With the number of people who actively vote against their own interests because they’re dumb, I’m starting to agree with those who say voting shouldn’t be compulsory.
The reality is there are more lazy people than mislead people. Getting rid of compulsory voting increases the fraction of mislead people voting. See American voter turnouts for reference.
Why would they suddenly not vote if it became optional? The problem isn’t that they’re voting, it’s that they don’t have the class consciousness to recognise and investigate their core interests in federal politics.
From Condorcet’s jury theorem, it’s clear that having a few million less voters won’t solve the problem, but improving the political literacy of voters can.
Lots and LOTS of people only vote because they have to, and they vote for whoever lies the best.
If they didn’t have to vote they wouldn’t, and the major parties would lose a LOT of votes, which is what needs to happen. We need independents to actually have a chance.
Its a nice theory, but the people who stand in line saying, “the majors are as bad as each other, i’m gona send them both a message”, kind of undermines the idea.
I’d say it’d be a more uniform shift down in lower turnout than you’ve suggested across the political spectrum. But interestingly it’ll be of the more moderate sections of each political side. Thereby over time reducing the points of commonality between the Party’s resulting in increasingky hateful political partisan rhetoric and policies. So what has happened in the USA.
compulsory voting removes some of the apathy: “they’re both the same” isn’t as powerful to stop people (and let’s be honest here, this tactic works best against progressives) getting out to vote if they’re already at the polling place… it virtually eliminates voter suppression
I’m sorry but “voter suppression” isn’t a thing, especially when something as logical and simple as “have ID to prove you have the right to vote” is constantly called “voter suppression”.
that absolutely is voter suppression… voter fraud is not a real problem. if it were, sure! let’s do ID… but the fact is, it just doesn’t happen: the only way to actually move the needle is large scale voter fraud, and the systems in place absolutely catch that… a single vote (as much as we say your vote counts: it does, but more figuratively) doesn’t matter 1 bit
With the number of people who actively vote against their own interests because they’re dumb, I’m starting to agree with those who say voting shouldn’t be compulsory.
The reality is there are more lazy people than mislead people. Getting rid of compulsory voting increases the fraction of mislead people voting. See American voter turnouts for reference.
Why would they suddenly not vote if it became optional? The problem isn’t that they’re voting, it’s that they don’t have the class consciousness to recognise and investigate their core interests in federal politics.
From Condorcet’s jury theorem, it’s clear that having a few million less voters won’t solve the problem, but improving the political literacy of voters can.
Lots and LOTS of people only vote because they have to, and they vote for whoever lies the best.
If they didn’t have to vote they wouldn’t, and the major parties would lose a LOT of votes, which is what needs to happen. We need independents to actually have a chance.
Its a nice theory, but the people who stand in line saying, “the majors are as bad as each other, i’m gona send them both a message”, kind of undermines the idea.
I’d say it’d be a more uniform shift down in lower turnout than you’ve suggested across the political spectrum. But interestingly it’ll be of the more moderate sections of each political side. Thereby over time reducing the points of commonality between the Party’s resulting in increasingky hateful political partisan rhetoric and policies. So what has happened in the USA.
@Whirlybird @null_dot arguably, not voting is a vote against your own interests
compulsory voting removes some of the apathy: “they’re both the same” isn’t as powerful to stop people (and let’s be honest here, this tactic works best against progressives) getting out to vote if they’re already at the polling place… it virtually eliminates voter suppression
I’m sorry but “voter suppression” isn’t a thing, especially when something as logical and simple as “have ID to prove you have the right to vote” is constantly called “voter suppression”.
that absolutely is voter suppression… voter fraud is not a real problem. if it were, sure! let’s do ID… but the fact is, it just doesn’t happen: the only way to actually move the needle is large scale voter fraud, and the systems in place absolutely catch that… a single vote (as much as we say your vote counts: it does, but more figuratively) doesn’t matter 1 bit
If voter fraud isn’t a real problem then you should have no issue making sure it can’t happen.
i have no issue making sure it “can’t happen” - a non-issue regardless - to give people warm and fuzzy feelings
i do take issue with making it harder to vote for some of societies most vulnerable
The whole “vulnerable people” line is complete bullshit lol.
i guess homeless people don’t deserve a vote aye
Why can’t homeless people vote?