Democratic Oak Tree

While we wait impatiently for the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush to come to a close in January 2009, We the People have responsibilities to attend to.

Most of us have a tendency to dwell almost exclusively on what “They” should be doing differently – meaning senators, representatives, governors, mayors, municipal boards, political party leaders, appointed officials, and so on.

We tend to get frustrated when They don’t act exactly in accordance with our own notions of the right step to take on each matter that comes before them. We tend to forget that They represent people of diverse views, that They struggle with competing priorities, that compromises with other representatives of the People are often necessary.

Now is a good time to put a little more emphasis on the “We,” because in a democracy it’s We the People who have the power to improve our government. It’s We the People who are responsible for the society we live in, whom we elect to represent us, and what our government does in our name.

Think what a difference it would make if – heading into the 2008 elections – each of us took at least one of the steps below. 

1. Register to Vote

It’s much easier to register to vote than it used to be. Here are just a few of the options.
 
* Stop by your city or town clerk’s office during office hours. Office hours vary but can be determined by a phone call or an Internet search.
* Register when you’re at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
* Call the Mass. Secretary of State at 617-727-2828 or 1-800-462-VOTE and ask them to mail you a form. (Call during state office hours, 8:45 am to 5 pm.)
* Use the Internet to request a form from the Mass. Secretary of State. (If you type “register to vote Masssachusetts” into a search engine, you’ll probably find a link to this page: www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howreg.htm.)
* Use the Internet to download the national voter registration form. You can print the form on your own printer, fill it out, and mail or deliver personally to your city or town clerk. The 33-page document looks intimidating because of the details provided for various states, but you can simply read page 3 (the instructions) and print page 4 (the form).  Go to www.eac.gov/docs/nvra.pdf.

2. Persuade Others to Register

In every neighborhood, a remarkable number of citizens eligible to vote have never registered, or don’t know whether they’re registered any more.

Some have deduced from others’ cynical views about politics and politicians that there’s no reason to vote.

Some have intended to register but haven’t gotten around to it, or don’t know how to do it.

Your encouragement will make a difference.

3. Register as a Democrat

If you’re not affiliated with a party but your philosophy is much closer to Democrat than Republican, become a registered Democrat.

Most people consider Massachusetts a Democratic state, but that’s not truly accurate. Half the state’s registered voters are unaffiliated. (Of the other half, about a third are registered Republicans and two-thirds registered Democrats.)

In my view, it’s the Republican Party that has benefited from a perception that parties don’t matter. Until a few months ago, We the People of Massachusetts elected a Republican for our most important elected office every time we had the opportunity, for four straight elections over sixteen years.
By registering as a Democrat you’ll send a signal to candidates and elected officials that you want them to work for the common good.

4. Share Your Views

Talk with others about politics, and the differences between Republican and Democratic priorities. The more people know about how politics affects their lives and their futures, the more likely they will be to vote for progressive candidates.

4. Vote

Get in the habit of voting in every election, not just every four years. Vote in each primary and each general election. (Many voters don’t participate in primaries yet wish they had different choices in November.) Don’t make the mistake of “voting for the man, not for the party.”

5. Encourage Others

Convince others to vote. Let’s have a huge Democratic turnout, in every state of our union, in 2008. Then we’ll be a lot happier with what “They” are doing in Washington.