Sean Healy: If you care about you future it is your duty to vote in Election 2020

Refusing to vote is never the answer to your disillusionment with politics, argues Dr Sean Healy.

People are often critical of politicians, saying they ignore the will of the electorate and may even feel that refusing to vote is one way of getting back at these politicians.

But the opposite is the case – the best way to teach a politician a lesson is to cast your vote.

Politicians know that every vote matter, so they pay close attention to whether or not people vote and to how these people vote.

They also pay close attention to voters’ views on issues. If our views are to be taken into consideration, then it’s essential that these views be articulated. Our views should be based on evidence, not on fake news.

Its very easy nowadays to be targeted, for example, by manipulators of social media promoting false versions of what a situation may need or how a challenge can be faced. So, voters should try to seek out the real story, get to know the evidence that supports or undermines proposals and then decide how to vote based on the available evidence.

But it’s not just about letting the politicians know your views – whether you agree or disagree with them. Elections are more significant than that – they are central to the survival of democracy. In the modern world it is essential that every person has a genuine voice in shaping the decisions that affect them and that every person can contribute to the development of society.

Voting in elections is only one of the ways this can be done but it is a central component of how people can make their voice heard. Decisions made by national and local government affect every one of us. The policies the new Government enact in the years ahead all have an impact on our day to day lives. So, it’s important that everyone plays their part in choosing the people who make these decisions.

Ireland today is doing very well at a macro-economic level. Growth rates are among the highest in the world; employment is at a record level; unemployment is very low compared to previous decades. However, there are major challenges to be addressed – climate change; poverty and inequality; inadequate infrastructure in areas such as social housing and rural broadband; services under pressure in areas such as healthcare and childcare; the changing world of work, and so on.

It is clear that all of these challenges will take time to fully resolve. But the Government elected on 8th February will have the potential to make serious inroads into tackling these challenges effectively. It’s imperative that all voters consider the issues and challenges that Ireland faces because decisions will be made, one way or another, on these in the course of the next Government’s term of office.

It’s essential to vote and do what we can to ensure these decisions benefit all of us and promote the common good. If our voices are to be heard then it’s essential that people look at the situation Ireland is in, review the proposals being made, assess the evidence for or against each proposal and then decide who to support in the election.

Refusing to vote simply means that others will decide who shapes your future

The objective of the next government should be to develop a sustainable and fair society in which human rights are respected, human dignity is protected, human development is facilitated, and the environment is respected and protected.

The challenge for Government is to do what’s required to generate five outcomes SIMULTANEOUSLY:

(a) a vibrant economy;

(b) decent services and infrastructure;

(c) just taxation;

(d) good governance; and

(e) sustainability.

While we have had a vibrant economy the other four areas have been neglected.

The wealth generated in the growing economy has not trickled down to a large proportion of Ireland’s people. All five outcomes must be pursued at the same time because they are complementary; its not possible to deliver on any one of these without delivering on the other four simultaneously.

Its important for everyone to make their voice heard on these issues in the run-up to the General Election.

This is a key moment.

The future will be built by the decisions made in the years immediately ahead.

So, before Election Day, Social Justice Ireland urges all voters to reflect on these issues and to cast their votes on the basis of how candidates propose to secure the wellbeing of this and future generations.

Dr Seán Healy SMA is CEO of Social Justice Ireland