Should people be encouraged to vote?

ShawnD1 · May 14th, 2004, 04:03 AM

It's getting to be that time again - election time. Now is the time all those commercials on TV saying "you can't complain if you don't vote". Everybody is saying we should all vote because it's the American thing to do. Sure democracy is great and the right to vote is fantastic, but do we really want to encourage people to vote? I'm inclined to think the answer is "no".

Political people know more about the situation. With voter turn-out at an all time low, only the most political people go out to vote on election night. Since most of the people voting are very political, and political people tend to know more about the current situation, it can be said that the country is being directed by only the most informed people. This is of course a good thing because informed people tend to make better decisions.

Too many people are not exactly sure who they want. Bush is an idiot and Kerry seems two-faced. I can't even tell which is the lesser evil in this election. My vote could be decided by something as simple as a coin toss. Should I really vote this election? Would you feel safe knowing that my vote to decide the leader of the most powerful country in the world was decided by a quarter? Many people feel the same way I do; they don't know who to vote for because both sides are equally good or equally bad. Do you really want fence-sitters like me voting?

Many people just do not understand how the system works. How many times have you heard a political candidate or a voter say "government" and "profit" in the same sentence? Based on that sentence, do you think that person knows anything about how the government really works? Is that person ignorant or just an idiot? Either way, would you really want that person voting based on their views of idealism rather than reality?

As the current system stands, most voters are at least partially informed and care enough about government to go out and vote. Should we really encourage uninformed, undecided, and stupid people to vote just because they have the right to vote? Voting is good, but like all other good things, too much of it can be a bad thing.

Feedback would be appreciated.

StealthyV · May 14th, 2004, 05:32 AM

our whole system of government is based upon the premise that we vote on who represents us. so by saying "they shouldn't vote" means that those people won't have representation in their government, which is wrong.

I'd rather have many people voting on everything than have apathy which is what seems to be the problem now. corporate interests and of course SENIOR interests are being represented because corporations supply campaign funds and Senior Citizens turn out in droves to vote!

imagine having an argument (or heated discussion) with someone, and then you decide not to say anything at all. you then appear to be an idiot, while the other person can convince as many people as they want that their side is right. if you don't vote, some idiot will be running the government.

don't say I didn't warn you, when some clown is holding his/her finger over a red button!

~Branson

ShawnD1 · May 14th, 2004, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Senior Citizens turn out in droves to vote!

That's actually enough to counter my entire argument. Good point.

btw, a clown currently IS holding his finger over the red button

vass0922 · May 14th, 2004, 07:45 AM

I tend to agree with Shawn's point of view.
I'd really prefer not to have a 18 year old just back from his drinking binge and just puked out in the bushes drawing a turkey on the voter ballot from punched holes.. JUST because everybody told him he should vote.
While I DO Think it is important to vote, I really don't think EVERYBODY should vote.
I didn't vote in the last election, and I can't stand current president. SO I assure you I will be voting in the upcoming election. Am I the most informed voter? No, but I'm sure its better than a 90 year old just voting for the same people they've voted for 20 years just because they recognize the name.
(yes these examples are extreme, but certainly feasible)

MTAtech · May 14th, 2004, 09:39 AM

I think that there should be effort invested on the part of the citizen to vote. If one takes the time and effort to register then go to the poll, you are more likey to get informed electorates.

Unfortunately, too many are uninformed or don't care. I don't want my leaders selected by these people. If all the information these voters get are from 30 sec TV ads not from newspapers or discussion forums, the are to easily misinformed.

aldtech · May 14th, 2004, 10:39 AM

ShawnD1 – I feel everyone should vote and that anyone who does not has absolutely no right to criticize the events and people involved in government. To those who state that they have a right to voice their opinion regardless if they voted or not because they pay taxes and subsequently the salaries of those politicians I say you are full of it. Taxes are the medium used to pay for the services rendered by local, state and federal agencies, schools, roads and our general safety. It is such a small fraction of the taxes gathered that goes towards actual pay.

If you do not participate in the formation of your local, state and federal governments then you really don’t have anything to complain about because you are not participating. Anybody can pay taxes, and a lot don’t, but the real trick is can you get off your butt and spend some time to vote your opinion.

I think there should be an incentive to voting and what I mean by that is like having a national voting day OFF, at least for the presidential elections. Therefore, people cannot give the excuse that they did not have the time. Yes some might argue that people will just abuse the day off and use it as part of a vacation but there could be an accounting system put in place and a partial closing of all public venues during the voting time. When I vote, as I am sure everyone else, I have to state my name and show ID before I can vote and that could be tied into a national attendance-tracking sort of thing.

As far as the argument of having an informed voter as opposed to an un-informed voter, I don’t think that the general public is as un-informed as others might think. I may not know everything about all the candidates running and have at times had absolutely no idea who the people are (at the local/state levels) but I usually have an idea of the issues at hand an whether or not the incumbents have done a good job and delivered on what they campaigned on (that I was in agreement with) and that is what I usually go by.

Like ShawnD1 I really have no liking for both presidential candidates right now and view our current 2 party system as a failure but I do know which one I like the least and that is most likely how I am going to vote. Simply put, I am going to vote for the one (candidate not party) I feel is going to do the least harm to our country and me. I never vote a straight party ticket and at the risk of seeming hypocritical, view those who do as being lazy, un-informed lemmings of the party they voted for. What’s the difference between them and the “un-informed” voter? Not much and that is my arguments weak point.

AL

osprey4 · May 14th, 2004, 12:42 PM

Aldtech; Some studies have shown that those who do get a day off are no more likely to vote than they would if they did not have the day off. So most of them use it as just another day off and still find excuses not to vote.

alivin · May 14th, 2004, 01:07 PM

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aldtech · May 14th, 2004, 03:04 PM

osprey4 - “those who do get a day off are no more likely to vote”

I would agree but that is why I suggested some sort of accounting system which could tie into a fine equivalent to a days pay that the individual would have received because Election Day would be a paid holiday.

I’m sure people could be creative and find ways to end run the process but I think that the overall gain in voters and voter interest in the country would rise and be worth it.

AL

Epidemic · May 14th, 2004, 03:42 PM

I still say only tax payers should be able to vote. people who pay taxes in the end when all is said and done. if you do not pay taxes even 1% of income then you do not deserve a voice in the elections. Much the same as I can not vote in big blues stock holders meetings I should not have a voice in how they run business.

Since people will never go for that. I would much rather that people who are uninformed about the election not toss their vote out there. Perhaps a voter aptitude test. 3 questions about your candidate's platform used to weight your vote. If you don't know what they stand for then your vote should not count.