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Post by Mr. Atari on Apr 19, 2004 17:28:45 GMT -5
What do you guys think about a mandatory voting law. This of course would not take away your right to abstain. On election day you go to a voting station and either place a vote for a cadidate or check a box listed as abstain. They have this in Australia as well as Thailand (i think) and it works perfectly well. We already have mandatory filings such as draft registration for males, taxes for all, and social security for seniors. This would seem to combat laziness while protecting the peoples right not to care. I'm not so sure I want everyone voting. After all, it's the masses who make boy bands and Friends worldwide hits. I kinda like it that those folks are too lazy and disinterested to influence the election of the leader of the free world. Lord knows they probably wouldn't research the candidates beyond what MTV news tells them.#nosmileys
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Post by Buddhist Kitten on Apr 19, 2004 19:53:03 GMT -5
I kinda like it that those folks are too lazy and disinterested to influence the election of the leader of the free world. Lord knows they probably wouldn't research the candidates beyond what MTV news tells them. Well, At least MTV is DOING something, instead of not giving people anything and filling up the entire time with dumb, non-musicvideo shows. Personally, I think it is nice that MTV is researching on the canidates and doing that Choose or Lose thing. Even if they watch Friends, they still have the right to choose who controls them.
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Post by otrfan on Apr 19, 2004 19:54:43 GMT -5
Hey sister, have you heard? Some people stand like trees, without a word. And what that means is that some people don't
talk.
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Post by Buddhist Kitten on Apr 19, 2004 20:01:03 GMT -5
Hey sister, have you heard? Some people stand like trees, without a word. And what that means is that some people don't talk. I fixed the big space between 'don't' and 'talk' for ya. But anyway, at least MTV is giving it's viewers a chance to choose who to vote for, instead of ignoring it and putting Spring Break shows on 24/7. Even if the future president has something secret about him, you voted for him, and unless that person turns the US into a communist country, let us hope you have no major regrets.
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Post by CherokeeJack on Apr 19, 2004 21:01:55 GMT -5
Now, granted these numbers aren't par, but, dig this. Between the election of 1840 and 1900, the average voter participation was well above 80%. Between the election of 1920 and present day, no election has had particpation above 65%. The most being 64% in the 1960 election between JFK and Nixon. Also take into account women's sufferage and blacks being able to vote and the destruction of Jim Crow laws and only white male land owners could vote for a time. I think with less people you would have a higher turn out in general. Many people just don't trust the government and feel what is the point in voting, they are all the same (which was stated earlier), but if you throw a new group of jaded people into the voting mix with new voting rights you will have a lower turn out. Thats my theory.
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Post by otrfan on Apr 19, 2004 21:45:33 GMT -5
I fixed the big space between 'don't' and 'talk' for ya. The space was intentional. It represents a long gap. It's from a Violent Femmes song.
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Post by marytrobot on Apr 20, 2004 8:31:58 GMT -5
MaryT, I realize i went on a bit of a rant back there, i tend to do that. But my originial intent was to voice reserved agreement with your original point. You are quite right (and unfortunately in the minority) in saying that democracy doesnt always work. Brazil is, as you pointed out, a democratic catastrophe, and Spain struggled for many years to overcome its own dictator complex. What i would point out is how these nations have been helped by free trade Brazil via OAS and Spain with the Euro. Anyway. stimulating points Cheers (i lived in London, where this is a universal thank you/goodbye...im not toasting people) you had good points too. I forgot to tell you that in my last post, I was in a hurry. Anyways cool that you live in london, my sister and her husband live there too. You really british or an american living there?
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