As a high school student, I consider myself well informed in the political arena. I understand the ideas of welfare programs, taxes, and social policies. When deciding who to support in an election, I learn about the platforms of candidates before I start jumping from one to another. For the upcoming 2008 election, I think it is important for everyone to make certain realizations before they vote:
1. Know what you are voting for:
It is not acceptable for a Hillary Clinton supporter to not know what social welfare programs are. Understand what a candidate stands for. Just because you are a Republican and don't like John McCain doesn't make it a good idea to vote for a Democrat. Just because you don't like Obama doesn't mean vote for McCain. Vote for the person who values the same things in their policy that you do in your political beliefs.
2. Don't vote on personality, vote on the issues:
Just because you like John McCain or Barak Obama's personality does not mean you should vote solely based on this.
3. Don't vote because of race:
Don't vote for McCain or Hillary for being white. Don't vote Obama because he is black. Know your candidate.
4. Don't vote on your sex:
I have heard the following from women way too much: "I am voting for Hillary Clinton." and then when asked why they can not name specific policies they support of her's and fall back on, "Because she is a woman." Vote on issues, vote on policy, don't vote on something seemingly irrelevant.
5. Don't be afraid to vote:
Just because you don't like either candidates doesn't mean you shouldn't vote. Generally, candidates aren't great for the Presidency. Presidential elections for me come down to "the lesser of all evils".
I agree, and would take it so far as to tell uninformed voters to stay home on election day. I don't want their prejudices and misinformation to affect who becomes the next President of the United States. It's important to have your voice heard, but you have to understand what that voice is saying in order to make an intelligent and informed decision at the polls.
I agree, and would take it so far as to tell uninformed voters to stay home on election day. I don't want their prejudices and misinformation to affect who becomes the next President of the United States. It's important to have your voice heard, but you have to understand what that voice is saying in order to make an intelligent and informed decision at the polls.
The beauty of democracy is that everyone votes. Or that they have the right to, anyway. The poor schmuck in rural Arkansas who never graduated high school and has never read a newspaper can vote. They holier-than-thou political blogger can vote. The housewife with a drug habit can vote. The point is, democracy is government by the people. If the people don't get to participate, it's no longer democracy. So get over it. And if you really don't like that poor schmuck voting, you better as hell make sure you vote yourself. Because then you have the right to continue to complain.
I still disagree- and here's an example I had in mind: would it be acceptable for someone to vote for McCain because he thought Obama was a Muslim terrorist? That person doesn't deserve to vote- not because I'm being elitist, but because these voters are dangerously misinformed, and his awful and baseless prejudice has the potential to affect all of our lives and the future direction of our country.
First, you're doing yourself a disservice by oversimplifying the motivations people may have for voting for someone. Second, you should try and find statistics that support your argument. Did women who said they were voting for Hillary really list her sex as their main motivation? Third, don't contradict yourself. In your second point you say "Don't vote on personality" but in your last point you say "just because you don't either candidates [sic] doesn't mean you shouldn't vote."
And lastly, as "well informed in the political arena" as you may be, you sound condescending. In the world of politics we are all peons.