The Importance Of Voting In America

Throughout modern history, people have fought and died for the right to vote in multiparty elections. In many nations, people have risen up and deposed military dictators so they could vote and in many nations that struggle still continues today. In our nation, the struggle for the right to vote continued for over a century after the U.S. Constitution granted voting rights to white male landowners. It took over a century before American women were given the right to vote. African-Americans have had the constitutional right to vote for 130 years, but it wasn't until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 before these rights were enforced by federal authorities. Eighteen-year-olds were granted the right to vote more than
"Education has a powerful effect on trust and associational membership as well as many other forms of social and political participation."(Putnam, 667) In the past, American elections have had barriers put in place to actually prevent citizens from voting. Literacy tests, poll taxes and lengthy residency requirements have all been abolished for some time yet the declining trend in voter turnout continues. Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward authored a book entitled Why Americans Don't Vote. They point the finger at one particular aspect of voter
Halstead states that "Xers have internalized core beliefs and characteristics that bode ill for the future of American democracy." (Halstead, 3) These core beliefs, according to Halstead, include: a negative attitude towards America, placing little importance on citizenship and national identity, and acting more materialistic and individualistic. Perhaps more importantly than the above core beliefs is the overall general decline in social trust among the Xers whether it be fellow citizens, elected officials or in established institutions. Halstead refers to Alexis de Tocqueville's theory to back up his framing of the weakening civic responsibilities of Generation