This current election cycle is nothing short of a circus. In an effort to maintain high ratings, mainstream news outlets push out sensational content that is relevant to a majority of American viewers. These entities fail to underscore why voting in local elections matters.
The United States government is a giant political machine wherein much of the power is decentralized. The states have a lot of control on what can and cannot occur under their domain. The success of it largely depends on officials locally elected.
This power dynamic is exemplified by both the passing and aftermath of the Affordable Care Act.
In 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. The successful passage of the bill was contingent on a democratic majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congressional officials voted along party lines. If republicans held the majority in Congress at that time, the act probably would not have passed.
Although democrats held the majority in Congress and were able to enact the bill on a federal level, the states still had control over the way in which much of it was carried out under their domain. States adamantly against ‘Obamacare’ have and continue to do everything in their power to stop it.
After the bill was passed, the federal government made clear they were footing most of the bill, leaving the states to pay for the Medicaid expansion. A ton of red states refused to pay their part, leaving millions of people uninsured. The ability to deny people health insurance under the Affordable Healthcare Act was because of a republican majority in state congresses.
The impact of a republican majority in the states was highlighted, but mass news outlets failed to fully underscore the gravity of the elections leading up to it.
Despite the legality of abortion, states still hold a lot of power over women’s bodies. Most recently, South Carolina made abortions after 20 weeks illegal. This bill passed under a republican majority state house. This new anti-abortion law does not provide coverage for cases of incest or women who are victims of rape.
Yeah. You read that right. Women who are victims of sexual assault and incest cannot get an abortion after 20 weeks in South Carolina.
Voting in local elections is important.
While the media continues to hype up the general election in November, they fail to show how important it is to aggressively make your voice heard in local elections. So when voting in the primaries, for senators or for local officials, be mindful of the direct impact they can have over your life.
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