The Red Tape in Democracy

Even if you were a victim of Tropical Storm Sandy, you most likely know the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election Results proved that no one messes with Big Bird.  Check out these memes, if you don't know what I'm referencing.

I'm not going to discuss here how Proposition 49 was added to the Illinois Constitution, or how 3 states (Maine, Maryland, and Washington) welcomed Same-Sex Marriage.

I am going to detail my voting experience for both the 2008 election and 2012 election. 

2008 was my first year able to vote, and I was over 3 hours away at college.  While I supported missing classes, I'm ultimately glad I didn't.  I begrudgenly received my absentee ballot, excitedly filled it out (while double-checking I filled it out correctly), and nervously hoping the USPS wouldn't lose or somehow make my ballot ineligible. Then, I'll never forget as the official call was made, the school's quad was flooded with celebratory students cheering and hugging. There were balloons soon followed by other college debauchery.

2012 was the year I moved out of my parents' home and into an apartment with the boy and our Westie.  I updated my online my address, but didn't need to get a new driver's license since it was in the IL database.  Flash forward to Nov. 6-- I was super excited to receive my voter confirmation registration card in the mail, bring it to my polling site, (which turned out to be a Log Cabin--pat on the back Village of Lombard for that touch of nostalgia.) vote on an official ballot and receive my 'I Voted Today" sticker.  In reality, what happened was I arrived, provided the confirmation registration, proof of my address on a utility bill, and 2 forms of ID then hit a line of red tape.

The lady who made sure I wasn't an impersonator then proceeded to tell me "You have to vote in the city your address lists." 

I countered "No, I updated my address when I moved back in April through the IL database, and gave you proof of my current address and the voting confirmation card that tells me to vote here."

"Well sweetie, that's wrong."

"No it's not.  I get to vote here."

"Let me go check with someone else..."

5 hours minutes later...

"That's fine, but you really shouldn't be voting here."

While angry that receiving my ballot took more time than actually filling it out, (because no I don't want to vote electronically, I want authenticity! We're in a log cabin!) when I did finally submit that ballot to the feeder, hear the confirming beep, and give the doorman a high five all of my negativity towards the voting hold-up was erased.

Victory Democracy was mine!

The Wake-Up Call of the American Dream

The American Dream is a dream that promotes and expands opportunities for all.  It inspires us to be achievers despite what race, gender, or class we may be. It is a dream placed in our heads when we are a little child sitting cross-legged during story time listening to the teacher recite Dr. Seuss and how “You’ll be on your way up!/ You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers/ who soar to high heights” (9), from Oh the Places You Will Go.  We sit at our art table drawing pictures of what we want to be when we grow up, and besides slight variances, we all, at one point or another, have a vision of a successful career, a family and an abundance of material items that would lead us to perpetual happiness and bliss.  Everyone imagines the storyline and pictures from when we are little, but looking deeper, the dream creates an ideal that is simply unattainable by the majority of the nation.

The American Dream is something that everyone wants to attain.  This leads to a more cut-throat environment, a dog eat dog every man for yourself, an untelevised “Real-World Survivor.” America was originally founded upon the ideals of our founding fathers to become an independent country to have land, freedom of religion, and to let the people have a government that represented and satisfied their demands and dreams.  Then as time progressed, and generations passed, the Dream became more personal and people began wanting to come to America so that, as Spock from “Star Trek” said, “live long and prosper.” 

Despite it all, the want to exceed social, ethnic, or class boundaries and to live a fulfilling life, the American Dream is merely that: a dream.  The concept of the American Dream ignores factors of success such as luck, family, language and wealth one is born into.   Even if people were able to overcome the race, gender and wealth barriers, the melting pot of society would literally spill over because the dream would be attained and people would no longer be working a 12 hour shift placing caps on tubes at a toothpaste factory. 

Though many citizens have an American Dream, it really is little more than wishes and desires drawn up in their heads and occasionally strewn about at that “typical family-night dinner”.   Though the government may be in control by a minute upper-class, the core to America is the middle-class.  This class is what actually fuels the American Dream.  The middle class’ complacency with being “average” has put the American Dream at a standstill.  Yes there are the poor who struggle and have every desirable intention to make it to the top, but very few will succeed.

There will never be the ideal “sunny day and relaxing family vacation free of work and other worries,” or the idea that everyone in society will one day gain tolerance for each other and Miss America will finally be granted her dream of world peace.  Yes, the American Dream may propel us to succeed well in school and continue to put our blood and sweat into our work jobs for economic prosperity, but if the starting point is compared with the ending point, advancement may be seen, but like the great Dr. Seuss said “And will you succeed?/ 98 and ¾ percent guaranteed” (Seuss 32).  This is where we realize that no matter what we do it is not enough.  The American Dream is unattainable.  It is merely a dream we strive for but never reach; the 1 ¼ percent left is the unreachable American Dream.