Political Panic

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” ~H. L. Mencken

I begin by stating that I am neither a supporter of Trump or Clinton. I find that we are just in one big debacle. We have a guy that ‘eats crazy for breakfast’ or a criminal whom also is a ‘compulsive liar.’ Great job America!

“How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?” ~Author Unknown

My qualm is this, we have men and women that are choosing politics as a career for the wrong reasons. They become wealthy with no one but self in mind. When the idea of president and politician came to be, [it] was done for the cause of country, not for the power, prestige and monetary extremes that now come with the position!

It would be interesting to me to see what kind of politicians we’d have if they knew that no gain would come from the position. If there was no added recognition or special treatment that came with thee affair. But, I digress, we are stuck with the poor options before us! Washington D.C. will forever be a place where there is reward based on doing well in corruption, lying, bribery and cheating. These, all while stating they are, “for the people” whilst lining their pockets and thinking only of self!

“Few circumstances are more likely to bring on a political crisis, than alarming representations of its approach.” ~William Benton Clulow

I know, I sound dismal. So,“Why vote?” you may ask. I personally believe that we owe it to our Forefathers. Those who fought, rallied and suffered for this right we so easily dismiss. It is our duty as Americans to do so! We need to get back to loving our country and standing up to the politicians that are reeking havoc on it. While I’m not sure what will happen on November 8th, our choices are discouraging at best. I offer you a glimpse of where we have come from to get where we are today, in a brief history of our rights to vote.

Our American Constitution did not always allow for everyone to vote. There have been multiple Amendments over the past 150+ years. The 14th Amendment only allowed persons born within the US the right to vote. Of course this did not include women or those outside of white men for many years.  Leading to The 15th Amendment which stated, “no citizen would be denied the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” However, this Ammendment only really stated in words which would not be carried out for years due to the Jim Crow Laws that were upheld. You had to be able to pass tests, pay taxes and prove your grandfather would have been able to vote. These all kept minorities still from thee ability to vote. The 19th Amendment guaranteed women a right to vote, not occurring until 1920. Years of women suffrage groups, violence and more- to vote for what was important to us! The 24th Amendment did away with paying taxes for your right to vote, thus fully doing away with the Jim Crow Laws. The 26th Ammendment allowed for any US citizen of age 18 and over to have the right to vote. This had much to do with the idea that boys were old enough to go to war at 18, but not old enough to vote for the Congressmen that were sending them their. Finally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Not until this time were the last of the barriers fully lifted for minorities voting rights.  Source

 

Daily Prompt: Panic