As many of you know I think that two of the most important elements of a strong democracy is an informed citizenry, which media consolidation hurts by not allowing for a variety of sources, thus why I am against it. I also think it is important for Citizen Hunters across America to let their voice be heard by practicing their hard fought right to vote! So please register today to vote if you have not already, keep informed on the topics by checking in with CitizenHunter.com and other sources, find out in the Action Center what you can do to make a difference on issues you care about, and by all means, show up on election day!
If Americans, who are very bsuy with their families, work, and daily lives take the time out to get civically engaged, as a nation should we not do everything we can to help facilitate that? I think the answer to that is a resounding yes! Don't get me started on the Voter ID issues being discussed now. I have written before about how voting on Tuesdays is a vestige of the past, whose reasons for establishment no longer exist and the only thing it accomplishes is making it harder for folks to vote who can't get out of work (only government workers are guaranteed off). Let your Representative know that all these issues concern you.
Now to the immediate: Why is Nevada having its primary on Saturday?
Though Sunday is a special day for me as a Christian, nothing in my faith tells me I could not vote on Sunday - but for practicing Conservative Jews, including some of my friends, they are not supposed to engage in activities such as voting on a Saturday. I thought America was about supporting people's freedom to practice their own faith. Sure they can vote, but some Jews in Nevada are being asked to chose between practicing their faith or their duty as Citizens -- a choice that is grossly unfair and that should not have to be made.
Faith in Public Life, who often bring attention to issues the media misses on faith, posed the issue eloquently: Jewish caucusers in Nevada have to choose between voting and practicing their faith?
- The Republican and Democratic Nevada caucuses are being held on Saturday January 19 at 9 and 11:30 am - during morning religious services for observant Jews. This means that religious Jews in Nevada will have to choose between voting and practicing their faith. It's worth noting that the Nevada Jewish community of 65 - 80,000 is one of the fastest growing Jewish populations in the country.
Comments (8)
I worked with some one who said that the Presidential elections (the final one, held in November) should be a national holiday, with all businesses closed. I think he had a good idea. There would be a bigger turn out. The number of eligible voters who actually vote (not just registered voters) is very low! This process is just as important as commemorating Washington or Martin Luther King, Jr.
Posted by: Jeff on January 16, 2008 15:22
Can you imagine what would happen if ALL businesses closed for election day. People would starve (no restaurants or grocery stores open), people would have nicotine fits (no where to buy cigarettes) and how about gasoline? People wouldn't be able to get to the polls if gasoline pumps were shut off! Some things can't shut down (refineries for instance take days to restart if they are disrupted), police, fire, electric plants, natural gas pipelines. This country runs 24-7-365 and noone any longer thinks beyond the current minute for any of their needs. Close ALL businesses for 24 hours and it would be chaos.
Posted by: Tim on January 16, 2008 18:40
Of course not ALL businesses closed, but -- just like any other national holiday -- a great majority of them closed would greatly help turnout on election day.
Posted by: Danya on January 16, 2008 19:21
I live in Nevada and we do things differently than Philadelphia. Our mayor was a former lawyer for the mob and the local munincipal judge was a stripper when she was going to college. No one thinks twice about this stuff. Nor should you be critical about when or how we vote.
Posted by: RonNV on January 16, 2008 20:29
"I live in Nevada and we do things differently than Philadelphia. Our mayor was a former lawyer for the mob and the local munincipal judge was a stripper when she was going to college. No one thinks twice about this stuff. Nor should you be critical about when or how we vote."
Just to add a bit of a twist, RonNV, your mayor is a former Philly guy; Oscar was born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love. Which I suppose proves your point. And we don't have any place here, in Philly, to be critical about the voting habits of other areas, since we seem to specialize in having dead people vote, or people vote multiple times.
Posted by: Christine on January 17, 2008 13:07
Ironically, Mayor Oscar Goodman, a Democrat, is also Jewish, having served as president of his synagogue, Temple Beth Shalom. So if Conservative Jews in Las Vegas had raised any objections, or if he himself had objected, Goodman would surely have said something. (Goodman isn't afraid to speak his mind: He once told students at Mackey Elementary School that, if he were stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean, the one item he would want would be a bottle of gin! ) Because he didn't raise the issue about voting on Saturday, they (the Jewish community) probably didn't raise the issue either.
Posted by: PokerFace on January 18, 2008 06:52
Do these caucuses/primaries mean anything anyway?
All they are doing is setting up the nomination for the GOP which they have probably made their choice already.
BTW, what is a caucus anyway?
Posted by: TheBoss on January 20, 2008 11:31
Dear Boss:
If you think that the GOP nominee has already been chosen, you haven't been watching very closely. That race is as open as the one between Hillary and Obama (in fact, the Hillary/Obama race is somewhat more predictable since either of them are going to be the nominee, while Edwards has no chance in...whatever...to get the nomination) At least the Republicans keep us guessing until the end, with key primaries being split between McCain, Romney and Huckabee. And Rudy Giuliani is also still in it, though without a win in Florida his goose may be cooked.
Posted by: Christine on January 22, 2008 15:27