The Enemy in the Mirror

While doing some reading this morning, I stumbled across the poll shown below. 8/30 - 9/2/06 CNN Poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2006. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 - Taken from http://www.pollingreport.com/prioriti.htm "In general, do you think that the federal government's policies on issues that matter to you needs a complete overhaul, major changes, minor changes, or no change at all?" Complete Overhaul - 21 Major Changes - 41 Minor Changes - 30 No Change at All - 7 Unsure - 1 Also, from the same reference site, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll showing that on 11/4/06, 65% of Americans thought Congress had different priorities for the country than they did. So... 62% of Americans think the federal government's important policies need either a "complete" or "major" overhaul, and 65% of Americans think that congress has the wrong priorities. We would expect to see the voice of the people reflected in the voting booth. I live in Michigan, commonly referred to as a "swing state". In the 2006 elections, the incumbent Democratic senator was up for re-election. Approximately 3.8 million Michigan residents voted. When the results were tabulated, over 3.7 million, or 98.2% of the vote, went to either Democrats or Republicans. (See election results at http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/MI/) Given these results, the poll information seems flawed. Why would only 69227 Michigan residents vote for someone other than the 2 controlling parties, when almost 2/3 of the country disagrees with the current Congress's priorities? If the constituents want to effect real change, shouldn't they show it with their vote? In looking at the exit polls, another interesting fact is revealed. Those that identified themselves as either Republican or Democrat voted with 90% predictability along party lines. Not particularly suprising - perhaps a bit dissapointing, but not surprising. However, 27% of Michigan voters identified themselves as "Independent". Of that 27%, the Democrats and Republicans received a staggering 93% of the Independent vote. Where is the independence? The American people need to start speaking with their votes, and not just with their mouths. It is far too easy to vote for Ralph Nader's "least worst" candidate, to vote against one person instead of for another. As Nader says - "The System needs a Jolt". A vote for a third-party candidate is not "throwing your vote away", as many would have you believe. The problem is, the message is lost. Because you see, the people who stayed home on election day or voted third party -- though their cause is more noble than those who voted for Bush just so they'd feel like they'd had a hand in the decision -- forgot to tell anyone what they were protesting. Do you want make a statement? Then go to the polls. Do not pick the lesser of two evils. Do not be captured by the rhetoric of the "least worst". Vote only for the candidates you support, few though they may be. If not, we will allow a small minority of the population to reduce our voting decisions to two equally unfit parties. And we will have only ourselves to blame.