Omaha World-Herald – Public Pulse – May 6, 2008

Voting is reponsibility

In response to Jerry Preble’s April 27 letter, I cringe every time I hear or read any suggestions to abstain from voting as a means of protest. This form of protest can rightly be seen as irresponsible and unpatriotic.

While I sympathize with Mr. Preble’s frustration, I do not agree that voting is an exercise in futility. Voting is a civic responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

A few hundred additional votes in Florida for the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2000 election might have altered the course of history. If the state Democratic parties in Michigan and Florida had observed Democratic National Committee rules, a presidential nominee might have been selected by now.

On this point, we may never know precisely how things would have played out. But one thing we do know: Jockeying to hold early nominating contests produced a mess for the party.

Augusto O. Will, Bellevue