I’ve been quite captured by the Occupy movement, and have written multiple times that I believe it marks the most important grass roots political movement since the anti-war efforts of the ’60’s. But one thing has been nagging at me. If we are the 99%, how is it that we let our government get so broke that it is selling us down the river?

Without a doubt, one can look at the influence of big money and corporations and see their corrosive effect on our democracy, but it has taken more than that to create the mess we are in. We may be the 99%, but in reality, many of us haven’t been participating in the political system for perhaps a long time. For example, in the 2010, election, the overall voter turnout was about 41%, and while better, the 2008 voter turnout was still a poor showing at 62%. THese results are not unusual either for our democracy.

Why is this? That so many of us sit back ad allow our government to be formed and to act in ways that do not help us or build our country, and yet, election after election, we do it again and again?

I’m 100% behind the occupy movement, but I hope we see that grow to include this: Occupy the voting booth! Imagine if even 90% of our country turned out and voted. What a message it would send!

Photo by Stephen Downe