All Things Real Estate: U.S. democracy weakened by non-voters

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All Things Real Estate: U.S. democracy weakened by non-voters

Now that we are in a new year, how and what will change in people’s attitudes and the way they listen, communicate, accept, agree, and disagree in an appropriate manner going forward will have a huge impact on finding solutions leading to a successful U.S. economy and our democracy in the future. Ray Dalio, billionaire and founder of the most successful and largest hedge fund, Bridge Water Associates, said in an interview a little over a month ago, “People are passionately attached to their opinions and are not able as well to go through the thoughtful disagreement of how to get past those agreement and disagreements and to do things well together.”

My belief is that this is a major structural deficiency and mindset issue that is and will plague our country going forward unless our politicians learn to agree and disagree in an understanding and open-minded manner; otherwise we are doomed to mediocrity. Who is working for whom, they for us or us for them? In any corporation, if problems aren’t solved to keep the company profitable, heads roll and people are fired, laid off and then hopefully more qualified individuals are hired to improve the bottom line and save the company.  In the worst case scenario, a trustee is put in charge during bankruptcy to sell off the assets of the company.

But how can this happen in our government to change the environment towards improving and advancing it for the good of the majority when 80 million U.S. citizens didn’t vote in the presidential election? Moreover, as a percentage, even fewer vote in state and local elections, because people think and believe that this is less critical and crucial to their everyday life. Do those who forego voting anticipate and expect that things will change without them, thinking it’s not important and why bother to be part of our system? Then they are the ones who bitch and moan when things don’t improve and then complain about how bad things are.

I am quite sure Russia and China are watching everything that is going on in our country, hoping for the demise of our democracy and that is what may be occurring unless something drastically changes and improves in the fashion and way we approach our problems to agree and disagree. Before the Covid-19 pandemic came to our shores, so many old established companies were already going by the wayside, (Sears, Woolworths, Borders, Blockbusters Video, Howard Johnson’s Restaurants, Toy R’ Us, Modell’s and so many others.) They obviously didn’t recognize the impact of the internet at the time or anticipating the future. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused people to hunker down at home out of necessity to stay healthy and alive, purchasing more and more of their necessities online.

However, due to this change in buying attitudes and behaviors, what companies will rise and be born, survive, and prosper, and which ones will die, and which jobs and positions will be 86ed next? But how can positive changes occur in our own government when 80 million U.S. citizens didn’t vote in the presidential election (even though the greatest number at 67 percent of eligible voters in history did) but as a percentage, much, much less voted in state and local elections. Maybe as a lesson, as sad and unfair as it might sound, those who don’t vote should be banished to countries that cont’t have free elections for one voting cycle.

Obviously, that idea is totally unrealistic and unenforceable, but shouldn’t that or some other creative idea be considered to motivate more people to vote in every election? Isn’t it possible that more qualified people just might be voted into a position to make the changes that we all want? You can be quite sure that our adversaries, Russia and China, are hoping for the eventual demise of our democracy and that is what may be occurring unless something drastically changes and improves in the ways and fashion that we approach and solve our problems.

Our real estate, in many ways, may just determine our course of action. Part 2 next week.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: [email protected] Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email and cell number and he will call or email you back.

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