The problem with uneducated voters, summed up nicely in the form of an IM

[Breed]

Today I went around asking my friends who they were voting for online, because I was curious, and bored, and whatever.

The first person I asked was this female friend of mine. Let's call her Rachel. I had recalled a conversation a few months ago when she brought up she was republican. It struck me as odd the way she worded it, so I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to learn why young people would be attracted towards the republican party, when its not because of religious bias etc etc.

So here is the actual conversation I had with her.

Breed: you like sarah palin, right?
Rachel: i guess?
Breed: you guess?
Rachel: fuck if i know
Breed: well youre voting republcain right
Breed: right?
Breed: i remember you saying so
Rachel: yeah


I am going to spare you the ugly details that went on from there, but it went like this:

Me: that's ridiculous. that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard that you vote blindly, even if it was for who I was voting for I'd say the same thing
Her: YOU'RE A DICK, I'M SERIOUS
Her: DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT
Me: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do some research


and the cherry on the cake (this is directly from the convo)

Rachel: I FUCKING KNOW WHO SARA PALEN IS
Rachel: FUCK

She promptly blocked me.

She is 18 this year and is going to vote because her parents are republicans. That's the reason why.

And the problem here is NOT that she is voting Republican when I'm voting Democrat. That is IRRELEVANT. She is ENTIRELY uneducated and has a say. The level of irresponsibility here is astounding. And there are plenty more like her, my friends.

[Bravoie]

Haha, I was watching the debate at work with some coworkers last Friday and I told them that I can't wait for Sarah Palin to embarrass herself during the next debate. Guy standing behind me looked a little confused, then said "WHO?"

Me: Sarah Palin...?

Guy: *Silence*

Me: McCain's VP pick?

Guy: *Silence and slightly confused look*

Me: Uh, the WOMAN?

Guy: *Silent*

I do, however, think that he is voting Obama (or not voting at all)... BUT STILL!

[Apfigur]

I've heard that it's kinda difficult to vote in the US of A. Is this true? Like you have to sign up somewhere, a particular date, or something.

And also that the voting participation rate is kinda small. In Sweden there's an outrage if the voting participation is below 80%.

[Qaz]

Yeah America has one of the lowest voter turnouts of any democracy ever. I think like 55% or so, but as demonstrated here, that's probably more of a good thing.

[Zaquis]

Originally Posted by Apfigur

I've heard that it's kinda difficult to vote in the US of A. Is this true? Like you have to sign up somewhere, a particular date, or something.

And also that the voting participation rate is kinda small. In Sweden there's an outrage if the voting participation is below 80%.

voter disenfranchisement is a huge issue + prisoners can't vote

it's not HARD to vote but the participation is very low because a lot of people would rather stay inside and watch south park and scoff at people who actually take political action

[Matt McGowan]

Originally Posted by Zaquis

it's not HARD to vote but the participation is very low because a lot of people would rather stay inside and watch south park and scoff at people who actually take political action

That, and the fact that if you are a registered voter the government can call you in for jury duty.

[Kunio]

Originally Posted by Zaquis

it's not HARD to vote but the participation is very low because a lot of people would rather stay inside and watch south park and scoff at people who actually take political action

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the first people to create political satire that incites the viewer to not give a shit about anything, because helping people harms then actually and they are horrible beasts

[Zaquis]

Originally Posted by Matt McGowan

That, and the fact that if you are a registered voter the government can call you in for jury duty.

they want us to vote... but at what cost???

[Quilt]

Originally Posted by Matt McGowan

That, and the fact that if you are a registered voter the government can call you in for jury duty.

doesn't work
i got called in for jury duty before i registered to vote

[Ned]

One large contributing factor I see to the existence of uneducated and unlikely voters in America is the tendency for many Americans to fill their personal lives with so many personal and professional engagements/commitments that they do not leave enough time to properly observe the political scene and formulate an informed stance on significant matters. With long-hour workdays, vacations galore, and kids with a thousand items on their entertainment and school schedules, adults too often find themselves lost in their own lives to the point of civic apathy. Therefore they have one of two choices: a) admit their ignorance and abstain from participating in the political process, or b) mimic the political stance(s) of those whom they trust and/or those with whom they are most closely associated and vote accordingly in election cycles.

