Redskins Diehard Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/05/AR2008090502666.html One thing both Democrats and Republicans agreed about in their vastly different conventions: The American voter will not only decide but decide wisely. But does the electorate really know what it's talking about? Plenty of things are hurting American democracy -- gridlock, negative campaigning, special interests -- but one factor lies at the root of all the others, and nobody dares to discuss it. American voters, who are hiring the people who'll run a superpower democracy, are grossly ignorant. Here are a few particularly bogus claims about their supposed savvy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FanboyOf91 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Sad, but true. The youth vote will never matter in a general election. (Primaries are a different story) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVUforREDSKINS Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I could say a lot about that article, but I think I will just stick with the quote Henry said a few days ago. "We get the gov't we deserve" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Sad, but true.The youth vote will never matter in a general election. (Primaries are a different story) I am very curious about what will happen this November in relation to the youth vote. We've been seing a lot of "firsts" lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmySmith Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 "Six years later, Pew again measured public knowledge of current events and found that the young (aged 18 to 29) "know the least." A majority of young respondents scored in the "low knowledge" category -- the only demographic group to do so." Why do all that research when they could have spent 10 minutes here at ES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I am very curious about what will happen this November in relation to the youth vote. We've been seing a lot of "firsts" lately.Well, the "youth" vote was supposed to elect Al Gore and John Kerry by turning out in massive numbers. How did that work out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sisko Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I've said this before but this article only reinforces my view that it's over for us. Someone tell the Chinese to turn out the lights when they leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Well, the "youth" vote was supposed to elect Al Gore and John Kerry by turning out in massive numbers. How did that work out? Real estate prices were never supposed to go down either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Why do all that research when they could have spent 10 minutes here at ES. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Real estate prices were never supposed to go down either. That is just absurd. People here in the tailgate were calling it a bubble back in 2005 and were expecting this. Look at ATB's posts from back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Speaking of...how comes it always a correction (for some here) and never a economic problem when the economy, stocks, real estate prices fail? Does the economy never fail to you (not singleing you out SHF)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjTj Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 meh ... 50% of Americans might be completely ignorant, but 50% of Americans also don't vote. Those groups aren't exactly the same, but I think the more informed you are, the more likely you are to vote, and the more likely you are to be active in politics ... the cream rises to the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I like to think I am well informed and often I don't vote (out of spite and or laziness). I am sure I am not the only one. Then again, I know where the true power in government lies (the 4th state...no not Georgia smartasses). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjTj Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I like to think I am well informed and often I don't vote (out of spite and or laziness). I am sure I am not the only one.You have become too well-informed to the point of becoming cynical and jaded with the whole process ... maybe it's better to just be moderately informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 My vote should count at least 10 times as much as the average voters I know most people would think that about themselves... but it's ok for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Well, the "youth" vote was supposed to elect Al Gore and John Kerry by turning out in massive numbers. How did that work out? Would have been fine if Florida had young people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLockesGhost Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Yep, democracy sucks. The founding fathers tried their best to design a republic that was voter-proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydevil Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 meh ... 50% of Americans might be completely ignorant, but 50% of Americans also don't vote. Those groups aren't exactly the same, but I think the more informed you are, the more likely you are to vote, and the more likely you are to be active in politics ... the cream rises to the top. Someone needs to read their Hayek. The chapter why the worst get on top in The Road to Serfdom should be required reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 That is just absurd. People here in the tailgate were calling it a bubble back in 2005 and were expecting this. Look at ATB's posts from back then And in the future you'll be able to say that Alexey predicted the transformation in youth voter turnout as early as September 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjTj Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Someone needs to read their Hayek. The chapter why the worst get on top in The Road to Serfdom should be required reading.I'm not going to go off and read a whole chapter of libertarian philosophy, but I believe Hayek meant "worst" in terms of morals, not in terms of ignorance. I still maintain that while the populous as a whole may be ill-informed, it is the more informed among us who are determining elections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headexplode Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 When did it become news that people are stupid. What, thousands of years of human history wasn't enough evidence? We have made some progress, though. Most of us know that thunder is not the result of angry gods, and that if you **** in the water you drink from, you're going to get sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.