I voted in Arizona in the 2004 elections. Never one for large crowds, I opted to use the early, mail-in ballot. I did miss out on getting an “I voted” sticker of my very own, though.
After coloring in little circles next to the names of potential judges, senators, sheriffs, presidents, et cetera, the only thing that remained were survey questions.
(Paraphrased)
Would being entered into a drawing for $1 Million make you more likely to vote, less likely to vote, or not change your likelihood to vote in any upcoming elections?
I don’t think survey questions are generally designed to kill faith in humanity, but this one came awfully close.
Elections are serious. Voting to place someone in a position of authority, especially to run a nation, should not be taken lightly. This is why those who haven’t researched the candidates, what their stances are, and what their plans are shouldn’t be voting.
It’s bad enough that people show up to vote based on what their friends are doing (who, in turn, vote based on what their friends are doing) and which candidate looks like someone they could sit down and have dinner with. Now, someone honestly thinks a monetary incentive is going to inspire a sudden interest in being an educated voter? Pull the other one. I don’t buy it. What’s going to happen is a massive amount of uninformed people are going to show up to the polls and flip a coin so they can possibly win a prize.
I don’t know. Maybe I don’t give people, in general, enough credit. Perhaps having the power to make a difference by voting, and being informed when you vote isn’t actually a good enough incentive to vote. Maybe states should reward voters with entries into drawings. What are other thoughts on this?
I think the $1,000,000 would be better spent funding things—perhaps education, or public health clinics for the immense uninsured population in Arizona.
I don’t care who you vote for in November. Please, just make an informed decision. Don’t vote for someone based on race, gender, good looks, and middle names. Don’t follow the crowd—it’s a real election, not a popularity contest. Educate yourselves and, when you arrive at the polls, show up to vote, not to fill in some blanks to get a sticker and a pat on the back.
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Nice entry. I agree with what your saying -- I really hate how the media seriously focuses on all the hype and drama and controversy that surround the political candidates, instead of actually focusing on what they stand for and what their plans are. Maybe it's just me and i'm expecting too much from the media, but honestly when you hear about Obama or Hilary on the news it's usually followed by some petty irrelevant topics -- like whether or Obama said this or Hilary said that or even McCain with his "scandalous love affair."
I don’t care who you vote for in November. Please, just make an informed decision. Don’t vote for someone based on race, gender, good looks, and middle names.
If people just listen to what the media or their friends tell them and don't take the time to find out more about the presidential candidates running, such as what their stance on important issues are, then our country is going to make a huge, misinformed decision that we'll all have to deal with for 4 years.
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"No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it." -- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
If people just listen to what the media or their friends tell them and don't take the time to find out more about the presidential candidates running, such as what their stance on important issues are, then our country is going to make a huge, misinformed decision that we'll all have to deal with for 4 years.
Exactly! And you know that, throughout those 4 years, the people who didn't educate themselves before voting are going to be the ones complaining that the president isn't living up to something that they probably never promised in the first place.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sawaboof
"...There is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you're simply... eating tacos in the park, there is always the crushing guilt."
-30 Rock-