Add this to the increasingly partisan (and at times downright nasty) nature of our current political scene and you'll start to understand why so many Americans prefer to skip politics entirely in favor of their own comparatively less frustrating, and more enjoyable, pursuits.

This most likely does not apply explicitly to Breed's young friend, but I hope it helps to explain the low voter turnout rate.

[Jesterfoot]

^ great post

[Phil Williamson]

Originally Posted by Apfigur

I've heard that it's kinda difficult to vote in the US of A. Is this true? Like you have to sign up somewhere, a particular date, or something.

And also that the voting participation rate is kinda small. In Sweden there's an outrage if the voting participation is below 80%.

Well, it is provably a waste of time after all

[Phil Williamson]

Originally Posted by Ned

One large contributing factor I see to the existence of uneducated and unlikely voters in America is the tendency for many Americans to fill their personal lives with so many personal and professional engagements/commitments that they do not leave enough time to properly observe the political scene and formulate an informed stance on significant matters. With long-hour workdays, vacations galore, and kids with a thousand items on their entertainment and school schedules, adults too often find themselves lost in their own lives to the point of civic apathy. Therefore they have one of two choices: a) admit their ignorance and abstain from participating in the political process, or b) mimic the political stance(s) of those whom they trust and/or those with whom they are most closely associated and vote accordingly in election cycles.

Add this to the increasingly partisan (and at times downright nasty) nature of our current political scene and you'll start to understand why so many Americans prefer to skip politics entirely in favor of their own comparatively less frustrating, and more enjoyable, pursuits.

This most likely does not apply explicitly to Breed's young friend, but I hope it helps to explain the low voter turnout rate.

It really isn't all that difficult to stay informed to the very minimal degree that would allow you to figure out which candidate it would be in your best interests to vote for. I think keeping informed to at least this degree is a civic responsibility, and while I certainly agree that many Americans neglect it I don't agree with your implication that that's somehow understandable or excusable.

[Notch Johnson]

WELCOME TO VOTE.COM

NAME: _______________
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:________________
OTHER SHIT TO VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY: _______________

Please SELECT A CANDIDATE:
- John McCain (click for platform)
- Barack Obama (click for platform)

Need help deciding? Click HERE for speeches, debates, and interviews with the candidates.

Thanks for voting!

...

why can't it be like this?

[Qaz]

Yeah I know, it should be!



*hacks into vote.com server*

[Maritheclap]

I called a friend of mine in Arizona a few days ago, and she had NO IDEA who Sarah Palin is. But it's the same deal. She is in this cultish church, and they told her to vote republican, so she is.

She actually went on to say that someone in the Church registered all the members as Republican, and she wouldn't have even known there was an election had it not been for that.

[Breed]

Also I am from Arizona. D:

[NearHi]

Me too.
I am really ignorant about polotics because I am just lazy but I do understnad some of the macro-ideas that the candidates stand for. I don't want McCain in because I really don't like Palin. Palin has some nasty opinions and we have to face that she might become a President.

[Phil Williamson]

Originally Posted by Maritheclap

I called a friend of mine in Arizona a few days ago, and she had NO IDEA who Sarah Palin is. But it's the same deal. She is in this cultish church, and they told her to vote republican, so she is.

She actually went on to say that someone in the Church registered all the members as Republican, and she wouldn't have even known there was an election had it not been for that.

your friend is really fucking dumb

[Notch Johnson]

Palin believes dinosaurs and man walked on earth concurrently

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,1440865.story

[NearHi]

She's ridiculous.

[Breed]

I keep waiting for McCain to be like "jk lol" why hasn't it happened yet.

[Notch Johnson]

prediction: Palin will decide she needs to humbly return to Alaska to tend to her retarded son, and McCain will bring in someone qualified that is much less interesting than Palin.

they've been planning this from the start.

[Skittlebrau]

OR: the republican party sees her as the most expendable person in her level of power, and choose her as the VP pick. After all of the debates are over, and the says have been had, Palin is assassinated. With no issue-talking left to confuse matters, the Republicans replace her with a new VP, and McCain sweeps up the sympathy vote and rides it into the white house.

OR MAYBE THEY JUST LIKE HER, I DUNNO.

[NearHi]

I think they just like her because my grandma is said she didn't like McCain at first and as soon as Palin joined she joined the local Republican office as a volunteer. She can't even say why she likes McCain, all she can do is talk about Palin.