Observations©
By Donald S. Conkey
Date: October 30, 2008 - # 8844 - Title: 60 Years of voting (832)
Earlier this week Joan and I went to the Rose Creek library and cast our ballot in the
2008 election. This was the 15th presidential election in which I have cast my ballot - beginning in 1952. That
presidential election was between Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson. Eisenhower won, as he did in 1956, again with
Stevenson as his opponent. An Eisenhower souvenir of that election still hangs in my garage.
And this would have been my 16th election
except you had to be 21 to vote in 1948. The 26th amendment to the Constitution changed the voting age from 21
to 18 becoming law on July 1, 1971.
But my memories of presidential elections go back to 1940, an election of historic proportions as
significant as the historical significance of this 2008 election. The significance of that 1940 election was that Franklin
D. Roosevelt decided to break the traditional two term limit in office established by George Washington in 1796 and run for
a third term. And he won. His opponent was Wendell Wilkie. And he won again 1944, setting off such a storm of protest that
it caused the Congress to submit to the states the 22nd amendment to the Constitution that limits anyone from being
elected president of these United States more than
twice. This amendment was ratified and became law on February 27, 1951. I believe that without this amendment Bill Clinton
would have run for a third term in 2000 - and would have likely won. There seems to be a growing tendency by more and more
Americans to want a king to rule over them, as did the Israelites of old. This tendency is driving part of this 2008 election
by those wanting a ‘messiah.’
From the first presidential election in 1788 to this election 220 years later America’s elections
have been historic in nature nearly every time - the 2008 election being no exception. The 1788 election was historic in that
it was the first election held under the newly ratified Constitution. It was also historic that George Washington was elected
via the electoral process unanimously. No one has come close since. This election will likely be another cliff hanger, meaning
the electoral votes are expected to be close.
Other historic elections during these 56 years include the election of John F, Kennedy as America’s first catholic president. Prejudice against Catholics
up until 1960 was as bad as the prejudices against Jewish or Mormon candidates today. The 1964 election set up the civil rights
laws, and the 1968 election was against another war, Vietnam.
The
1976 election was historic in that Jimmy Carter, an unknown southern peanut farmer, by going directly to the people, by-passing
the smoke-filled back room power brokers, surprisingly won the election over Gerald Ford. Carter’s presidency set up
the 1980 historical election on the economy. Similar to today, gas, or the lack thereof then, played a significant role in
the outcome of that election as did interest rates. I could only finance 50 percent of my new home in Druid Hills –
and then at 11.5 percent interest. The people then, like they are today, were mad, and ready for change. They got change with
Reagan.
America is divided today, badly divided. America was equally divided in 1776 when 56 courageous patriots signed Thomas Jefferson’s historic Declaration of Independence.
Fully one third of the colonists were Tories, those that supported kingly rule. The divide was so bad that during and after
the Revolutionary War the Tories were persecuted with many fleeing for their lives to Canada, often without compensation for their property left behind. Those fleeing included many of my ancestors.
Again America was equally divided in 1787 when the Constitution was
sent out for ratification. The people were so divided the ratification process could have gone either way. It was Alexander
Hamilton who, along with James Madison and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers to influence the New York vote. The New York vote to ratify the Constitution was 30 for, 27 against. Two changed votes would have changed history. Again in 1860
the people were divided, so divided they went to war to resolve the slavery issue.
These historic events were real and were addressed by
the American people at the polls. In each case the people educated themselves by what ever means they had at their disposal.
The internet and e-mail are today’s equivalent of the Federalist Papers and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense pamphlets.
With feelings running
high on both sides of this election perhaps we should remember Paine’s words that encouraged Washington’s soldiers
at Valley Forge to hang in their. Paine’s words: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier
and the sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves
the love and thanks of men and women.”
Paine’s soldier today is you, America’s voter. America’s freedoms and
future are in your hands.
