WHAT DO WE COMMUNICATE WHEN WE VOTE?

Recently, Americans of all ages, gender, and race converged around polling stations across the nation to exercise their inalienable voting rights in order to elect a President of their choice. Finally, as the votes trickled in, Barack Obama was announced winner of the popular and electoral votes by a wide margin if not by a landslide victory.

In this historic event, the nation demonstrated its willingness to communicate to the rest of the world its desire to cause change as the current administration failed to meet its expectations. The economic quagmire that gripped the nation with the collapse of top financial giants Fannie Mae, Freddie Marc, AIG, and the whimpering of greedy Wall Street CEOs over the state of the economy, Americans felt it was their responsibility to bring back the nation’s lost glory even it meant electing a man of color. Thus, they chose Barack Obama, a man who was born of a black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother. The tough communication methods espoused by Americans sent shockwaves across the globe. As reported by polling stations and media giants, voter turnout has never been so immense since America’s proclamation in 1776.

Barack Obama used articulate speech, intellectual loquacity; he applied sophisticated electioneering methods never experienced before like the application of internet communication, e-mails, telephonic conversations, excessive use of the dollar to advertise his ideologies through videos, television, billboards, and instant messaging.

When we vote, we are communicating to our children, families, leaders, and the world that it is in our interests to exercise our voting rights. Having patience in the voting line is also another way of communication. Some cities voted to execute light rail systems which they expect will resuscitate their dwindling economies if all go well with the planning.

The use of strong language is an excellent way of capturing the hearts and minds of electors. Fliers epitomize meaningless or meaningful information. Having a gloomy picture of someone you oppose on a flier or advertisement sends a negative message about your opponent.

Now that Americans have spoken by putting the man of their choice on the helm, it is up to the President-elect and his team to steer the country to its true course. They can achieve their objectives and execute their promises by communicating effectively to their electorates.