Reply #8: I think it's more than that. [View All]

I think it's the natural laziness of the American electorate, yes. BUT..I think that was more our parents' generation. I think now it has become laziness TIMES disinterest.

For me, it was never stressed at home how important it was "when mommy went to go vote." I never gave two shits about politics until I had an abortion, and read in little booklets in the lobby of the clinic how that right was being eroded. THEN I woke up right fast and began voting Democratic the minute I could.

My mom was a middle class Republican who voted because she felt she had to. For the poor and uneducated, many have no clue how the system even works, and how it is destroying their lives. They just see their paycheck, and how far it DOESN'T stretch. They just let themselves be swept along by the system. Their parents never taught them how important it was either. It has just become this culture of disinterest. "If I ignore it, it will go away." When nothing could be further from the truth.

When I was volunteering for the Dean campaign, I found myself engaging complete strangers about politics. And for many of them, they became semi-interested when facts were brought up that mattered to THEM. I think this is also a failing of our educational system.

That hit home for me, because my 12th grade government teacher was that right wing former Texas state rep John Shields. Who would WANT to give a crap about politics when learning from the biggest loser in the state? He once took us to a trial in downtown San Antonio and got our fucking bus towed. The man was an idiot. And Shields, if you're reading this, you are lower than a sack of pus for taking all that money from James Leininger, you piece of shit!

But like you said...no one really takes an interest until it affects THEM.