next morning Florida was deemed too close to count. When Bush was declared the winner Gore demanded a recount and even though he was granted one when the recount concluded he still came up short. President Bush was elected into office even though he lost the popular vote to Al Gore. The 2000 election was one of the strangest elections to ever take place, because of the problems that occurred during the 2000 election, I believe it has played a late role in the mind set of many Americans surrounding voting, ad the Electoral College. There are many Americans who don’t vote and one of the main reasons for their decision to not participate is the Electoral College. Even though there is a lot of understandable or justifiable criticism surrounding the College, people shouldn’t give up their right to vote just because they don’t fully understand the process. The Electoral College protects us, we may think we’re always right but we unfortunate are not. We need these representatives to help us make the right decisions especially on the most important decision that our country faces every 4 years. A more educated election means there’s a better chance that we can put the right person in office to lead us.
The social media has made an enormous impact on our day-to-day lives. We now have access to information at a speed that seemed unimaginable to many at one point. We learn of current events minutes, if not seconds, after they occur. Throughout this constant flow of information, politics seem to get a good share of the publicity. After all is said and done, the question still remains of the effect of social media on politics. Is the effect ultimately a good one, or is it damaging?
While the constant buzz of information on current presidential candidates may seem dramatic, this is actually very beneficial to the voting population. Accessing information about candidates and their policies could not be easier, which encourages those ill-informed about the election to do a bit of research. As so eloquently put on ForeignAffairs.com, “As the communications landscape gets denser, more complex, and more participatory, the networked population is gaining greater access to information, more opportunities to engage in public speech, and an enhanced ability to undertake collective action.” Everyone has a greater chance of becoming an informed citizen. Democracy thrives on the voting process, and the social media often gives voters the push they need to gain knowledge about the candidates and make the vote that they think is best. In many ways, the new information highway has been a huge advantage for the voting population of America.
Sometimes it may seem that our knowledge has been duplicated due to our social media connections, but in some cases we don’t learn anything. Depending on the credibility of your source, you may even be retaining illegitimate information. This incorrect treatment of the social media leads to a downward spiral creating a society filled with people acting on facts that aren’t correct to begin with. This, in fact, works against the voting process and can often lead to wrong decisions made for our country. While there is plenty of evidence of the correct usage of the social media towards politics, there is even more evidence of poor information being circulated.
Even though social media has often times led the political world astray, there are certainly ways to educate the public to use credible sources. Information that is poor or incorrect should be reported to the website domain immediately. If wrong information is circulated, people will be convinced that it is the truth. This would lead us nowhere on the path towards creating a world where social media is used to educate rather than simply entertain.
21st Century Citizenship 
