A voting reform I'd like to see

[Lunar]

It is not easy being third party or 'non-partisan'. you are forced to vote Republican or Democrat - seriously if you throw your vote the way you really want to then you might as well not bother to take the time to go to the polling booth.

I fear here in America the majority are sheeple (Yes used that word) and are so programmed into a two party system that presented with a third party or an alternative to the two party system they would still pick Republican or Democrat.

Programmed - propagandized, lead to believe that there is only two sides.

Truth is, there isn't even two sides - its all the same thing under different names...

I agree with your statement.

I'm gald Pix brought this topic up. I'm so discouraged by the current voting system and I continuosly bear witness to loyalists either at work or social gatherings. The party system appears to be a detriment to our society. Many people have become lazy and simply sided with their affiliated party since it's so simple to do so rather than research candidates.

The media doesn't help to improve our ability to reason since it appears to just feed us opinion after opinion. At times I feel like a broken record haha, but it's a serious issue. I'm aware that there are many educated voters out there, but we can't just ignore those who vote on a whim. A proper system of education can fix this (and many other problems).

Are individuals truly incompetent when it comes to voting? A simple, yet important task relayed to us throughout history. I would hope that dismantling the party system would do the trick but I'm not certain. I am certain that such a task would be met with heavy resistance. That shouldn't stop us though.

Thanks for this post Pix!

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I wasn't talking about literacy tests, but about about proving you at least read the voter information guide.

And AS I MENTIONED care would have to be taken (with a suggestion) to be sure it wasn't abused because the unscrupulous would attempt to use it to disenfranchise those not of their "political tribe."

What's really sad is when (for example) voters think they're voting to protect the environment but instead are giving the corporations free license to destroy it because they didn't bother to examine that carefully spun measure to make it seem it was the opposite it was. I've seen things like that happen because people don't bother to check them out and I know it has a long tradition as documented in books like The New Doublespeak and that's why I wish voters had to prove they at least read the guide which would get rid of a lot of the stupid vote that allows villains to get away with crap like that.

I see, you grew up and lived all your life in an Ivory Tower :tongue::biggrin:

In truth while this law to protect people from ignorance (self imposed ignorance and otherwise) is meant with good intentions, I fear that many have ill intentions and would twist and use that very law to do all manner of evil.

Yes care would have to be taken, but it boils down to who who guards the guardians?

People choose to be stupid for 'good reasons' - I dare say most would open up their eyes to the real world and then immediately have a severe and permanent mental break-up. Most people live in their illusory world because they are unable (not unwilling - they can't) face 'reality' or the real problems.

Humans like to be deceived, thus they still live in trailers in tornado alley, build beach front property where hurricanes happen, build homes on the sides of hills that are prone to slide in a little rain, and build whole cities in the shadow of active volcanoes with a history of burying cities.

The majority want to believe that what they hear is all they need to hear.

This means few are going to base their vote on more than the TV Advertisements that are taking out by the opposition. It means that when the polls open they will madly punch away at the card not reading the full content.

Fortunately, the majority of people don't vote. Even the majority of registered voters don't bother to go to their polling place.

Yet - a majority of Americas rush to the phones to Vote for American Idol....

This isn't mere ignorance, this is self imposed ignorance - or stupidity if you wish.

[East]

In truth while this law to protect people from ignorance (self imposed ignorance and otherwise) is meant with good intentions, I fear that many have ill intentions and would twist and use that very law to do all manner of evil.

It is misguided and arrogant to decide who is qualified and who isn't based on __________ (fill in the blank)...and an obvious Pandora's Box.

I like what Rob said this week....

It's a great privilege to live in a free country. You're fortunate if you have the opportunity to pursue your dreams without having to ward off government interference or corporate brainwashing or religious fanaticism.

But that's only partly useful if you have not yet won the most important struggle for liberation, which is the freedom from your own unconscious obsessions and conditioned responses. Becoming an independent agent who's not an unwitting slave to his or her shadow is one of the most heroic feats a human being can accomplish.

[East]

Pix...I realized that I didn't answer your initial query and I followed your link a few minutes ago and a lightbulb went on...

I think what you are proposing has existed at least in part in San Francisco Elections for about 10 years or so now. It is called "Ranked Voting" and sounds very much like the IRV you advocate.

I remember the first year it was introduced I cracked up because they had a runoff that was between the Democrat and the Green Candidate (I believe it was Mark Gonzalez and Gavin Newsome). The Republican wasn't even a factor in any way because of this system. For me...a choice between a Dem or a Green Candidate is the best possible circumstance:biggrin:

That is San Francisco though...I am sure that much different results would happen across the country or on a National Level though it would be ultimately more fair because the points that you bring up are valid and with the corporate money and controlling interests in both parties pretty much insuring that the richest entity wins...we need an overhaul..

[Pix]

Thanks, all. My cynicism needed to be rebooted, and it has.

I'm going to try hard not to read my voter's guide this year. It feels very irresponsible, but if the majority won't bother then there's no point in me bothering and it just makes me angry that I take the time to learn when the vast majority won't and so any informed voting is just spitting in the wind of ignorance easily manipulated by the wealthy. It's garbage in and then garbage out. I hope this is the last year I vote. The last few elections I only stayed registered to vote on measures anyway (and simply voted politicians, sometimes using a write-in, so that the one counting my vote couldn't vote "for me.") It's best to focus my energies where they count than where they don't.

And as Mencken said:

"Demagogue: one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots."

"No one in this world, so far as I know and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me, has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby."

"Democracy, too, is a religion. It is the worship of jackals by jackasses."

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." (ETA: I'm suddenly wondering what Mencken would've said about Bush, you know the guy many voters felt they could "have a beer with." )