Vote

The sad truth is that turnout for the Republican and Democratic primaries in South Carolina will likely be low.  Even if there is an increase in turnout, it will be light, based on the number of absentee ballots coming in around the state.  Roughly 75 percent of the people who can vote will not vote.  

Thus, roughly 25 percent of eligible voters in South Carolina will select not only the major parties' nominees for the fall, but many local offices in which there is only opposition ii the primary.  It is a puzzling situation.  Many of those who will not vote are good people.  They will blame work or blame school or whatever.  But, in the end, a South Carolinian is more likely to spend time trying to figure which grocery store has the best price on hamburger meat than which politicians would best serve him and spend the third of his income that goes to government best.  

It has been that way for years and politicians and their handlers like it that way.  Of course, they will give lip service to getting the people out to vote, but what they really mean is their people.  Campaigns, especially this year on tight budgets, use targeting.  The consultants target who they believe will vote based upon voting history.  The statistics are pretty solid.  Around twenty percent will vote in their respective primaries every time.  Therefore, campaigns target those voters with mail, emails, phone calls, and even major media ads.  

If 50 percent or more of the electorate turned out for their respective primaries and voted, the politicians and the paid politicos would be lost.  Their targeting models would be useless.  

But, that takes people caring more about who is Governor than who wins American Idol.  Sadly, we are not there yet.  Until people equate the taxes and fees that they pay for government services to the money they spend in the marketplace on other goods and services, turnout and interest in politics will remain relatively low.  Think about it, intelligent and good people will tell you that they do not care about politics and they do not vote. Yet, they will spend days researching the best deal on something like a lawnmower, which costs a fraction of they pay for government goods and services.  

That's America.  That's South Carolina.  That's why we are in the mess we are in.  No politician will tell you that.  They don't want to tick you off or mess up their campaign models.  But that's the truth.  For a democracy to work, the people have to care enough to cast an informed vote like they make an informed purchase for the lawnmower or hamburger meat.  So, start cleaning up the mess by voting.