On the OP-ED pages of the St. Petersburg Times in May 2006, a column by George F. Will, read: “…an enormous special-interest industry seemed to sprout instantaneously in Washington starting in 1960—lobbyist and researchers and fund raisers for this, that and other faction …big government begets bad politics…”
Sometime before reading those comments, I had read in a history book recounting the “Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln” these comments: “ In economic matters, the questions arose primarily as a matter of privilege. Should unelected private interest, well connected to government, be permitted to control, to their own benefit, the economic destiny of the entire nation? Or should the manifest public good, for rich and poor alike, be pursued no matter what majoritarian democrats believed or demanded?”
This latter quote was written about matters in the late 1820’s concerning the Missouri Compromise and the tariffs that had been imposed. Will’s comments were in an article about the McClain-Feingold senate bill to restrict and restrain the “quantity, content, and timing of political speech”…including requiring the candidate to appear by voice or written notice that they approved this ad.
The old adage, ”History repeats itself” comes to mind. It is an old democracy question, should special interests benefit over the rights of the people? In economic matters is it still or always a matter to benefit the privileged few? Many would allege that the present administration’s so called ‘tax break’ is precisely that. But doesn’t all of this go back to the premise that the elected office holders seemingly fail to realize that such conduct is undemocratic! What attempts have been made by them to curb the control and power of the special interest groups? Or is it all as simple as George Will makes it, i.e., big governments begets bad politics? I don’t know the answers to these questions but I do know that today discussing politics, voting, politician’s conduct all seem to be forbidden subjects. A majority of Americans today no longer have the economic interests that impelled them to vote. They no longer look to the government or unions to throw them a lifeline. Some attribute the decline of the Democratic Party to such conditions. Unions today are more concerned with increasing health care and pensions, rather than wages. “Today men and women work in the service economy where 43 per cent are in office jobs and only 8 percent of the private sectors are in unions. They are better educated (Ed’s note: “except in civics”): in 1960 one-half of the labor force hadn’t completed high school; in 2003, close to 60 percent of the workers had some college.” (B. D. Whitehead, Commonweal March 10,2006) All of which makes it easier for the elected to ignore their duty to shun special interest. Those concerned with the indifference of most citizens have been working even harder to just get people to vote. I always enjoy the sticker they give you here when you vote, it reads “I VOTED and over those words are these: I Made Freedom Count” How true!
A typical but poignant instance of ignoring the duty and right to vote happened to me a few years ago. There was a young woman active in her church and school affairs. She was definitely a community conscious individual and probably a college graduate. It happened that the polling place was in her church’s lobby. I was working the polls that day. I saw her passing in and out of buildings next to the church. She was busy with doing something. Then on her second or third pass I asked her “Did you vote yet?” Her response was in words that I cant exactly recall but indicated clearly and with vehemence that she thought such activity, such as voting, was a waste of time! Now here is a person who believes in being involved in the community affairs but dismisses one of the biggest opportunities to help her community as a useless endeavor!
Is this the result of politics and the politicians becoming just another big business? The thought that your vote can count and is important no longer seems to play a part in the lives of many Americans. Is this the result of using pollsters, researchers, and so-called experts in campaigning? I think they have played a devastating role in our thoughts and feelings on politicians and politics. There are certainly things in our lives that should and do have a higher priority than voting. I don’t question that. These priorities in some cases make voting impossible or just eliminate the time it takes to really decide for whom you should or would vote. But outright dismissal of the duty to vote is a mistake. We are reminded daily of what we have by seeing people living all over the world subject to leaders over which they have no say or control. It is apparent that these reminders are lost on a great number of ‘educated’ Americans. I read that “American Idol”, the TV show, received 63 million votes! According to the same article this is more votes than any Presidential candidate has ever received. It is unfortunate sign of where our priorities lie. Even if we concede that a great number of those voting would not be eligible, due to age, to vote in a political election – it is still a telling fact.
While I was growing up in the 60’s there were more people I knew who expressed an interest and concern re an election, whether local, state, or national. Today it seems only major campaigns like Presidential, Senatorial and Representative elections generate any interest from the voters or the media. Admittedly my interest in politics is stronger than most due to a lifetime behind me of active participation in the process. I can remember also when I was 10 years old being in the family car with my father driving around City Hall. City Hall in Philadelphia has a circle around it and at that time had something new. On the northeast side at the end of Broad Street was the Evening Bulletin Building. It was the then one of the popular dailies in Philly. Running along the building just under its roofline was an electronic bulletin board rendering news by the minute. We were driving by to read the recent election results. It was reporting on the national election of Franklin Roosevelt and others. The board would read “Roosevelt” and the number of votes and then other names and eventually after a few trips around we saw, “McSorley” and the number of votes. My Dad had been the Democratic candidate for some office, which was at that time a sure loser. The Republican Party from Mayor to committeeman controlled the City. I learned later that the few democrats who continue to try to be organized would sit down and decide whose turn it was to run for such and such office. It apparently had been my father’s turn that year. This all ended in 1947 when Clark and Dilworth won the mayoralty and the district attorney’s offices. But the point here is showing how our family via my dad had an interest in politics. I ran myself in 1966 for a seat in the State Legislature. I had to first run in a primary to win the right to be the Democratic Party candidate. I won that election and it would be the last I would ever win. The district I was seeking to represent was composed of two wards. One was heavily Republican registered. I ran on the ticket with a new comer running for Governor. His name was Milton Shapp and he was running against the incumbent Governor Schaeffer. My opponent was a former all American basketball player from a local college who had recently retired from the professional team the Knicks. He had name recognition and beat me. I did well enough by finishing second in my district and receiving more votes than the candidate for Governor. As result of my running I ended up serving the Democratic mayor, James H.J.Tate in different capacities from 1967 until 1970 when Frank Rizzo was elected Mayor. So it is not surprising that I had an interest in politics most of my working life. But it still doesn’t take away from the thought of the need for more to be interest and especially enough at least to vote. There was recent Academic conference in St. Petersburg on the issue of the National Security Agency admittedly tracking millions of American phone calls. An assistant special agent of the FBI David Walker speaking at the forum reported many of the leads it got from the alleged unwarranted calls were dead ends. He then said, “I don’t make foreign policy. If you don’t like it, change it. Your have a right to vote. Use it!” I couldn’t have said it better myself! (St.Pete’s Times, May 26,2006)
This month we celebrate the graduation of grandson, Thomas McSorley, from Harvard University. We are proud of his accomplishment.
Until next time, Pax Tecum!