The article I chose to write my first blog post on is from The New York Times and is titled “A Push to Supplement Tuesday Voting With Weekends,” written by Jesse McKinley. It explains how a San Francisco Political Consultant plans to get a second day for voting in next year’s general election for the city of San Fran. The man behind the campaign is Alex Tourk and he explains that the proposal would fundamentally duplicate the Tuesday voting occurrence by opening all precincts for the entire day on the preceding Saturday. This can be considered a Rhetorical Situation that consists of an exigence, audience, and constraints. The exigence or need here is an additional day that people can come out to the poles and vote. Another need is for more people to be voting in National Elections, because according to the article America tails most of the world in voter participation. It explains that “work, child care issues and fatigue” are reasons that keep people home on the Tuesday Voting Day. This shows a clear want for change. The Audience in this situation includes the people of San Francisco that have a problem with the current voting day and would like another option. They hope to increase the audience to the rest of the nation through a successful campaign. The constraints are explained in the article and include how would they secure the votes that are cast on the alternate day, how to update rolls to prevent voting twice, as well has how will this be funded. With these three elements, the exigence, audience, and constraints, the campaign to add another day for voting is seen as a political rhetorical situation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The problem for me with people offering alternate possibilities to solving problems is when all traditional possibilities have not been duly considered. One possibility was the idea of making election day a national holiday. Then we would all have the day off of work and school. There would be no excuse for individuals to give up on their responsibility.
ReplyDeleteEssentially, you've identified a true exigence. There is indeed a need for us to determine a way to increase the number of people who vote in the elections. Yet, to move the date so far away from our original election date selected so long ago.
-JL
This Movement also shows how democracy and how the country defines democracy can change over time. Historically when the voting first started the American population felt excited to vote and to participate in the government. However now people see it as an inconvenience. When voting was first established the men who could vote were just as busy as the men today. When minorities obtained the right to vote they jumped at the chance and a majority of them voted. However in a society where the individual is now valued over the government the government must now conform to the needs of the general public
ReplyDelete