Americans and Voting Essay

There is value in having and exercising the right to vote. Americans today have developed a mindset that their vote does not make a difference, and that voicing out their opinions is a waste of time. This is not the case, however, as the rights that Americans are neglecting are the same rights that our ancestors have fought for during the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment. The laws that affect the average individuals, the influences of various platformed parties, and the importance of voting in society exemplifies why Americans should value their right to vote. Many laws affect the American’s rights to vote as an individual. For instance, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution states that it grants Americans the right to vote, furthermore stating that the â€Å"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.† This declares, simply and literally, that there is no discrimination in voicing out one’s opinion, no matter what the race, color, or previous condition of servitude. African Americans of the 1960’s suffered greatly from injustice and racism, thus, abolishing the discrimination within voting is extremely important and healthy for our society today. Another example is the Voting Rights Act, as it â€Å"banned the use of literacy tests, provided for federal oversight of voter registration in areas where less than 50 percent of the nonwhite population had not registered to vote, and authorized the U.S. attorney general to investigate the use of poll taxes in state and local elections† (www.history.com). Along with the abolishment of direct discrimination of race, is the abolishment of indirect discrimination, such as literacy tests. The purpose of this Act is to intentionally block all types of discrimination as well as prejudice in the area of voting. Society should voice out their opinions through voting, because there are laws that protect one so they do not face injustice. Influences of various plat formed parties affect the outcomes of lawmaking bodies. An example of this would be the Democratic Party. The party has a mindset that the economy of America should be â€Å"built not from the top down, but from a growing m iddle class, and that provides ladders of opportunity for those working hard to join the middle class† (assets.dstatic.org). This means that the Democratic Party aims for a country that is focused on developing the middle and lower class. A president running with a Democratic perspective can easily win the votes of the Democratic Party. Likewise, the Republican Party is based on their aim to â€Å"grow the economy . . . from the top down† (assets.dstatic.org). The party has a goal that bases off of the idea that building a strong foundation of the top class will make the country better. Of course, â€Å"[voting] does not guarantee that one’s preferences will prevail, but choosing not to vote denies a person one of the key tools of having a say in a democracy† (congresslink.org). Once may not get the president he or she elected for, or the laws they wanted passed, but the Republican and Democratic Parties all have one mindset: ‘Make America a better country.† Therefore, nothing can go wrong with voting. Voting is a privilege that everyone should exercise because there is no wrong decision; everything is mean for the good of the country. America is run based on a democracy. This means th at our government highly considers our beliefs and opinions, and that the future political impacts on our country are going to be in the hands of the citizens who choose to take advantage of their right to vote. This expresses the importance of voting, because when we vote, we don’t just simply choose what president we are going to have; we are electing the person that decides how the government is run, the management of wars within our country, and how resources are used. Furthermore, in a country where there is a large population, it is difficult for an individual to have their voice heard. Therefore, society should consider, once again, their rights to vote because â€Å"casting a vote is the most widely understood and discreetly effective way to have one’s voice heard in American politics† (www.law.seattle.edu). Voting gives on the ability to voice their own outlooks on politics, in a society within a large population. Our voice, our opinions, our vote is important and valued in society. Americans should vote so that these rights and powers do not go to waste. Society today neglects and refuses to voice out their outlooks on politics, which was once a right that American ancestors have fought for. It is valuable to have and exercise the right to vote because there are laws that protect one from discrimination, it is a choice made that benefits the country no matter what the outcome, and lastly, it is the easiest, most effective, and most important way to have one’s voice heard in society. An individual’s vote is important, and it certainly is not a waste of time. Thus, Americans should  exercise their rights as a citizen of a democratic country, and vote.