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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: thames_sider who wrote (91622)	10/23/2008 8:18:57 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 541345

I wouldn't support enforced disenfranchisement of the stupid and/or ignorant, but I wouldn't try to push them to vote either. The only useful reason I can see for get out the vote drives, is if you think a drive focused on a particular group or area will get more voters for your political party or idea. A 'right' granted for nothing but being alive is not valued. Well things you get for free may be valued less, OTOH lots of people value their right to free speech (or other important legal, constitutional, and/or natural rights). There's a saying here... if you didn't bother voting, don't bother to complain. I disagree with that saying. Your vote has barely over 0% chance to effect the outcome (and to the extent that more people vote, yours is a smaller part of the outcome), also often all available candidates or parties deserve a lot of complaints. That being said I normally vote (once or twice I didn't make it to the polls before they closed, as much as I'm not one to push to "make sure as many people as possible vote, I would like to see longer hours at polls).

To: thames_sider who wrote (91622)	10/23/2008 8:19:53 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 541345

I often feel there should be some minimum tests We used to have tests. There was a time when only property owners got to vote. More recently, disreputable voting tests were used to keep blacks from voting. With that history, there's no way a test could be instituted. There's a saying here... if you didn't bother voting, don't bother to complain. I wasn't suggesting keeping anyone from voting. Everyone has the right to vote. I was advocating self-restraint. We sometimes hear that people have a duty to vote. I think people have a duty to not vote if they can't vote thoughtfully. Also, if you don't vote, to not annoy people with your complaints.