Posted on 09/10/2007 5:39:23 PM PDT by Pan_Yan
VOTING
Voting is a way of making decisions. It allows a group of people with different opinions to decide how to act. Sometimes that group might be three people in a meeting. Sometimes it might be millions of people in a nation.
Voting does not happen only on Election Day. It happens all the time. People may vote for a leader of a club. Or they may vote for a president of an organization. They also may vote when their family makes decisions. A group of friends might take a vote to decide which movie to see.
Voting can cause arguments. People who do not get their way may be upset. Voting to make decisions is not a perfect system. However it works better than most other methods.
In the United States, the people choose their representatives when they vote on Election Day. The representatives make the laws. That way, the U.S. government comes from the people. The people are not “ruled” by their leaders. This system is known as a democracy.
Sometimes, the people are not happy with their leaders. Then they can vote their leaders out of office. The people have the power to change the laws. The right to vote helps protect the rights of Americans.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING
Only about half of American voters vote for president. Even fewer vote for senators, mayors and members of the school board. People must vote in order for democracy to work correctly.
People have different reasons for not voting. Many Americans do not care about the government. They feel their one vote will not make a difference. Others claim they do not have the time to vote. A few people complain that Election Day is the middle of the week.
A poster is a large printed announcement. It usually has a picture on it. Posters are used to tell people about something. A poster can be an advertisement. A poster can also try to convince people of something.
Elections
An election is a vote by people to select their leaders. Elections are held in clubs and businesses. Elections are also used to choose government leaders. Americans elect thousands of people to jobs in government. Voters must decide the best person to fill each job.
A constitution is a plan for government. The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787. The Constitution is the highest law of the United States. Everyone in the country must obey the laws. Even the president must obey the laws.
The U.S. Constitution begins with a sentence known as the Preamble. The preamble is an introduction. The Preamble to the Constitution opens with the words, “We, the people of the united States…” This announces the national government will draw its power directly from the people eof the country.
A citizen is a person who is a member of a country or a state. Anyone born in the United States is a U.S. citizen. A person can also become a U.S. citizen by following certain legal steps.
Citizens have duties. They owe loyalty to the government. They must pay their taxes. However, citizens also have rights. They have freedom of speech and the right to a speedy trial. By using the right to vote, citizens control the future of the United States.
Ping
“The people are not “ruled” by their leaders”
Someone needs to send this to all incumbents asking if they are smarter then a 5th grader.
The current GOP crop seems to have forgotten this and the DNC never believe it.
And stamp their feet, run to court, and even get snippy.
Voting to make decisions is not a perfect system
Especially when politicians have forbidden polling places in California TO ASK FOR FREAKIN' IDENTIFICATION.
No, we don't.
Buzzzzz. Wrong. This system is called a REPUBLIC. But thanks for playing.
It is better to teach factually correct material than to unlearn and correct the lessons in the future.
I made that very point in almost those very words in my very polite but very firm note to the teacher.
What idiocy. The right to "freedom of speech" does not apply only to citizens despite the implications of this paragraph. This right comes from God. The Declaration of Independence tells us that government exists to secure the certain unalienable rights of all men. Almighty God created man in his own image and endowed him with free will and the certain inalienable rights inherent in that free will.
After I read the first sentence about owing loyalty to the government the rest of that paragraph was lost on me.
YEP....easiest way to explain to a kid is have them recite the Pledge of Allegiance.....”I Pledge allegiance to the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC.....
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