The Difficulty in Voting Responsibly
I have found that the Internet does give us unprecedented access to information. However, not all information on the Internet is worth having. Now that we have an election coming up, I am having a difficult time finding accurate, fair, and balanced information about candidates. What I find is a bunch of other people’s opinions about the candidates. Should I really base my vote on someone else’s opinion?
We have a participative form of government here in the United States. If you think about it, we have the power. Who we elect will shape not only our future but the future of the entire world. I think we have a responsibility to vote wisely.
As we learn from Spiderman “With great power come great responsibility.” I actually believe, and for good reason, that I have a responsibility to vote and to be informed on the issues I am voting on.
I was just reading a piece today about a candidate and the article was nothing more that twisting the candidates statements out of context, misrepresentations, fear mongering and mudslinging. What followed were comments that followed that same vein.
I actually want to be educated about the issues and I can’t do it. It is as if there is an invisible force that makes getting educated on the issues nearly impossible. Do I really have to dig up my own source documents and research each point? When was the last time you heard from an accountant about the state or federal budgets? We always hear it from people who can’t balance their own checkbook, let alone the government’s budget.
Why is it when we ask for reasons why we should pass a law people attack you? They call you names because you don’t accept what they say and just believe that they have it right. Since when is it wrong to ask for reasons? This just happened to me last month on the gay marriage debate. I was asking a supporter of gay marriage about the role of government in marriage, asking for reasons why they think it is a civil right issue, etc…
I am not trying to be divisive; I am trying to be informed on the issues. I think, with any issue, we should know the pros and the cons and be able to ask questions without being attacked. Instead, you get empty rhetoric and unqualified, biased opinions.
Comments from Facebook;
Julie: I can't comment on your blog without registering...so I'll comment here. I agree wholeheartedly! it's exhausting. I even feel like I'm getting double talk when I look at actual candidates web pages. I want someone to speak clearly, without putting a spin on things, and tell me their ideas. Then I can decide whether I agree with them or not. Frustrating.
Julie: As for civil rights, I think that if the Federal government discriminates against a legally married couple (state laws), that's an issue. I have rights as Ted's wife, rights to Social Security benefits, rights to make decisions if he were ill, rights to property and benefits (beyond health) that same sex couples do not have. If he had been in the military, we would have rights as a couple that two singles would not have. That's a civil right's issue, because the Federal government is denying them rights afforded to other legally married couples.