This week while dodging an ever increasing amount of, and rapidly expanding, potholes, I began wondering about taxes, use of state revenue, and voting. Why, after several weeks, were these potholes still not filled?
The first line of thinking was looking around the neighborhoods in which I drive to work. Several are working class, predominantly white neighborhoods. Then I go through several that are working class predominantly non-white neighborhoods. There are potholes in all of these small communities, but they are definitely worse in the non-white neighborhoods. On these latter community roads, one could lose a tire, break an axle, and/or throw the car alignment fully off.
I then wondered about the economic impact of tire repairs. I’m not naive enough to think it wouldn’t hurt regardless of whom lives in any of these neighborhoods. But, household income isn’t equal among these areas, so it would definitely hurt some more than others based upon zip code. What are the repercussions for each household when an axle breaks that will cost on average of around $700? For many people, that $700 can be devastating. The ripple effect could be loss of job (can’t get to work easily), loss of electricity or water (can’t pay the bill), loss of home (can’t cover rent), and/or a hit to credit score (late or non-payment brings scores down which impact future purchases and down payments). Each of these affects quality of life, and if it is a family, can be traumatic in the possibility of needing to live in a shelter or becoming homeless. All because the city or state doesn’t keep its infrastructure in working order, along with prioritizing those who speak the loudest and have the most financial clout to be higher on any fix-it list.
My mind then wandered to voting. It is elected officials who ultimately oversee the use of local, state, and national funds. In sticking with the pothole theme, all of us pay local taxes, state taxes, property taxes, gas taxes, and many others that pertain mainly to local residents, not to mention the taxes paid to fund the federal government. We, as citizens, have the ability (but not necessarily constitutional right) to vote as long as we meet the criteria set by elected officials.
In knowing this, I asked myself, with every eligible voter having the ability to vote, who actually shows up to vote. Just based on observation, and with reading and listening to multiple news and other sources, I figured those with college education and higher incomes voted. Those over 65 also had a higher percentage of voters (this group may also have higher education and incomes affecting turnout). Those with lower incomes and less education turned out in fewer numbers. To me, this means those needing more of a voice did not take their ability to use their voice in the numbers necessary to be heard.
It isn’t rocket science to figure out why this may be the case. Some is disenfranchisement by current elected officials to curtail voting for lower income, lower educated, and non-white eligible voters. This is done through restricting early voting, fewer hours of early voting, shortened early voting, limited mail-in ballots, providing fewer working voting machines in certain (precise) precincts, limiting eligibility, and outright mis/disinformation to these voting blocks. If one has survival challenges, such as working two jobs, having an employer who is not understanding of the need to vote (or understands all too well why need to limit the vote), limited or no transportation, or being excessively hard to obtain proper ID. When those life obstacles are daily struggles to survive, getting to the polls and waiting in lines of 8-10 hours is not possible even if the will and want to do so is there. Therefore the system is limiting voices in matters that affect the right to pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.
By (purposefully) limiting voter turnout for those most in need of a voice, elected officials, who believe they only have to represent those with the loudest and most well-funded voices, make decisions to positively effect certain specific constituencies. We all know those voices are not the poor, the uneducated, or the disenfranchised.
It is then these elected officials who decide what to do with tax dollars. For example, my state had a large surplus a couple of years ago of over a billion dollars. They decided to put some of it into state retirement funds (a good thing), but also to send tax rebates back to everyone. For those struggling to meet basic day-to-day needs, this rebate had the potential to do good, but only as a one-hit wonder kind of good, a very short-term positive effect. Whereas, had the state been more thoughtful and forward thinking, the powers that be could have done things to have a more long-lasting effect. Things to benefit its citizens for years to come. Things like providing free high-speed internet to lower income families and getting it to rural areas, renovating or replacing school buildings falling down around students, or even replacing old roads falling apart (thus helping to reduce annual potholes). This is what not using one’s voice in voting can do. We get elected officials who do not think for the long-term, nor make decisions for the greater good of us all.
Yes, it always comes back to the vote. You can stay home thinking it doesn’t matter, thus keeping the status quo which benefits very few of us. You can vote for politicians that care for large donors more than they care for you. You can vote for candidates that will preserve democracy or candidates that want to rule us all with an iron fist. You can vote for someone who believes they should rule over your life from the bedroom to the classroom, or someone who believes we should have individual choice and rights.
I know who I will chose, which is democracy for all, freedom to make individual choices, and those who want to lift us all to a better life while ensuring we all pay our fair share for the common good.
Who will you choose?
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 