Commentary to "Government Education vs. Actual Participation"

It is indeed very sad to look at the data in reports about voter turnout in Texas. To re-iterate the question that Mr. Bainter proposes "Why do people register and then not vote?" one could come to a simple conclusion and state that: People, just don't care! It’s a sad truth, but people just don't have the time to go out and learn everything about their local or state or even national government. I have to say that I’m a prime example of one of those people whose registered to vote but don’t do so. We, as a society, are too brainwashed by all the advertisements surrounding us. We are constantly thinking about only bettering ourselves and not about bettering our society. I due digress that I'm making blanket statements ,but we have to be honest that this way of thinking can be seen in the general public.

This situation reminds me of something we discussed in class that our professor proposed. If only we had some simple program on our smart phones that would say "yay" or "nay" on legislation bills being pass, maybe voter turnout would go "through the roof." Another way to solve low voter turnout is to make voting a fad or something that’s consider "cool." The current generations of people of today are so into what’s trending in society. Why not trend voting? A silly thought, but maybe it could work. Or maybe there needs to be a law stating: you MUST vote or suffer a voting tax. Absurd, right?! Who knows the proper way of solving this? My point being is that we need to continue to look at different ways of increasing voter turnout.

I agree with Mr. Bainter’s comments about the “Someone else will do it” syndrome. Even if we are well versed in government its matter of convenience for most people. A person can say that we’re just to “dang lazy” to get off our couches and go to our local elementary school and vote. There just needs to be another incentive to vote, instead of “Well hey, I’m registered to vote…I’m going to vote!” or the feeling of patriotism like for example,“I’m a citizen of this great state of Texas, so I’m gonna vote!” Like I always say in my blogs, it’s up to the citizens to elect legislators who will to create laws that will benefit the society. Its up to people like students of government classes to band together and make a change. Speak about voting. Support voting. Do voting.