Lower voter turnout=better outcomes?

[Skellington]

If people haven't bothered to formulate an informed political opinion then maybe they shouldn't bother to vote; they're probably more likely to be swayed by propaganda, rhetoric, sophistry and peer pressure. But then again, if you freely choose not to vote then you're essentially voting "any result suits" on whatever issues or candidates are on the table. I think it's incumbent on the people to think about and discuss the issues and the likely outcomes, and thence to decide if and how to vote.

 

[Yevetha]

Call it what you will, but your nation is better off as a result of the fall of communism and tyranny. That said, I'm sure most of your nation's people are very appreciative for the opportunity to vote for their own leaders and have a hand in determining the nation's future, as imperfect and corrupt as things can sometimes be.

Most people here are incredibly cynical about politics.

 

[MacLeod]

I suspect a lot of people all over the world are somewhat cynical of politians.

 

[Yevetha]

Lets hope we wont end up in a fascism.

 

[Squiggy]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

 

[farmkid]

The greater the turnout the more civil participation in the democracy they cherish and hold dear. Any free society where the people can't be bothered to get off the sofa and drag their asses to a polling booth is a free society that is doomed in the long run. Democracy requires participation, and when 50% or less of the voting-age population even gives a damn about casting a ballot its a profoundly sad indication that the society is somewhat or very dysfunctional and prefers to let a minority of the population make most or all its decisions for it. It's a recipe for disaster and the rise of fascism and strongmen.

I agree completely. A well-functioning democracy requires high participation by people who care and are informed. Saying that however, I don't necessarily think it's good for everyone to vote. I don't want people voting who first learn the candidates' names or find out what the issues are when they're in the voting booth. There's no way that can be good for democracy. I want everyone to vote, but I also want everyone to take that right seriously and get informed on the issues and candidates so they can make wise choices rather than just vote for the guy from the party they like best or whose name sounds better to them.

 

[Yevetha]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

Its not like communism is any better.

 

[Squiggy]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

Its not like communism is any better.

Didn't say it was, now did I? Of course, only a functioning retard would consider the American Democratic party to be anything close to communism, but hey...whatever floats your boat.

 

[Yevetha]

Considering how well they treat civil liberties these days they ar not that far from the right.

 

[Misfit Toy]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

Its not like communism is any better.

That's a horrible insult to anyone who has suffered under a Communist rule. How did that work out for Romania?

 

[cooleddie74]

Democrats...as fucked up and flawed as they are...have about as much to do with communism as a Waffle House does with fine, expensive French cuisine and high culture. Comparing most Democrats to communists or most Republicans to Nazis is the pinnacle of hyperbole and ignorance and those juxtapositions deserve all the scorn and ridicule from thinking, rational people that they can possibly get.

Coming from Romania you should know what real communism is about. It was nothing to take lightly, and the current citizens of North Korea or Cuba would probably agree...if it wouldn't get them tossed into a jail cell, tortured or even killed.

 

[Yevetha]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

Thats a horrible insult to anyone who suffered under fascism.

 

[Squiggy]

That would be closer to current Republican ideology than Democratic.

Thats a horrible insult to anyone who suffered under fascism.

A bit too late with that witty retort.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I prefer an extremely high turn-out from a well informed public. Unfortunately we have a large portion of the country watching Fox News and are about as well informed as a brain damaged baboon. This is of course intentional and the only way the Republican party gets any support beyond the rich, white, Christian male base.

 

[datagal]

Yevetha - do you live in or are you a citizen of the United States?

Well, going by his question http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=6096304&postcount=52 the answer is here http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=6096355&postcount=53 now the question is, why the obsession with the US political process?

It's almost as worse as Deimos Anomaly (sp?) obsession with everything U.S.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I don't like when Americans criticize other countries on how they should run things and I don't care when others do it to us.

Except when it comes to Canada and their odd habit of calling ham bacon.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I don't mind the criticism, I just find his unwavering support for the right wing to be...curious.

 

[cooleddie74]

I don't like when Americans criticize other countries on how they should run things and I don't care when others do it to us.

Except when it comes to Canada and their odd habit of calling ham bacon.

And Bryan Adams a "good singer."

 

[horatio83]

Considering how well they treat civil liberties these days they ar not that far from the right.

Given that the current POTUS has the right to execute American citizens I gotta agree. Add drone attacks, the fact that Gitmo is still open and you realize that from a civil rights point of view the nobel peace prize laureate is hardly better and perhaps even worse than Bush.

 

[Australis]

Down Under we have mandatory voting. There's a fine if you don't. So we're all responsible. And we all look at it as a social responsibility to weigh up the options and do as our consciences tell us. We appreciate that we all take part. I don't get the whole "It's my right not to vote!" (I have seriously seen that line around here). If you don't vote, don't bitch about the government.

That said, a left leaning government is better for everyone. Experience and observation has shown that a left leaning government are more involved in social issues and sharing the wealth and spreading the load, whereas right leaning governments are too focused on shoring up large corporations and the very rich, using some kind of primitive 'trickle down economy' theory. Bluntly, fuck that noise. As far as I can see, that only benefited the 1%. (Yeah, I went there.)