Profiling Voters

In 1900 ,when the nation's inhabitants were still somewhat faithful to the rhetoric of democracy and hopeful of a better world, the voter turnout for the presidential election was 73.2 percent. In 1912, with WWI in the making, turnout dropped to 58.8 percent and after World War I, in 1920, it fell to 49.2 percent. Perhaps after near genocide of the natives, the Indian wars, slavery, Mexican, Civil, Spanish American war and the "war to end all wars" the sons of Joe Cowboy were simply too weary to get to the polls.

With Hitler on the horizon in 1936 the turnout rose again to 61 percent and in 1940 gained slightly to 62.5 percent. In 1952, maybe hoping to avert more world wars and conflicts like Korea, eligible voters participated at 63.3 percent, another slight bump in numbers.

In 1964 it dropped to 61.7 percent. After Vietnam, Watergate, more and more "crisis" in 1976 voting took another dive to 53.6 percent. Even with the Great Gipper Reagan in 1980 voter turnout was only 52.6 percent. Poppy Bush in the 1988 elections drew 50.1. Clinton in 1996 saw 49 percent turnout and Grand Theft Election 2000 was 51 percent.

We can safely assume in 1900 that 73.2 percent voter turnout was white men as women and Blacks were not allowed. Similar assumption for 1924 (women granted right to vote in 1920 but unlikely most rushed to do so) when participation dropped to 48.9 percent. In 24 years' time ¼ of eligible voters, our great-grandfathers and grandfathers, probably realized the act of casting a ballot was merely symbolic and not representing their interests, so they lost interest. The ruling elite have never managed to restore the myth of the "American way of life" to the early 1900 level even though voters then too were promised "a full dinner pail" (McKinley/Roosevelt slogan) or a "chicken in every pot" (Hoover 1928 slogan). We must have been a hungry bunch even before the Depression.

In 1900 Teddy Roosevelt, republican VP candidate, campaigned against giving independence to those colonies/territories obtained in the US war with Spain – instead he believed we "had a duty to civilize the lands first." Today, neither democrats or republicans call it "civilizing the lands first" but still obtain their "colonies" through war. We don't call them colonies anymore either – in today's jargon it's "bringing democracy" to our new friends because we love all humanity and want all mankind to have freedom and purple fingers.

GW likes the word "civilized" too. We meet here during a crucial period in the history of our nation, and of the civilized world … a dictator is building and hiding weapons that could enable him to dominate the Middle East and intimidate the civilized world -- and we will not allow it … the threat to peace does not come from those who seek to enforce the just demands of the civilized world … we will signal to outlaw regimes that in this new century, the boundaries of civilized behavior will be respected … 19 evil men - the shock troops of a hateful ideology - gave America and the civilized world a glimpse of their ambitions … Any outlaw regime that has ties to terrorist groups, and seeks or possesses weapons of mass destruction, is a grave danger to the civilized world … "they want to shake the will of the civilized world … terrorists in Iraq have attacked representatives of the civilized world, and opposing them must be the cause of the civilized world … the civilized world knows very well that other fanatics in history … consumed whole nations in war and genocide … the civilized world must hold those regimes to account … the enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence …

For all the media lauding of the last two presidential elections being the most watched in decades, drawing the youth vote and/or those who previously had never voted, and MSM misleading folks to think current turnout is democracy in action - voter turnout shows half the voters still said no thanks, not interested.

Surfing the net the last two presidential elections I have seen republicans describing the opposition voters as poor, minority, ignorant, welfare collecting, godless, perverts, and white bleeding hearts dragging their knuckles to the polls. Democrats portray the opposition as greedy, murdering, lying hypocrites dragging their Bible to the polls. Both sides may be correct. The 50 percent of eligible but non-voting who refuse to even hold their nose may be the smart ones; knowing a con job when they see it.

So, having voted in every election since coming of age I will not cast another ballot. I have smarter and more civilized activities to do; write a "tell all", clean the litter box, rake the yard, put a full chicken in the lunch pail …