Michelle Obama: 'We Are Locked In A Dangerous Cycle'
- 6 years ago
Michelle Obama made an appearance in Miami on Friday as part of her voting initiative.
Former first lady Michelle Obama on Friday gave an impassioned speech about voting, saying that she is doing so because "it feels like we are locked in a dangerous cycle."
During a get-out-the vote event in Florida, she said: "Voting is a fundamental right. It is the only way in our democracy to have a say in the issues we care about….Over the past decade, and election after election, I've been saying the same thing. Now maybe some folks assumed I was only out there because my husband was on the ballot so I had some skin in the game. But here's the thing--My husband is no longer on the ballot and neither am I. And I'm still here."
"I am not here to tell anyone who to vote for," she added. "I'm not stumping for any one candidate. To be completely honest, I am here because it feels like we are locked in a dangerous cycle when it...comes to voting in this country."
Obama then described the cycle, saying: "We tune out of politics, frustrated that it doesn't reflect our values. Then election season comes along and millions of dollars are spent bombarding us with political ads...Then a bunch of athletes and celebrities and famous people like me, travel all across the country telling everyone how crucial it is to get registered and to vote. And after all that...some say they're too busy, some too cynical, some too disconnected. Whatever the reason, only a fraction of the population actually bothers to vote...and sooner or later, we're right back to where we're started...and we repeat that cycle again and again and again."
Michelle Obama was speaking on behalf of the nonpartisan group When We All Vote which she co-chairs.
Her speech and others were scheduled to happen the same week as National Voter Registration Day which was on Tuesday.
Former first lady Michelle Obama on Friday gave an impassioned speech about voting, saying that she is doing so because "it feels like we are locked in a dangerous cycle."
During a get-out-the vote event in Florida, she said: "Voting is a fundamental right. It is the only way in our democracy to have a say in the issues we care about….Over the past decade, and election after election, I've been saying the same thing. Now maybe some folks assumed I was only out there because my husband was on the ballot so I had some skin in the game. But here's the thing--My husband is no longer on the ballot and neither am I. And I'm still here."
"I am not here to tell anyone who to vote for," she added. "I'm not stumping for any one candidate. To be completely honest, I am here because it feels like we are locked in a dangerous cycle when it...comes to voting in this country."
Obama then described the cycle, saying: "We tune out of politics, frustrated that it doesn't reflect our values. Then election season comes along and millions of dollars are spent bombarding us with political ads...Then a bunch of athletes and celebrities and famous people like me, travel all across the country telling everyone how crucial it is to get registered and to vote. And after all that...some say they're too busy, some too cynical, some too disconnected. Whatever the reason, only a fraction of the population actually bothers to vote...and sooner or later, we're right back to where we're started...and we repeat that cycle again and again and again."
Michelle Obama was speaking on behalf of the nonpartisan group When We All Vote which she co-chairs.
Her speech and others were scheduled to happen the same week as National Voter Registration Day which was on Tuesday.