Debate Voting, your deomcratic right

We all appreciate the right to vote, the only true chance to have your voice heard in choosing who you want in power (United States Citizens did have this until 2000 >>) anyways, I have noticed a trend that has happened lately. People no long vote for the people they want in, rather they try and get on the bandwagon and vote for a major party candidate so they can get on the winning team. (I hope this does make sense). I feel it strange though, when you go out and vote, the definition is you go out to say who YOU want to be in power, not who you think is going to win. What does that achieve? It is a secret ballot so it's not like you will look cool.


So do you think people now tend to vote not to voice their opinion but to get on the winning team?

(Vote 1 Ficus)

 

I don't think that's true, at least in American presidential races. Remember, an election is lucky to get 50% of eligible voters to vote, so the people who tend to vote usually have a definite opinion about whether they want a Democrat or a Republican in office. In the aftermath of the 2000 vote people got really pissed off at Green Party candidate Ralph Nader because they thought he diluted enough votes from Gore to let Bush win. Obviously those 3% of voters didn't follow your theory, SGI, because they voted for a person they knew had no chance but who they really wanted to win.

However, I DO think that what you say is true when it comes to primaries. A poll of Democratic voters a few months ago said that the vast majority would be willing to take a candidate who they disagreed with on a lot of stuff if they thought he'd be able to beat Bush. So I guess I agree with you, but only to a point. Once you get to the really important stuff, voters will go with who they'd like rather than who they think will win.

 

Well most people vote for the coolest name on the ballot. Also, they tend to stick with their party. I think you should vote for whoever has the best agenda in your opinon. People should take it much more seriously, but unfortunately the majority of our citizens are unintellectual. However, I am impressed with the citizens of California. At first they all voted for Arnold ... I don't even want to attempt to spell his last name. Now that they are having a recall, the people are really voting for who they think would be the best governor of their stare. Overall, people should take voting more seriously, but they don't and that is something that we will just have to put up with.

 

Well...

I believe that the whole voting to be on the winning team thing is true. Just from watching the reactions of people to world news, you can tell that something similar is going to happen next year, as well. Ouch.

And on that topic, I remember seeing someone who had voted for who they thought looked more attractive. Not an easy choice, but still...