It’s not just the anti-war protestors, the extreme liberals or the angry Famuan opinion writers. Now it’s a majority of the American population; 51 percent according to the ABC News-Washington Post Poll, who oppose President Bush’s war efforts in Iraq. While Bush still has America’s support concerning the necessity for the War on Terrorism, 58 percent of the population thinks he does not understand their problems and less than 10 percent says Bush has made the nation more prosperous since taking office. Fifty three percent of Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy, according to the poll.
Only in America, can a candidate steal the presidency, take office without securing the popular vote and remain in office despite numerous displays of ignorance.
America takes pride in its democratic system, yet the ultimate power rests in the hands of a chosen few. On the surface America can say that it has a flourishing democracy, but when thousands of votes are thrown away because of confusing ballots or inaccurate convicted felon lists, there is obviously a problem. Americans need to take advantage of their First Amendment rights and petition the government for a correction of these injustices. They must also use their constitutional right to vote.
Whether it is due to the lack of appealing candidates on the ballot or the feeling that “my vote doesn’t count anyway,” black America as a whole does not vote. Blacks must realize the importance of their voice as American citizens. The number of blacks that feel they do not have to vote is disheartening, given the knowledge that civil rights activists fought for years to secure the undeniable right of blacks to vote.
President Bush will be seeking reelection soon and if the apathy of black America continues to resonate throughout society, this country could be in for another four years with an incompetent president.
Elizabeth Broadway for the Editorial Board.