Brenda Moore: Why I still vote, even when American democracy keeps disappointing me
"If the general population doesn’t start driving the bus, those in power will surely send us over a cliff and think nothing of it because they have their piece of the pie," columnist Brenda Moore writes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not of Ottawa News Network.
I’ve been voting since the 1980s, and I’ve often wondered: Why bother? Other than Medicare (circa 1966), I don’t believe Congress has accomplished any meaningful, long-term change during my lifetime to significantly improve the standard of living for Americans.
I do, however, continue to vote — if only out of a sense of duty to the women who endured beatings, rape, jail and the loss of their children to win the right to vote.
There are also the Black civil rights activists who were assassinated, beaten, burned and hanged, who deserve to have their struggle for rights honored. I also remember the efforts of the LGBTQ+ community, which has suffered hate crimes and the pain of being invisible to their families, churches and society as a whole.
These groups’ fights for basic dignity have advanced society for all Americans. Finally, the immigrants who built this country believing in the "American Dream" depend on the Constitution and the democratic model it contains to work. Even though my ancestors immigrated several generations ago, I am the product of immigrants and, like many other Americans, I’m totally disgusted.
Last election, I felt queasy when a young Black man told me he never voted "because it made no difference." I asked him what his grandmother thought about that (she would have been a young woman during the Civil Rights Movement). He promptly told me where to go. When I was honest with myself, however, I admitted that he had a point about voting not really seeming to change anything. The rich get richer. From my point of view, the power and wealth of our country have steadily shifted into fewer and fewer hands.
As a young woman, I was told that "trickle-down" economics worked. If we subsidize and give significant tax breaks to the wealthiest businesses, that wealth will trickle down to the working class. In my opinion, it was a spin of nonsense then, and it’s still absurd. Invest directly in building a strong middle class and we will have a strong country. To me, that means Medicare for all, fairly taxing the highest income levels (the middle class pays a disproportionate share of income tax), and investing more in education and child care. Is that socialism? No; check the definition.
Part of the problem is that not enough people participate in elections. A September 2016 New York Times article noted that for every 10 U.S. adults, six voted and four did not. The article stated that "while young people, poor people and Hispanics are often singled out for low voting rates … the majority of people who didn’t vote in the presidential election were white, middle income, and middle aged." In 2020, National Public Radio reported that a third of eligible voters did not participate (some 80 million people). By 2024, U.S. News & World Report indicated that 90 million eligible voters did not vote. If half of the nonvoters suddenly participated, it could make a difference. What is going on? Distaste for politics? The feeling that nothing changes? Apathy? I admit to struggling with all of these feelings, but I still vote because I believe it’s my duty.
I’ve heard arguments that the U.S. can’t afford broad public programs, but we always seem to finance war. In a quick internet search, I learned that about $168 billion was spent on the Vietnam War; $61 billion on the Persian Gulf War; and about $2 trillion each on Iraq and Afghanistan. None of the figures were adjusted for inflation. To date, Congress has appropriated about $815 billion for the war in Iraq. It’s mind-boggling — a trillion is 1,000 billion, and a billion is 1,000 million. In addition to the business of war, there is the cost of interest on borrowed money, reconstruction aid, and disability compensation for veterans.
For Americans, the only byproduct we seem to get from war is dead, maimed, and emotionally damaged service members. These are somebody’s children! If the wars really changed anything, I’d resent them less. After World War II, I don't think any war has been worth what it cost the nation or our fighting veterans.
Can broad social programs coexist with capitalism? Sure. Capitalism isn’t bad — unless it goes sideways and hurts large segments of the population. Predatory lending, the collapse of the subprime mortgage market and subsequent bank bailouts with taxpayer money, private pension funds that disappear, corporate executives’ enormous salaries compared to those of their workers, and a small percentage of individuals controlling the bulk of the nation’s wealth are a few examples of how perverse our economic system has become.
No matter where people stand on the issues, I think many of us can agree that our country’s leaders seem to be off in the weeds, arguing, throwing blame, and trapped in general gridlock — all while much of our working population struggles. Meeting a family's basic household needs for food, fuel, utilities, and a good education continues to be sidelined by Congress. These are not new issues. Why can’t this country get down to the business of everyday people?
Democrat or Republican, during each election cycle we seem to hear new spins on helping "the average American," yet there has not been the political will to meaningfully and permanently advance that agenda. Is it because so many of us stopped paying attention (if we ever bothered to vote)? Why are so many of us still wishing for the same change, in some cases for decades?
We could spend a lot of time arguing about what prevents the necessary change that most of us can agree upon (regardless of party affiliation or interest in politics), but it would probably be more productive to agree on a few key things, fix cracks in the political system, and then elect people who have the spine to carry out the people’s agenda.
In short, if the general population doesn’t start driving the bus, those in power will surely send us over a cliff and think nothing of it because they have their piece of the pie.
Please vote and consider the Democrats. We have some young guns running who show promise. At least Democrats are not blindly following a failed leader.
— Brenda Moore resides in Muskegon.
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