I saw a poll today that says that 90 million eligible voters
will sit out the November Presidential election between President Obama
and challenger Mitt Romney. That's almost half of all registered voters.
A lot of it is the fact that politicians lie and abuse the voters so
much that some of the electorate feels it matters not which candidate or
party wins. There is also the horrible lie, lie, lie campaign both
candidates are conducting this year. Romney tells voters that Obama is a
liar, a wasteful spender of tax money and a complete failure as
president. Obama says that Romney hates the poor, and will be president
only to big business. I have yet to see any positive campaigning from
either side , and neither has or is likely to give any specific platform
(for fear of offending a segment of the voters).
But one aspect of this non participation is good. That is, a whole lot of the 90 million who will not vote are uneducated about much (including the election) and tend to vote only for the candidate who promises to give them the most "free stuff". Despite the noble cause of having all citizens vote, it probably isn't a good thing for everyone to vote. If the uninterested, uninformed and unqualified decide to take away their own vote it might be good for democracy in the end. The fact that many of the 90 million feels they are "too busy" to vote (I guess they have to use the time to watch reality TV and play with their electronic devices?) or say it doesn't matter whether they vote, only reinforces the idea that some people are just too stupid to receive a ballot.
I am more and more struck each year I live by how polarized and uninformed voters here are becoming. They get their information from less than credible sites- blogs, rumors, the internet and word of mouth. Perhaps this is further proof that while society has more information at hand and than ever before, many of its members tend to seek the lowest level of sources of information (what amuses them) and to shun the more important.
Well, I give thanks that rabble won't vote. I distrust their judgment and suspect they are more like leeches than concerned citizens, only interested in the next entitlement the politician hands out.
But one aspect of this non participation is good. That is, a whole lot of the 90 million who will not vote are uneducated about much (including the election) and tend to vote only for the candidate who promises to give them the most "free stuff". Despite the noble cause of having all citizens vote, it probably isn't a good thing for everyone to vote. If the uninterested, uninformed and unqualified decide to take away their own vote it might be good for democracy in the end. The fact that many of the 90 million feels they are "too busy" to vote (I guess they have to use the time to watch reality TV and play with their electronic devices?) or say it doesn't matter whether they vote, only reinforces the idea that some people are just too stupid to receive a ballot.
I am more and more struck each year I live by how polarized and uninformed voters here are becoming. They get their information from less than credible sites- blogs, rumors, the internet and word of mouth. Perhaps this is further proof that while society has more information at hand and than ever before, many of its members tend to seek the lowest level of sources of information (what amuses them) and to shun the more important.
Well, I give thanks that rabble won't vote. I distrust their judgment and suspect they are more like leeches than concerned citizens, only interested in the next entitlement the politician hands out.
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