THE MORNING AFTER THE MICHIGAN PRIMARY

Regretfully I am coming to the conclusion that a frighteningly large number of eligible American voters have just given up on government. That is a really scary thing to say, but when you consider that with all of the voter discontent and anguish that exists today, we are witnessing a shockingly low percentage of voter participation in our election process.

Yesterday the State of Michigan held a very important Primary Election, because their do-nothing Obama pawn, Governor Jennifer Grandholm, could not run again due to term limits. The election of a candidate for the Governorship of any State is important, but it was especially important in Michigan with its devastating unemployment situation and the concentration of businesses associated with the struggling automobile industry.

With 6,859,332 registered voters in Michigan, its Secretary of State estimated that 1.7 million voters would turn out or about 23 percent for the August 3rd Primary Election. Considering the fact that this election included all the Congressional seats, the Governorship candidates, and numerous referendums, this was an important election to be determined by less than one-quarter of the eligible voters.

Looking at national voter turnout data in Federal Elections from 1960 – 2008, I found the percentage to vary from 48.4% in 1966 to 56.8% in 2008. The major elections every four years tend to deliver about a 20% better participation than the off-years. The highest year of voter involvement was 1968 with 60.8% when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.

All over the world citizens have given their lives to attain the right to vote for their leadership, and the right to vote has always been a cherished privilege here in the United States.

Your Commander contends that if 23% is the final figure for participation in the recent Michigan Primary it is an extremely sad commentary on the degree of involvement by the American voting public in the political process. I suspect the final Michigan figure will be lower, but remember as a comparison in 2010 the Iraq election turn-out was 62% and in the northern Kurdish area it was 80%.

Considering the importance of our elections at this time, 23% involvement is pathetic and inexcusable. Apparently a growing number of our fellow citizens have just thrown-up their hands in disgust and walked away from membership in the election process. For those who have done so they have absolutely no right to complain about conditions, and they are just playing into the hands of devious corrupt political influences.

Between now and the November 2010 election, each and every kind of voting block better pursue an all-out effort to motivate their people to get off their back-sides and make their voices heard at the polls. I can assure you the Democrat Party and their Union surrogates will be active with their welfare/entitlement voters on Election Day. If 2010’s off-year election is like the 2006 voter level of 37.1%, little will be accomplished in cleaning up the swamp in Washington.

With the importance of elections in our political process there is reason to strive for participation as high as 80 or 90% in a true democracy. Remember your vote is vital in making your voice count, and anyone who neglects to vote is granting a greater possibility of their opponents’ positions prevailing. The sleeping silent majority must be awakened and loudly heard if we are to guarantee the American Way of Life into the foreseeable future.

COMMANDER GRANGER