Voting and the political process

grenades69

Hi all,

I am taking notes around the subject of voting and the political process and decided that some quotes from you would be great for my resources. I would like people to discuss and talk about a few subjects based on voting and the problems with the political system as it currently stands. If you would be so kind I'd like you to discuss the following questions (it doesn't really matter where you are from)



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom?

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this?

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected?

- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate?



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.

modjoe86

Originally posted by grenades69

Hi all,

I am taking notes around the subject of voting and the political process and decided that some quotes from you would be great for my resources. I would like people to discuss and talk about a few subjects based on voting and the problems with the political system as it currently stands. If you would be so kind I'd like you to discuss the following questions (it doesn't really matter where you are from)



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom? Democrats would win every time if everyone had to vote. I do feel that it is a breach of freedom.

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this? Well, I don't vote because I hate the two front running parties equally, and I'm not going to waste my time standing in line to cast a vote for a candidate that has a snowball's chance in hell of winning.

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected? I think caring enough about your country to vote is always a good thing.

- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate? I don't think it is a good thing if you don't vote, but I can't really blame those that don't. Our political system is a piece of shit. A battle of who can bend truths and make empty promises to interest groups. Sorry, I'll pass.



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.

EggFtegg

- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom? Yes, it's an unacceptable breach. I think we'd see a lot more advertising, trying to appeal to voters on non-political levels. We might see a bigger spread of votes across smaller parties and single-issue parties.

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this? A variety of reasons: Lack of interest, lack of education, the feeling that the two major parties are not representing your views and a vote elsewhere is wasted. To change this...the long answer would be pages and pages...the short answer: Ban political parties and educate our children better in politics.

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected? I suspect the vast majority of non-voters don't have a great knowledge or interest in economics and politics, so it would probably be a disaster. Whoever came across best on television would get elected....oh hang on....I guess there'd be no difference then. The smaller parties would probably get more votes though, but not enough to make a significant difference.


- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate? Probably it's best if those who don't know or care enough about the issues don't vote, but for those who don't feel represented, it would be better if they voted for the party that did represent them. Even if a minor party doesn't get into power, the very fact that they exist and are gaining momentum can push the governemnt into dealing with the issues that they raise (like what we've seen with the Green Party).

desnow

Originally posted by grenades69



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom? Sometimes there is no one who represents you to vote for for the elected position and forcing someone to vote for soemone who they do not choose and does not represent them is completely unacceptable.

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected? The more voters the better.


- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate? It is not a god thing if people chose to not vote, but I understand many of the reasons and there are many who blindly vote party lines only to complain later. I don't understand that at all.



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.
- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this? Generally for any election above the county level only the main party candidates are well known and well covered on the news. People do not vote when they feel no one represents them. This is the hazard of "two party politics" few talk about. It doesn't matter if you agree with the other parties, but not knowiing the opposing views limits your own and keeps you from analyzing your opinions.

grenades69

Great replies so far, thanks everyone. Please keep them coming.

Draenor

Originally posted by grenades69

Hi all,

I am taking notes around the subject of voting and the political process and decided that some quotes from you would be great for my resources. I would like people to discuss and talk about a few subjects based on voting and the problems with the political system as it currently stands. If you would be so kind I'd like you to discuss the following questions (it doesn't really matter where you are from)



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom?

I have no real way of predicting who would win, I tend to believe that there are more social liberals/economic conservatives in this country than people who are conservative or liberal in both areas.  That said, who people would vote for would hinge on which they felt was more important, social or economic issues.  I do believe that it is an acceptable breach of freedom to force people to vote.  Voting is not so much a privelage as it is a tool of the people, and the people should be able to use it and not use it as they see fit.  Sometimes low voter turn out can tell politicians a whole hell of a lot about how the people feel about them.

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this?

A lot of people don't vote because elections often come down to choosing the lesser of two evils, not many people like making that decision.   The only thing that could really change that would be to completely revamp the way our political parties work, and that isn't going to happen any time soon.

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected?

Not necessarily, a lot of people don't vote because they are aware of their ignorance of political issues.  As my government teacher from last semester would say "sometimes no decision is better than a poor one"  I think it's for the best that so many people don't vote.   Ideally we would have a society of people who would be educated about the candidates and the issues, and could make decisions for themselves, unfortunately, that is not the case.

- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate?

Yes, as I said before, most Americans simply do not care about politics because there is so little that an individual can do.  This country places so much emphasis on individual fulfilment that sometimes we forget about the bigger picture.  One vote means very little in an election, and that discourages people.



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.

Unknown

For anyone that thinks thier vote matters; hasn't heard of the Electorial College.

bhagamu

Originally posted by grenades69

Hi all,

I am taking notes around the subject of voting and the political process and decided that some quotes from you would be great for my resources. I would like people to discuss and talk about a few subjects based on voting and the problems with the political system as it currently stands. If you would be so kind I'd like you to discuss the following questions (it doesn't really matter where you are from)



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom?

We see the lowest voter turnout among people in the 18 to 21 age group. Seeing as how younger people tend to be more liberal, I think that we would absolutely see a more liberal shift among the **key word** popular vote in our country. As for the second question: Simply forcing me to vote is definitely an unacceptable breach of freedom; however, there is a case that makes this valid: one can, instead of forcing someone to "vote", it is permissible to force someone to cast a ballot provided that there is an option to abstain. Edit: The effects of mandatory voting might actually backfire, just like, if you read the introduction to Freakonomics, a fine on picking up children late from day-care can backfire. It's like allowing people to buy off their guilt at not voting. Just a thought.

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this?

It takes some mild amount of effort to go vote, and it also takes time. I think people are just too unconcerned to take time out of their day to alter their routine and make that extra effort to cast a ballot. I think that, to change this, voting should be mandatory given the condition I outlined in the previous question.


- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected?

Well, the impulsive thing for me to say is that people who don't feel that they have time to vote are not necessarily uninformed about the political process. Nonchalance is not necessarily tied with uninformed. I have a hunch that there are a lot of politically opinionated people who simply don't want to spend the time to vote. (or don't believe that they have the time). Again, I would definitely say that we would see a more liberal government if these people voted.


- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate?

I don't think that it is a good thing for people not to vote. If everyone had to vote, then I bet that more people would try to become more politically aware. That's good. Curiosity leads to a more informed population. Also, for reference, my political affiliation is liberal.



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.

modjoe86

Originally posted by nakedone


For anyone that thinks thier vote matters; hasn't heard of the Electorial College.

You're right, I haven't heard of the Electorial College. I'm pretty sure such a thing doesn't exist.



Now if you're talking about the Electoral College, I agree it is an outdated system that has outlived its purpose.

gpett

Originally posted by grenades69

Hi all,

I am taking notes around the subject of voting and the political process and decided that some quotes from you would be great for my resources. I would like people to discuss and talk about a few subjects based on voting and the problems with the political system as it currently stands. If you would be so kind I'd like you to discuss the following questions (it doesn't really matter where you are from)



- What kind of changes would you expect in voting patterns if everyone over 18 was forced to vote? Do you feel this would be an unacceptable breach of your freedom?

If everyone was forced to vote, the elections would be more accurate.  But yes it is a breach of freedom.

- What are the main reasons you believe some people don't choose to vote? What do you feel could change this?

I feel some people do not vote because the voter cannot identify with any of the canidates.  Take away all fundraising for elections and limmit canidate exposure to publicly held debates.

- Would it be a good thing if those who otherwise wouldn't vote decided to vote for whatever reason? What kind of effect do you feel this would make on who was elected?
Yes it would be a good thing.  It would get rid of "career politicians" and allow regular people to enter government positions.


- Do you feel it is a good thing that some people choose not to vote? Do you believe the people who choose to vote are more likely to vote for the more appropriate candidate?
No it is not a good thing when people abstian from voting.  No, people choose not to vote either because they dont care, are too busy, or feel that thier vote does not matter.



There's no need to answer all these questions, you could just pick one and discuss it. I really appreciate any replies, thanks in advance.

It will never happen.  But, for our government to loose its corruption election reform must happen.  As it is now, the rich and powerfull will continue to run this country and treat the poplulation like cattle.  Thats all we are to them, cattle who graise on bigmacks, new cars, clothes, and houses.  They will never do anything for us as we keep buying thier products.  Sooner or later the population will realise this and refuse to support the economy of the US.  Our taxes keep the US war machine rolling.  If you do not support our government and thier predatory nature... hit them where it hurts.  Avoid paying taxes.

albinofreak

Here's some things my AP American History teacher from high school said about voting.

"You know, it might be a good thing that less than 50% of Americans vote. Americans can be pretty dumb most of the time. I mean, you guys are the cream of the crop and your test scores are pretty pathetic!" I should point out that two kids in that class went to Harvard and a good portion of the rest went to top 50 schools.

"The fact that no one really votes just means that your vote means a little bit more. If 300 million people vote, your vote doesnt mean so much. But if 5 people vote, you're a fifth of the voting public!"

This was the year of Bush and Kerry, "Yeah, Im gonna vote... and I'm gonna feel real dirty about it afterwards. I probably won't be able to sleep for a few nights... voting for one of those guys is as dirty as cheating on your wife."

baff

If you give under 18's the vote. They will vote for no homework.

 

I'd vote in any referendum to remove a party from power, but I will not vote in any election.

There isn't any party that seeks to address issues of my political concern. There isn't any party that I trust to do what it promisies to do.

Why vote them in, why pander to their egos. Politicians don't speak for me, I don't wish them to use that excuse. I want them to worry about the future of the elctoral system. I want them to wonder if they are "connecting" with their public. They need to.

 

I don't beleive in the system. I'm politically aware and I don't vote because I don't care enough about the system. You can't just "educate me better" and then I will like it. I'm already educated. 

If you force me to vote, I will retaliate.

 

I agree about political funding. The system was not designed for big media campaigns. It's an old system. Pre-TV in its conception. The system is designed to work with a candidate going round from door to door actually talking to his electorate and discussing what he can do for them face to face with each and every individual.

Instead, this pretty much doesn't happen and we get big TV campaigns and Newspaper campaigns and banner ads. Every candidate must vote with the party leaders opinion in parliament or lose their share of the advertising budget and hence their jobs. The power that was designed to be in the hands of the electorate has been usurped by the leadership.

The system is wrong. Getting wronger. I don't and won't condone it with my vote. I'd rather just be an embarrassing statistic. Someone who won't play ball.

 

 

Does a vote even count for anything. Even if any of the parties actually stood for any issue I wanted to vote on, would my vote count? Or would I in fact be voting on a whole combination of issues, a manifesto. And the actual decisions that I was intrested in, in fact be voted on by other people in the cabinet or parliament, or taken solely by a leader.

We don't get to vote on policy at all. We only get to vote in our leaders. The public likes to believe that democracy is "mob rule" the democratic power of the people to decide policy. This is not true. People like to believe it because their ego's say "no one rules me". But they are ruled. We are ruled. The government likes people to feel empowered too. The more empowered they feel, the less they rebel, the easier they are to rule. 

The illusion of self-rule for the weak minded. Pap for the masses.

 

When democracy starts voting in my favour, I'll start voting in democracies.

MadAce

In my country you HAVE to vote, which is really stupid.



BTW, I'd like a technocracy please.