CNN reported today about the town of Chillicothe, Ohio, which it aptly (sort-of) describes as “the bellwether town inside the bellwether state” because the town has so often swung the way of the rest of the state when it comes to presidential elections. The town is reportedly split on the so-old-it’s-age-old Obama-McCain issue. From the article:
“Obama’s troops are trying to make inroads among the population of 22,000 that went for George Bush in the past two elections, and team McCain is working to keep the county red.
Right now, people say the town is divided — and so are the predictions.”
The article quotes a few Chillicothe citizens, one of whom commented that he might not vote at all. I wish that I could sit down with this Mike Milburn fellow and have a little chat because this is what I would say:
Mike, I know that things look tough. As the article on CNN.com notes, you live paycheck to paycheck to support your family and I know that this is no way to live. I also know that the past politics do not give you much reason to believe that one candidate over the other is going to dramatically change your life for the better. But by choosing not to act on your civic right (or duty, as many might say) to vote, you simply throw away your most basic form of political and social agency. I don’t even care who you vote for. Sure, I’d much prefer that you vote for Obama and we can talk later about why he’s the right candidate for the job and for striving to solve the challenges that you face, but right now all I care about is you and your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. Not only do you have the right to vote, but you get to vote in a state that could very well decide the entire election. Just do it, Mike. What have you got to lose? I’ll tell you what–the right that so many people in the world wish they could have, which is the fundamental right to participate even on the most basic level in what defines democracy. Remember those retro “I want you to vote” signs with Uncle Sam pointing at you? Well I don’t know how old your kids are or whether or not they’re aware of what’s going on, but deep down, I think that they want you to vote, Mike. They want you to vote for their futures, so why throw that chance away?
Ay, I may have gotten off-topic. But the point is, the CNN article linked above demonstrates that this election has gotten so close that we are literally at the point of examining and analyzing a town of 22, 000 individuals. So take it away, Chillicothe, and show us what you’ve got.
Also:
Check out this additional coverage of Chillicothe’s significance on another Ohio politics blog, part of Cincinnati.com. Props to political writer Howard Wilkinson for his report!
Putting the OH! back in Ohio 