True, voters are rolling the dice on many candidates these days, but this is ridiculous: Arizona is considering a proposal to boost voter turnout by awarding $1 million to one lucky voter in every general election.
Voter participation is pathetic in this country. But this hokey gimmick smacks of desperation, not democracy, and it degrades the election process by taking it back to frontier days when politicians bought warm-body votes with beer and grog.
Is that the logical next step?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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57 Comments
It comes as no surprise that this was proposed by a leftist demorat. rotflmosrfao
Viva la Raza Blanco!!
Arizona has very a usual political system. Their state representatives are actually term limited. And a host of other stuff that make them different.
Lottery? Why not! While it isn’t much different then handing out liqour or cigarettes like the Gore campaign got caugt doing. At least there is real money involved. I actually bet that this will make voter turn out really high.
The only draw back is, that people will vote for the sake of the lottery and not for the sake of politics and representation. You’re just going to have a whole lot more uninformed voters, voting, and that is more dangerous than anything else.
Bad idea Arizona! I don’t think getting more people to vote warrents any priority.
Yes, and we would have to wait in line with all those icky poor people.They shouldn’t vote anyway because they don’t run the country.
Bad idea. Essentially paying people to get off their butt and vote.If you don’t value your right to vote, I encourage you to stay home.
Makes my vote count for more.
How about beer and grog (what is grog?) for voters as they leave the voting booth along with the “I voted” sticker?
. . . or a t-shirt saying, “I voted for a million bucks and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.”
Hell, I’ld move to Arizona for that, wouldn’t you?
What if they only gave the million dollars to those who vote for Republicans. Would you still move there and vote Republican?
Can you be bought?
Considering that most elections these days feature candidates who differ only in party affliation, I submit that its not really possible to degrade the elections any further. Any proposal to get more people to the poles should be considered.
Isn’t there some federal law prohibiting being paid to vote?
Sad commentary on the ‘me generation’…the “what’s in it for ME” mentality. Ignore the fact that tens of thousands of people have died protecting that right to vote. Ignore the fact that many countries around the world do not allow their citizens to have any say in their government.
Sad. Very, very sad and an abominable idea…
Welcome Eric.I agree that we need better voter turnout. It’s their state, let them handle it. Anybody have any suggestions about how to improve turnout in Kansas?
Tracy, maybe some decent candidates who dont lie, as opposed to the lowest acceptable standards, would help voter turnout.
Problem is that often those who would be great leaders don’t want to hold office. It seems as only the ego driven, greedy kind are willing to withstand the slings and arrows of running in an election. Plus you have to have a whole bunch of money or else suck up to the ones that want to be in your pocket for their benefit.The whole system should be revamped somehow, it seems like one big circus to me with the special interests pulling the strings, perpetrating character assasination, and spreading propaganda.
80 PERCENT OF REPUBLICANS ARE DEMOCRATS THAT DON’T KNOW THE FACTS
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: Well, my opinion hasn’t changed, that the press has been negligent, and that the large amount of support for the President, and for the people that did vote for the President, that large numbers of them would not have done so, had they known the truth about his policies, and his record. You say my opinion changed, but it hasn’t changed.
You know I’ve known this for many years, because of my anecdotal experience. I give about 40 speeches a year, in red states to Republican audiences, and I get the same enthusiastic responses from those audiences as I get from Liberal college audiences. The only difference is, is that the Republicans often say to me, “How come we’ve never heard this before?” I made the conclusion many years ago that there’s not a huge values difference between Red State Republicans and Blue State Democrats. The distinction is really informational. 80% of Republicans are just Democrats who don’t know what’s going on. And my anecdotal conclusion was confirmed by a survey done immediately after the 2004 election called the PIPA report, which tested Bush supporters and Kerry supporters based upon their knowledge of current events. It found that among Bush supporters, they were widespread in its interpretations, or there were factual errors in the way that they viewed Bush’s major public policy initiatives.
For example, 75% of the Republican respondents believed that Saddam Hussein bombed the World Trade Center, and 72% believed that WMD had been found in Iraq. And most of them believed that the war in Iraq had strong support among Iraq’s Muslim neighbors and our traditional allies in Europe, which of course is wrong. The Democrats as a whole had a much more accurate view of those events. And then PIPA went back twice to these same people. The first time it went back to the people that had these misinterpretations, and asked them where they were getting their news, and invariably they said talk radio and FOX news. And PIPA went back a third time, and made inquiries about their fundamental values, and it did start with a string of hypotheticals:
“What if there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? What if Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with bombing the World Trade Center? What if the U.S. Invasion of Iraq had little support among Iraq’s Muslim neighbors and was largely opposed by Iraq’s Muslim neighbors, and by our troops and allies in Europe? Should we have still gone in?” And roughly 80% of Dem and 80% of Rep said the same thing, “We should not.” And so the values were the same. It was the facts, the information, it was the access to information that was different.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3079#more-3079
Complete BS WakeUp!
