Apologies for a somewhat short diary, but there's been lots of back-and-forth about recent remarks by President Obama and Vice-President Biden, and the "enthusiasm gap". I won't revisit the remarks of either, or start yet another thread one whether the Administration has been insufficiently progressive as some Kossacks think (or excessively so, as many Village pundits like to claim).
I just want to emphasize the proper relationship between voters and elected officials in a democracy.
It is the duty and place of the voters, to inspire the politicians to act. It is not the duty of the politicians to inspire the voters to vote.
That's just how democracy works (or ought to work). Politicians serve at our pleasure, not the other way around.
The notion that voters should stay home because they are disappointed is, to put it frankly, bullshit. Not voting is not an act of protest, its an act of petulance. VOTING is the most powerful tool of protest that we have. Not voting doesn't send the message "fuck you", it sends the message "I don't care".
If you think your local Dem officeholder stinks, but his/her GOP opponent stinks worse, than vote for him/her anyway.
If you think both are unacceptable--and there are probably a few races in the country where that is true--then show up and vote anyway, and write someone else's name in. Or leave the race blank.
If you think that the Democrats (or a particular Democrat) need to be punished for being insufficiently progressive, again--show up and vote and cast a ballot for a Green, or a Socialist, or whoever else you think better reflects your wishes. But at least show up and vote.
A non-vote is not a protest vote, even if that's the intent. Non-votes for reasons of protest look exactly the same as non-votes for reasons of I-don't-give-a-shit. Non-votes mean you're not serious about good governance--in which case the politicians will pay more attention to those voters who ARE serious about getting the government they want--which in this cycle, appears to be Republican voters.
And enough of this BS about how not being "inspired" enough to vote. I didn't vote for Obama in '08 because I thought he was The One, or because he's a good orator, or any of that other Obama-as-rock-star crap. I voted for him because I thought he was the most qualified candidate. And I'll be mailing in my ballots (I live in Oregon, after all) this year and in '12 on the same basis. This is politics, not American Idol. Sarah Palin inspires millions of voters--does anyone here think she's qualified for office?
Vote. Because the other side certainly will be.
And if you don't bother to do at least that--then don't expect much sympathy if you don't like the results of the election.
Sheesh.