Show GOOD CITIZEN americans right to vote often abused corrupted neglected this to the of e erlei aerie of 0 10 articles from rom the he booklet good od citizen pub by the am american I 1 heritage foundation concern inc the rights anil and duties of 1 I n u american 0 of the nine promises of a good citizen the first Is I 1 will vote at all elections I 1 will inform myself on candidates and issues and will use my greatest influence to see that honest and capable officials are elected I 1 will accept public office when I 1 can serve my community or my country thereby the right to vote to vote in secret and to have your votes count is a great right it is grounded in the faith that the average judgment of all of us together in the long run will be right that you cant tool all the people all the time it has many flaws it has been corrupted abused and neglected but by means of it the american people over more than a century and a halt half have done pretty well tor for themselves through agents chosen by you and others like lika you all laws are made no man regardless of his station in life wields more power than you in the voting booth you can also vote by no not t voting tor for by staying away from the polls you can help a self seeking minority make the wrong decision dont be afraid to lose your vote the vote that elect a man still influences what he does A candidate who lust just squeaks through knows that you and others like you can repudiate him next time in this atom splitting age you pro fre voting on the gravest issues in the history of mankind 0 0 0 WHEN N YOU REACH voting age you become a member of the ruling class the one and only ruling class of this country use this power to vote vote during the big year elections of 0 course and at state elections vote at your 1 IN party primary AW vote vota also for your city cites s mayor or vili a g e president vote tor for members of the school board vote on policies and officers of your union vote as a stockholder of any company you have invested in vote on civic improvements and bond issues vote on officers of your club your lodge your grange in general all citizens over 21 years ot of age have the right to vote but the various states have different laws as to how long you must live in the same place when to register etc in certain states literacy tests or poll taxes faxes are required in no state Is property ownership a requirement qui rement but dont consider you have done your duty merely by voting in national elections every four years there are also congressional elections state elections city elections and local election various kinds THERE ARE three ways to vote you can vote for 1 party 2 issues 3 people it if the total party program as expressed in its platform appeals to you as being best for the country it Is sound a straight ticket for the people pledged to put that tha t program into effect it if a single issue seems to you more important than anything else it Is sound to vote for persons who support your view of that issue regardless gard less of party if the ability of an individual to judge each issue fairly and to keep the interests of the people uppermost appeals to you it is sound to vote for that individual regardless of party or any particular issue but even if you spent your life at it you be fully informed on all the candidates and issues the answer is to do the best you can it is better to vote on the basis of party allegiance and your 0 own wn sense of things than not to vote at all your own k knowledge now ledge and convictions vict viet ions lons whatever they are wa will H be combined with the knowledge and convictions of a lot of other people As a group we are usually wiser than we think we are this abla article Is ii chapter I 1 of ha booklet good citizen produced by the th american neri heritage tage dounda hot sponsor ra of the freedom train A complete c n 1 lets book may be obtained by sen fendl d oln nf g 29 25 tents cents to the he american I 1 laetit a oro foundation an dallon 17 east street sira new ew york N r Y |