Ironically some of the greatest people that this country has had barely had a high school diploma. A piece of paper from some college doesn't make one unqualified for voting. Neither does owning a piece of land.
Dollars to donuts people that say this crap are not poor and doesn't even know what its like to be poor.
They're just a pack of also rans who, in almost all cases, don't even know what Congressional district they live in.
I was born to an alcoholic father, raised on disability payments and government cheese, and overcame a learning disability to do everything I listed except own a business, which isn't to say I never will.
I'm not privileged, I'm not gifted, and I don't have exceptional talents.
If I can work my way through night school on GI Bill money then so can 85% of the people who fall into the same socioeconomic hole I was born into.
And believe me, I know as well as anyone that it is a deep, dark hole.
But it's not a bottomless pit by any means.
And to preempt any mention of it, yeah, I know that there are people who just don't pack the goods to crawl out of the hole.
I'm sure they're sweet, wonderful people, but we don't need them voting.
That's not what I meant. I was talking about only informed voters.
Truth be known, in national and high level state elections, it really doesn't matter. Either way, we're screwed. The big money buys and forms our opinion's anyways. We don't really have a clue as to who we are actually voting for. They are all a product of publicity firms and marketing experts.
Informed by who and about what though ?
If you look at who funds the campaigns , who presides over the debates , who is included/excluded , the parameters of debate etc etc....." informed " becomes something of a joke imo
In our corporatocracies , plutocracies, polyarchies call it what you will , you will be given the choice between which faction of the business party you can vote for.
If "democracy" ever threatened to become anywhere near meaningful they would just ban it.
It's very easy to research who is backing which candidate/measure. The problem is that hardly anyone knows how, much less takes the time to.
Is not voting... aka "low voter turnout"... a bad thing?
To hear so many people tell it, you'd think it is. Some have even used words like "disgrace" to describe American low percentages of participation.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I simply don't see it that way.
Some countries mandate voting. There seems to be an increasing sentiment in this country to do the same, to mandate voting. One of the claims is that people would be more inclined to research if they knew that had to. I don't buy that. I would be vehemently against that, for two reasons...
1) I don't want the results skewed by people who don't care enough to research, or at least pay attention.
2) The freedom to not do something is just as important, if not more so, than the freedom to have the ability to do something.
IMHO, #2 stands quite well on it's own. And I detest "get out the vote" campaigns due to #1.
What say you?
Yes, and often the people buying the elections are three degrees removed of the "organization," or PAC that is footing the bill. My state is bought and paid for by out-of-state interests.
Would you rather citizens toss a coin?
Is not voting... aka "low voter turnout"... a bad thing?
Informed by who and about what though ?
If you look at who funds the campaigns , who presides over the debates , who is included/excluded , the parameters of debate etc etc....." informed " becomes something of a joke imo
In our corporatocracies , plutocracies, polyarchies call it what you will , you will be given the choice between which faction of the business party you can vote for.
If "democracy" ever threatened to become anywhere near meaningful they would just ban it.
I feel similarly. I believe voting is much like pissing in the wind. I believe election outcomes are as much influenced by the establishment as it is by the voting populous. I am also not a believer in the "lesser of two evils" strategy and will not vote unless we have a candidate I fully support. I refuse to put even my almost meaningless vote behind anyone I find questionable. As a result I rarely vote and if they mandated that I do so well It wouldn't do them any good. I would still only vote when I wished to. If that meant a fine or some jail time, so be it. You are not going to make me support anyone that I do not feel deserves my support.
Part one especially, an uninformed vote cancels out an informed one. I would rather an apathetic voter just stay home.Is not voting... aka "low voter turnout"... a bad thing?
To hear so many people tell it, you'd think it is. Some have even used words like "disgrace" to describe American low percentages of participation.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I simply don't see it that way.
Some countries mandate voting. There seems to be an increasing sentiment in this country to do the same, to mandate voting. One of the claims is that people would be more inclined to research if they knew that had to. I don't buy that. I would be vehemently against that, for two reasons...
1) I don't want the results skewed by people who don't care enough to research, or at least pay attention.
Agreed. If someone doesn't want to vote it is no one's business but their own. Another point, the assertion by some that people who don't want to vote would do more research is ludicrous. Those that do the bare minimum would do just that for voting if it were mandated.2) The freedom to not do something is just as important, if not more so, than the freedom to have the ability to do something.
IMHO, #2 stands quite well on it's own. And I detest "get out the vote" campaigns due to #1.
I believe that every citizen should vote, but I respect the right of those who choose not to.
yes. people should take the initiative to research the candidates and vote.
The whole system is rigged.
I seriously wish they would. Then they might realize, once and for all , that the difference between them on many important issues is pretty much zilch. And if it's not , that the process for bringing in change is also hamstringed
Low information dumb asses screw it up for everybody.
Okay. Fire away y'all. LOL!
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