In 1787, after the close of the Constitutional Convention, someone asked Benjamin Franklin what kind of government we had in the United States, a republic or a monarchy. His answer was blunt: “a republic, if you manage to preserve it.” Franklin knew what he was saying: a republic is not something that is created once and for all. The republic is built every day, like houses, in which changes, extensions, improvements are never stopped… The day a house stops receiving this constant and loving care it simply falls apart. And what a job it takes to build it!
The same happens with a republic: you must work in it and for it to make it the environment in which we want to live. There are many ways to contribute to shaping the country we dream of for ourselves and for our children. Among the most important is voting and doing it responsibly. Why vote in the general election in November, what benefits does a citizen get from it? We should all ask ourselves these questions, and we would surely find many valid answers. Here are just ten reasons to vote that seem fundamental to those of us who edit Sol de Medianoche.
- Because America is a country of immigrants, and because immigrants must have voices that represent us in Congress and in the heads of government. We need those voices to speak up for our needs, to stand up for us, and to stand up for our us being ignored or forgotten.
- Because by voting we remember that we are all equal before the law, and we guarantee that we are treated fairly. There is no greater fragility than that of the invisible. By adding a large number of votes at the polls we make our community visible, we pull it out of the shadows. Voting is like saying to the political class: “Here we are, we are many and we have rights.”
- Because in a republic like the United States, every vote adds up to consolidate a majority. And this majority can stop the abuse of people who have more power, more money, or a better social position. Our gathered votes are like a protective layer that covers us, our families, and our community.
- Because by voting we protect our loved ones who do not have the right to vote, including children and residents. Every human being – regardless of their situation, condition, racial origin, social class or gender – has a series of rights that must be defended: the right to life, the right to security, the right to be treated with human dignity and respect… By voting we place our trust in those who we think will respect these rights for all.
- Because voting is not only electing a person, but a government program. The elected candidate will be responsible for promoting health, education, employment, energy and social development programs. And he will make economic, immigration and environmental decisions, among others. Voting for a candidate means supporting all these elections.
- Because in the United States, power is divided between the Head of State, Congress and the Court. This division is important because if someone behaves unreasonably or wants to commit an injustice, others can put a stop to it. By voting for the head of state and for congressmen, we guarantee that this balance is not broken.
- Because the right to vote was guaranteed in the Voting Rights Act in 1965. It was a historic conquest waged by human beings who wanted to make this country a habitable space for all. Not voting would be betraying their ideals, it would be marching backwards, and it would be almost affirming that we do not want and do not deserve a country in which we can live together.
- Because every vote counts: in Alaska there are elections that have been won by minimal differences. The Elections Division, for example, accounts for elections that have been won by four, six or ten votes. In 1996 one vote made the difference in choosing the Democratic candidate in District 21 Thus, a few ballots can decide the course of the election. And in those cases, it will be better to have voted than not to have done so.
- Because democracy costs. According to the Open Secrets.org site, of the Center for Responsive Politics, the cost of the presidential campaigns assembled almost adds up to a trillion dollars. The campaigns for the Senate and the House are around 400 million each. To this must be added the cost of the election: ballots, polling places, infrastructure, personnel of the Elections Division. Democracy is not cheap. If we do not vote, the money invested in the electoral process will have been a waste.
- Because if we do not assume the responsibility of voting, we cannot have the right to complain about the result of the election.
These are just some of the reasons why it is important to vote. But our responsibility does not end there. To live in the country we have dreamed of, we also have to participate, propose, question and act. Only in this way will we be able to respond with pride to Franklin’s words: “we live in a republic, here we have sown our dreams and our commitments, here our wishes and our proposals are heard. And we have been able to preserve it because we have learned to defend it actively and responsibly.”
