The state of voting today/yesterday

All day yesterday kids and teacher’s came up to me in the hall asking if I had voted, who I was voting for, when I was going to vote. Sometimes I enjoy talking about politics with people. This year has been a good year for debate and discussion since it is in the forefront of so many people’s minds. Statistics are clear that this year has seen the largest ratings for debates, likely because people want to hear more from the candidates and less from the news reporters who put their own spin on subjects.

I love that people are actually caring about the government and the future of this nation.

But, I also love when people look into issues and learn what people really believe.

Young people in the school, typically, do not do any sort of research on candidates. This can be seen even as little as 5 years old. Little kids say they support so-and-so just because they have heard their parents spew their views on that person. Older kids are the same way. They tend to like a candidate because a celebrity, a teacher, a friend, a parent likes that person. Or it could be the opposite.

Most people in this country do not look into the character and the issues that a candidate supports.

I don’t want to influence a student to like someone without looking into issues. I don’t even like discussing the candidates with a student unless they have done some searching on their own and have a solid reason for why they are backing a person running for office.

I know it is my job to help influence students, but I don’t want to do it by making up their minds about candidates for them. I want to influence them by having them learn to make decisions on their own, based on sound evidence.

Also, this whole voting thing kind of sucks. I feel as though I have to vote for certain people just because they are the front runners even though the people who have my wants and needs in mind are on the ballot. A man like Kucinich is really more of a person that EVERYONE should be voting for. But because he does not have the money or the public backing, no one is listing to him. No one is paying attention to the issues and concerns that he is bringing up – issues and concerns that affect all people in this country. Questions about how the country will work, solutions as to how to make sure that all people benefit from living here, solutions to make the environment better, and more.

But I can’t vote for him.

I have to chose the second best choice in order to make sure that the third best choice does not get the party nomination.

The whole process sucks.

But yeah for people caring.

If you are voting without knowing the issues check out these sites (thanks to KBOs link to Jaelithe)

* Electoral Compass
* Candidate Match Game