I have a friend who tells me their vote doesn't count anyway. And it's true that most elections don't usually turn on one vote. In a state like ours, California, Obama is virtually guaranteed to win the presidential election. (There are a lot of other important votes to be made, but I'll leave that out for the moment.) And when I asked him, from a Kantian position, "What if everybody thought like you do, and stayed home?", he was quick to respond, "But they won't!" Okay. True enough. Not everyone will. But that's because a lot of people know better. The fact is that far too many people do think that way, and stay home. Obama would not have won in 2008 without a higher-than-usual Democratic turn-out, especially amongst the younger demographic. And even a state like California would become a "key" state if enough people thought like that and stayed home.
Speaking of key states, it's amazing to me how we zero in on such a few states that, if everything else goes as expected (again a big IF), will ultimately decide the outcome of the election. But I was just reading the Washington Post reporting on the even more amazing calculation of the 7 COUNTIES to watch. For example, we all know that it's going to come down to Ohio (all other things remaining the same), but within Ohio, the outcome is likely to be decided in Hamilton County.
As the Post reports, "Cincinnati-based Hamilton County is split between urban liberals/African Americans and heavily conservative suburbs, and the side that wins this county will likely win statewide. The county went for Bush by five points in 2004 and for Obama by five points in 2008. It also accounts for about one in every 13 voters in the state, so the swings here matter."
(Wow. It always surprises me when I take these Kantian turns.)
There is much more than just the presidency at stake in California this year. There are hugely important propositions will have extensive repercussions in education, the legal system, and food labeling. If Prop 30 doesn't pass for example, students will lose 2 weeks of the academic year which may increase day care expenses for parents and will result in pay cuts for teachers. Students in public higher ed will be required to pay higher tuition, but they will receive fewer services. The lost revenue of teachers, the possible additional daycare costs, and the higher tuition will have an impact on personal spending which will negatively affect the economy of the state. That does not even take into account the loss to education of the future leaders of our state.
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