Whenever we travel, we are placed in a position of contrast. The different ways that people live, being observed by the traveler, raise curiosity. Susan and I often have conversations based on this. Just the way people greet each other, or how and when they eat. Most curious for me, in our time of intense tribalism and partisan politics, is voting.
Why I bring this up is that we are currently in Italy, a country that consistently votes in percentages of 72% or better. Many years in the period between 1948 and 1979 were all above 90%! Ok, you knew I was going to do this,Contrast, right! The United States in the last election was clocking in at 58% for federal elections and 40% for mid-terms. Our discussions with Italians on this reflect more of a feeling of empowerment as voters. There is the tight connection of community here that seems to be part of the formula. If a community decides it does not want something, they get in the face of their legislators.
Also, by European standards, the middle class in Italy is at 67% verses the U.S. at 59% and has been shrinking. The point I seem to be leading up to is that there is power in voting. There is power in community organizing. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of this going on in the U.S. too! National and local organizations really do make a difference.
Here is where I send my wish balloon sailing. Millennials are my true hope for a better future. They now number 71 million, compared to Baby Boomers who are currently at 74 million. It will be sometime in 2019 that they become the new voting majority. “The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans” Yes, Boomers and Millennials, we need to vote together and throw the bums out! Oh, forgot I was in Cortona, Mi Dispiace!
