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American? VOTE!

I suspect that all the USAian Politics forum frequenters here WILL be out there having their say - clearly they are not afraid to let their opinions be heard and their intentions felt. It's the apathetic ones elsewhere who don't get involved that make a difference, and that would be a shame if they stayed away.
 
nails said:
i wish everything was popular vote...
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Translation: I wish everything I vote for wins :D

But in all seriousness, I disagree. Popular vote isn't really the best method to go about deciding things. Most people are stupid, to put it bluntly. Pure Democracy or something heavily similar to it (100% to 90 or whatever %) and Pure Republic or something similar (1 smart or several smart people decide), both have their drawbacks. With Pure Democracy, the Pro is that everyone gets their say, the Con is that most people are not going to be well informed. With a Pure/Semi-Pure Republic, the Pro is that decisions will be made quickly and by the smartest. The Con of course is that the few could easily (And most likely quickly will) be corrupt, and that they also could be incompetent.

Anyway, I hope the Democrats win back both chambers of Congress - but I think the Democrats will only win back the House, whilst the Republicans will retain the Senate.

Here's to hoping though!


Hhmm, wait, I think my definition for "Republic" may be a little bit wrong and out of date, a cursory check at my dictionary says that it's a system of elected representation. I was thinking something about Plato's republic where he said the smartest would rule. Sorry :P

Further Edit: Ok, in place of Republic I should've probably used Dictatorship and Oligarchy.
 
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Darat said:
Shush... you'll waken the "The USA is not a democracy..." banshees.... :D
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I’m awake.

It's the apathetic ones elsewhere who don't get involved that make a difference, and that would be a shame if they stayed away.
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Of course they’ll stay away, they’re apathetic.


I’ll be surprised if there is a 20% or more turnout.
 
The Painter said:
I’ll be surprised if there is a 20% or more turnout.
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I'm guessing 42% by population. The last 10 midterms have been fairly stable at ~ 37%. The 2004 election was 55%. I came to my figure by averaging the two values. I think this election will have larger-than-average midterm but will not reach the level of a Presidential election year.
 
RabbiSatan said:
Translation: I wish everything I vote for wins :D

But in all seriousness, I disagree. Popular vote isn't really the best method to go about deciding things. Most people are stupid, to put it bluntly. Pure Democracy or something heavily similar to it (100% to 90 or whatever %) and Pure Republic or something similar (1 smart or several smart people decide), both have their drawbacks. With Pure Democracy, the Pro is that everyone gets their say, the Con is that most people are not going to be well informed. With a Pure/Semi-Pure Republic, the Pro is that decisions will be made quickly and by the smartest. The Con of course is that the few could easily (And most likely quickly will) be corrupt, and that they also could be incompetent.

Anyway, I hope the Democrats win back both chambers of Congress - but I think the Democrats will only win back the House, whilst the Republicans will retain the Senate.

Here's to hoping though!


Hhmm, wait, I think my definition for "Republic" may be a little bit wrong and out of date, a cursory check at my dictionary says that it's a system of elected representation. I was thinking something about Plato's republic where he said the smartest would rule. Sorry :P

Further Edit: Ok, in place of Republic I should've probably used Dictatorship and Oligarchy.
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well, all I really meant was that the electoral college makes voting not worth it in some places. I dont think the state any american resides in should change how valued their vote is, but it does.

I didnt mean that I wished that every issue was voted on with popular vote... just that when we are voting it counts no matter where you live. If everyone got to vote on everything the country would fall apart!
 
A question; we have separation of Church and State, so why is my polling place in a Catholic Church? Could this affect my vote? Let’s say there is a vote on abortion. I have to walk past a 20 foot high cross to cast my vote. WWJD.
 
The Painter said:
A question; we have separation of Church and State, so why is my polling place in a Catholic Church? Could this affect my vote? Let’s say there is a vote on abortion. I have to walk past a 20 foot high cross to cast my vote. WWJD.
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Mine's in an auto body repair shop. Nothing like voting amid the din of power tools and the smell of Bondo and paint!
 
Zep said:
I suspect that all the USAian Politics forum frequenters here WILL be out there having their say - clearly they are not afraid to let their opinions be heard and their intentions felt. It's the apathetic ones elsewhere who don't get involved that make a difference, and that would be a shame if they stayed away.
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*nod*

I argue on this forum from a certain POV, but I want everyone who is able to go vote or put in absentee ballot or whatever. The system works best when everyone is involved. Too often these issues are decided by a minority. Wouldn't it be grand to get over 50% turnout?
 
Sorry, I am not going out to vote today, and yes, I am an American.





















I voted absentee weeks ago
 
You know, I can actually vote twice. For some reason, when I moved from my parent's house 15 years ago they never removed me from the voter rolls there after I registered at my new address. Vote early, vote often. It's the Chicago way! :D
 
senorpogo said:
Enjoy a democracy others can not.
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It doesn't seem to be doing us any good though! On the radio this morning, it said that the U.S. Postal system is delivering up to 5 and 6 fliers per household and their delivery load is 1/3 greater than what it normally would be.

I have read some of these fliers. Besides one candidate simply mudraking another, they do raise interesting points like, "(So and so incumbant candidate) has been in office for 18 years and has done nothing to fix health care costs". So they pose, "Why vote for (this same person) again?'

Exactly. And no matter who is running, you can say the same thing regarding about every issue. It's as if this country simply glides along on some predetermined path, that no mattrer who gets in there, it doesn't seem to matter. Nothing really revolutionatry happens. We hear about the border. We hear about the Fair Tax. We hear about National health care policies. But what is there to show for it in all the years that some of these individuals have been in office? And it has ALWAYS been this same story-line!

The Democrats have the power in their hands right now to possibly change the course of history. But do you think even if the power shift goes their way, that history will be changed? (Do you think Nancy Pelosi is going to go down in history as changing history?) Regarding Iraq, which is THE singlemost important issue of our time which could affect possibly if you, your kids or your grandchildren get to live to be a ripe old age (instead of some WW3 statistic), the Dems don't really seem to have any better answers regarding Iraq than what the current administration has.
 
WildCat said:
You know, I can actually vote twice. For some reason, when I moved from my parent's house 15 years ago they never removed me from the voter rolls there after I registered at my new address. Vote early, vote often. It's the Chicago way! :D
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That's funny (yet disturbing). In central Indiana, I think we had about 4k people who had moved or were dead voted Democrat last election. They have since added some safeguards like providing ID and workers crosschecking the lists of eligible voters.
 
Iamme said:
Exactly. And no matter who is running, you can say the same thing regarding about every issue. It's as if this country simply glides along on some predetermined path, that no mattrer who gets in there, it doesn't seem to matter. Nothing really revolutionatry happens. We hear about the border. We hear about the Fair Tax. We hear about National health care policies. But what is there to show for it in all the years that some of these individuals have been in office? And it has ALWAYS been this same story-line!
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I agree. It's unfortunate that politicians must inevitably toe some sort of invisible line that they feel their voter base must lie on. Because they pander for votes by trying hard not to appear too extreme there is an obvious lack of new ideas or groundbreaking policies.

This election will be more marked in that voting for the lesser of two evils is more apparent, but I'm pretty sure once the votes have been tallied, it will be business as usual.

The Painter said:
A question; we have separation of Church and State, so why is my polling place in a Catholic Church? Could this affect my vote? Let’s say there is a vote on abortion. I have to walk past a 20 foot high cross to cast my vote. WWJD.
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Maybe the question should be WWRSD?

(what would Rabbi Satan do?) :)
 
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