democracyFollow

As per the routine, I was asked if I wanted to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. I had a brief flash of saying Republican and tossing my vote in with Oberweis just for giggles but proper civic duty got the better of me and I went Democrat

I'd bet that if they can't make themselves go vote, then they surely can't be bothered to educate themselves about the choices, even if the ballot box is delivered to them. I don't think it would help matters at all to have a bunch of uninformed people choosing at random. Not that everyone who votes now is completely informed, but this would just make it worse.

Be that as it may, I don't think the answer is to unbalance the ratio further

If you're a potential voter you are, by definition, an adult.

Stop waiting for someone to hold your hand and drop the $4.50 on a copy of US News & World Report or something.

I don't know. Unless things have changed, you're required to take (and pass) an American Government & Contitution class and test before you graduate from Junior High, High School and college (at least all the colleges I've been to had a mandatory US Gov requirement though they were all public schools).

You can force the kids to learn enough about US government to pass a test and a class but you can't really force them to care.

What -- and you and I have been debating a lot lately but trust me when I say I ask this of curiousity and not to score points -- but what in particular do you think is lacking from the education system that would make people more responsible and enthusiastic voters?

Hehe... I meant I wasn't trying to pick fights with you.I agree with all that for the sheer sake of education but I'm not convinced it'll necessarily translate to "better" voters.

I guess I just view it as a personal sort of thing and either you give enough of a rat's *** to take charge or you don't. I went through the exact same educational system as many of my friends and I absolutely promise you I'm the only one who voted today. Why? I'm not sure, to be honest. I don't think it's because the system "failed" them and I don't think I'm all that exceptional a guy (but feel free to stroke my ego). But when I see people give excuses for blowing off an election like "I just didn't know", it really means "I didn't care enough to find out". Bust open a couple newspapers to see who they endorse and why. Read some articles. Listen to a debate. Flip the radio to the AM band. But by the time you can vote, the educational system is largely done with you and it becomes a personal responsibility.

Edited, Tue Mar 21 14:01:33 2006 by Jophiel

It is because out lazy public is complacent wehn it comes to politics these days. We give our leaders the benefit of the doubt and we allow media and and biased ads to do our thinking for us. As ineffficient as this is it seems to be how the system is designed.

Of course, this system was designed during a time wehn it took weeks for news to reach the nations cities.. before such things as radios and TVs and internets.

Face it, we are working off of an obsolete system. It's 2006, not 1806. We are 200 years out of date.
Personally I think the reason that noone has bothered to try to change any of this is how well that this outmoded system works to transform politics into a full blown entrepreneurial extraveganza, where the only one with any chance of making an impact are those with the money, power, and connections to utilize and EXPLOIT the media driven and miseducated public with over-funded ad campaigns; all the while lining the pockets of their parties with "donations" from the lobbbiest who is the highest bidder.

Our government apparently is a glorified national auction block.. where the policies are determined by the highest bidder... rather than determined by the actual common public.

The only thing that John Q has to go off of is whoever puts on the most expensive show, the brighter lights, and the most creative propaganda..
and the whole time our education system deteriorates further.. thus further driving home the notion that the public should keep their ignorant noses out of politics and just leave it to the big guys up in the penthhouse.

It is a totally self-preserving enterprise that is only going to worsen until at some point.. the house of cards falls.

exactly. Time to "try" somthing else.

Waht is that somthing else? I don't know, I'm just an IT manager, but no matter waht it is, I bet it won't be an easy transition.... which is why we'll prolly keep on the outdated track until we are FORCED to change it. Good times that will be, unfortuantly not in our lifetimes.

this seems like a very incestuous forum...

You haven't seen Lunatics guild chat