by Marianne Lange

Created on: July 16, 2008

Election Day does not need to be a holiday. The reasoning for suggesting it is probably to get more people to vote. It's possible but not necessarily true. People need to be motivated to vote and the parties are losing their power of motivation. The public has always been lackluster when it comes to the privilege of voting. Often, barely fifty percent of the population votes even during the Presidential elections. There are times when the weather may be bad but that cannot be the perennial excuse. As a registered voter who votes locally, at the state level and nationally, I can say definitively that I will continue to do so; however, more and more I am finding the whole election process increasingly distasteful and I believe I'm not alone.

The current presidential race is a prime example. It's been going on now for almost a year and a half and we have yet a while until Election Day. Two years! The campaigning for the November 2008 election will have taken almost two years. I was turned off months ago as far as the candidate's process and their haranguing of one another. When a director rehearses a play, there is a point when it peaks. The actors and crew, really everyone involved is ready for the production and also ready for it to be over. Dragging out the election so that it takes two years to elect someone is heading in the same direction and giving everyone the day off is not going to change the outcomes.

In turn the media adds to the party by supplying constant coverage. Every remark is under the looking glass. It goes way beyond normal evaluation of a candidate's position on a topic. Now we have non stop news with continuing different newscasters and groups spending hours of broadcast time analyzing every move, word and nuance. From observations, it is evident people are already tired of the whole thing. Earlier than usual, you now hear, "I don't like either of them, but I guess I'll go for the lesser of two evils." How often have you heard that expression, "Lesser of two evils?"

This is all before the real mudslinging. Once you are down to the two main party politicians; then the games begin. The public is presented with every possible fault, failing and fixation. Hidden slips of character or childish mistakes from youth are exhumed and weighed. What will so and so's camp respond? Not much because they know their turn will be next.

All of this brings an anesthetic to the American public. Dullness overtakes; apathy sets in and before you know it only about 50 % vote. Giving them the day off won't change that. They'll find something else to do. The issues tied to voting, registration, the outdated machined, the outdated methods, "the chads" all have greater play though they too grow old as we approach the four year mark since the whole continuing fiasco in Florida.

Where have the issues gone? Where are those who inspire? These are the things that the American public needs to motivate them to get out and vote not another holiday.

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