For my blog assignment this week I read an article on CNN.com This article was about how many women are pushing away from voting. The article starts out very positive saying how women are taking up more and more positions of power in the government. Over 262 women ran for a congressional seat this year, that is 40 more than there was in 1992. In a study done by CNN.com that came to conclusions that only 23% of women are "enthusiatic" about voting compared to the 38% percent of men who are "enthusiastic" about voting. It seems that even with all of the progress women have made with gaining higher positions throughout the government moral is still down. The article goes into stating that the feeling of being let down much, and poeple not doing as they say they are going to has been part of the reason why voting enthusiasm is down among women. Another reason why voting enthusiasm is down with women is because unemployment rates are going no where. Now a days women account for 2/3 of a families incomes in order for their family to survive. Women have to work so hard to do anything now a days, between working harder to have a fair chance of power within either its a large company trying to climb the ladder, or its just simply gaining ground in positions of power in the government. Women are simply starting to lose hope over the face that they have so much on their plate and are not getting the respect they deserve. I chose this articly because I remember talking about in class why people vote certain ways. Such as demographics why certain areas vote a certain way or why they do not vote at all. For this instance, this article seems to target many women that are most likely middle class hard working busy women who seem to be losing hope. Therefore, with loss of hope they are voting less.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/25/wefald.gould.women.voting/index.html
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I really enjoyed reading this article and was surprised by Welfald’s findings. I think it was interesting that even though more women are involved and represented in politics women are steering away from voting. Furth more, this article is also a great example of a speech act which according to the textbook is “the way speech encourages action” (49). In the article Wilfred says “With so much about the future of our nation at stake this Election Day, women must show up at the polls and make their voices heard -- because when we do, we advance a vision of America where equality and justice are more than just catchphrases.” Her speech is encouraging women to act, to go out and vote.
ReplyDeleteThis article was really interesting to read, it seemed like they were essentially banking on feminism to help lead the way for the womens vote. I however, have some issues with it. I think women still want to climb the ladder but they can do so without voting women into higher positions, because even if a women gets into power they realize not much will change for them. I think this midterm election has a lot of issues within each party. Men and women are not voting nearly as much. Like you said the women who are going to vote are in the middle class and they are the ones who are not happy with politics in general because President Obama has yet to step up and make a huge monumental change in peoples eyes therefore, men but more so women are turned away from voting because if they voted last time they realize that their voice doesn't truly matter because the promises are continually broken. This article also reminds me of the Reagan inagural speech where he was saying the importance of the indivdual should be more important then the government that one belongs. Essentially the citizens are the reason for the government not one that hold it back.
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