Paul Kusuda’s column
Voting in the national election
Voting in the national election
In 1944, I was 22 years old; I was going to vote for a presidential candidate for the first time in my life! I was in
Chicago; my parents, brother and sister were still in the Manzanar Relocation Center near Death Valley,
California. My parents were not planning to vote because they were still ineligible to be naturalized U.S. citizens
since they were born in Japan and therefore, by law, not eligible. My sister was a year too young, my brother didn’
t care to vote at the time.
The year before, I voted for local candidates, but 1944 provided the first opportunity to vote for incumbent
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1940, FDR defeated Wendell L Willkie who unsuccessfully promoted his One
World concept that interested many of us. As a non-related, tangential statement, in 1944, FDR defeated former
New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey who ran again in 1948 and lost by a very narrow margin to incumbent
President Harry S. Truman who moved from Vice President to President after FDR’s death in Hot Springs, Georgia.
For my first national election, I wanted FDR to win his fourth term in office, but at the same time I was taken
by the people-oriented programs espoused by Socialist candidate Norman Thomas. (In a later election, I thought
highly of Mortimer J. Adler who succeeded Thomas.) The self-created dilemma pitted pragmatism against
idealism. I felt that FDR had a good track record for the United States insofar as economic and foreign policies
were concerned and should serve yet another term in office, even though for four four-year terms seemed overly
long for a non-dictator or non-monarch. (N.B. The 22nd Amendment set a two-term limit on February 27, 1951.)
On the other hand, I was enthusiastic about ideas and vision set out by Norman Thomas.
Two fellow workers at the John F. Cuneo Press where I had a full-time, night-shift job while attending the
college sequence at the University of Chicago, were not planning to vote; they said it took too much effort. Both
were high school graduates. Milan, of Italian descent (and proud of it), was the strongest man I’d even seen.
Printing presses devoured huge and heavy rolls of paper; Milan single-handedly hoisted and installed rolls that I’d
seen two men handle. Enrique (whom most people called Henry) was interested in cars more than anything else.
I remember we argued about the pronunciation of “chrome” when he’d describe his car, which he did more than
a couple of times per day. He insisted that it had to be pronounced “cherome” instead of “krome” because in
Spanish “ch” was pronounced “chay.” We gave up arguing, neither conceding.
I talked with Milan and Enrique separately; the printing press and paper-cutting areas were too noisy for
discussion, we had to shout at each other. Enrique and I had jobs on the floor, so we had more chances to talk,
something I could not do with Milan. Anyway, I got both to promise to vote, not only to vote but to vote for FDR.
The result was that I could vote pragmatically and idealistically at the same time. One of my votes would be
cancelled by either Milan or Enrique, but the end result would be an FDR vote.
All of the above narrative was just to point out that until July 1, 1971, when the 26th Amendment was passed
(less than 40 years ago), 18-year olds could not vote, they had to reach their so-called age of majority, or 21.
Now, those under 21 are very active in politics and in many jurisdictions influential in electoral decision-making.
The national decision to lover the voting age from 21 to 18 has been proven correct. I strongly believe elections
and informed voting are essential to effective participation in a democracy. Voting is both a right and a
responsibility.
Chicago; my parents, brother and sister were still in the Manzanar Relocation Center near Death Valley,
California. My parents were not planning to vote because they were still ineligible to be naturalized U.S. citizens
since they were born in Japan and therefore, by law, not eligible. My sister was a year too young, my brother didn’
t care to vote at the time.
The year before, I voted for local candidates, but 1944 provided the first opportunity to vote for incumbent
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1940, FDR defeated Wendell L Willkie who unsuccessfully promoted his One
World concept that interested many of us. As a non-related, tangential statement, in 1944, FDR defeated former
New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey who ran again in 1948 and lost by a very narrow margin to incumbent
President Harry S. Truman who moved from Vice President to President after FDR’s death in Hot Springs, Georgia.
For my first national election, I wanted FDR to win his fourth term in office, but at the same time I was taken
by the people-oriented programs espoused by Socialist candidate Norman Thomas. (In a later election, I thought
highly of Mortimer J. Adler who succeeded Thomas.) The self-created dilemma pitted pragmatism against
idealism. I felt that FDR had a good track record for the United States insofar as economic and foreign policies
were concerned and should serve yet another term in office, even though for four four-year terms seemed overly
long for a non-dictator or non-monarch. (N.B. The 22nd Amendment set a two-term limit on February 27, 1951.)
On the other hand, I was enthusiastic about ideas and vision set out by Norman Thomas.
Two fellow workers at the John F. Cuneo Press where I had a full-time, night-shift job while attending the
college sequence at the University of Chicago, were not planning to vote; they said it took too much effort. Both
were high school graduates. Milan, of Italian descent (and proud of it), was the strongest man I’d even seen.
Printing presses devoured huge and heavy rolls of paper; Milan single-handedly hoisted and installed rolls that I’d
seen two men handle. Enrique (whom most people called Henry) was interested in cars more than anything else.
I remember we argued about the pronunciation of “chrome” when he’d describe his car, which he did more than
a couple of times per day. He insisted that it had to be pronounced “cherome” instead of “krome” because in
Spanish “ch” was pronounced “chay.” We gave up arguing, neither conceding.
I talked with Milan and Enrique separately; the printing press and paper-cutting areas were too noisy for
discussion, we had to shout at each other. Enrique and I had jobs on the floor, so we had more chances to talk,
something I could not do with Milan. Anyway, I got both to promise to vote, not only to vote but to vote for FDR.
The result was that I could vote pragmatically and idealistically at the same time. One of my votes would be
cancelled by either Milan or Enrique, but the end result would be an FDR vote.
All of the above narrative was just to point out that until July 1, 1971, when the 26th Amendment was passed
(less than 40 years ago), 18-year olds could not vote, they had to reach their so-called age of majority, or 21.
Now, those under 21 are very active in politics and in many jurisdictions influential in electoral decision-making.
The national decision to lover the voting age from 21 to 18 has been proven correct. I strongly believe elections
and informed voting are essential to effective participation in a democracy. Voting is both a right and a
responsibility.