If Joe W. doesn’t like it, then you know it’s right.
The kkkonservatives hate democracy because the American people are liberal.
Americans overwhelmingly WANT universal health care, they want Social Security funds in a “lock box,” they DON’T see the US as a “Christian nation,” believe that gov’t promoting religion always harms rights, believe that abortion should be between a woman and her doctor, trust government more than big corporations, believe that government doesn’t go far enough in policing corporations, only 20 percent want a tax cut while 62 percent want more money for education, health care, and social security, now OPPOSE the war in Iraq, agree with the statement “I regard myself as a citizen of the world” by 73 percent (yes) to 25 percent (no).
Even on gay marriage, the American public slightly favors it.
What we’re seeing is the last throes of KKKonservatism hanging on to their false majority by any means necessary.
When will conservatives stop hating democracy?
“The kkkonservatives hate democracy because the American people are liberal.”
That’s why liberals are in power in the bizarro world of Wakeup.
I call any idea that gets more voters to the polls a good one.
The linked Kennedy article is relevant to that. If so many of those who DO vote insist on being willfully stupid and voting against their own interests, then we need more who are NOT voting to start voting. I’ll take “uninformed” voters over willfully stupid voters any day.
If people TRULY voted their interests, the Republican party would vanish to deserved irrelevancy.
JR: I would have thought that Democrats would be all for the lottery voter program. Something for nothing.
You argue that it is better to have ignorant voters than ones who votes against self-interest. Of course, self-interest would be as defined by you. I assume by that you mean economic self-interest.
Fortunately most people think that there are things more important than economic self-interest.
Damn principles getting in the way of greed.
Joe, Don’t worry about the BS from the lefties. Note that bradblog or Kennedy JR conveniently don’t give backup documents supporting their spin stats. They have end-game fixation, so anything that supports their end-game makes perfect sense. Never mind facts, figures, perspectives, and just plain ol’ basic root cause research.
just a little bitter today ID?
“Fortunately most people think that there are things more important than economic self-interest.”
Yes outlander, thank goodness. And I am thankful that the ones who DEMONSTRATE that there are things more imporant than economic self interest tend to NOT BE republican.
Are you joining us on the left or sticking with your cons on the far right?
heheheh
Ah Outlander.
“Damn principles getting in the way of greed”
Well outlander, MOST folks economic self interests ARE better served by Democrats…..hmmmm I think you just admitted that!
Principles? What principles do you mean? Ya mean like mining peoples religion to get them to embrace their own misery and vote for the GOP party of “its all your fault”?Maybe you mean that other “principle” of being pro life? Nevermind that the party of “pro life” is only so for fetuses. Past the boundary of the womb and its back to my first point. You’re on your own baby!
Or is it that other hot button principle. Ya know, the one that as long as ya gotta gun it’ll all be ok. Yup the GOP is the party of letting ya keep and carry your piece. It’s also the party that causes the social conditions that may get you to thinking about using it in socially unfriendly ways.
And all of the above while the GOP cries against the very government itself. Gubbermint is portrayed by the GOP not as a helpful but an onerous thing to be feared. Hey whats better than convincing people to fear the very thing that could help them?
kfg: Just wondering. How do you pronouce heheheh? Is it a girlish he he he, a throaty Fat Albert hey hey hey, or something else?
Something else of course. But you have to be a liberal to know. Kinda like IOKIYAAR.
Big eye roll here.
Ah don’t mind ID kfg.
He’s home from camp ditto and doesn’t like reading anything that conflicts with Rush telling him to react and not think.
JWink,
Grog is rum cut with water. Technically, anyway. The KANG made it with Everclear and heaven only knows what else. ;)
ID,
Robert Kennedy Jr. already gave his backup stats. So sorry that in your deluded state of mind you missed them. Then again, what does it matter? You would either not read them or, if you did, say they were lies.
Who cares what Arizona does to “reward” their voters? Perhaps people who have never voted for will get a clue and start paying attention after they walk into a voting booth and realize they are totally clueless. At least Arizona is trying to do something about the large number of non-voters in their state. Not that I agree with the way they’re going about it.
What kills me is the total dumbing down of America. Did anyone read what it says under that little logo? “We got your vote.” Ranks right up there with “where’s it at.”
I’ve also noticed that news commentators have become very lax with their grammar.
Yeah, I know. Picky, picky, picky.
No, RD, you have a right to be picky. I too cringe when I listen to broadcasters screw up the English language. They are, for better, or more likely worse, important keepers of the rhetorical tradition, and they are doing a piss-poor job of it. Buncha illiterates. I mentioned this to a TV twinkie once and she just shrugged and said, we don’t have to worry about that. Funny thing, she has never made it beyond the Wichita-sized farm teams of TV.
I agree RD and Dennis – the poor grammar is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Has anyone else seen “Anchorman: The legend of Ron Jeremy”? I love the part where he’ll read anything on the teleprompter and ends up saying something rather naughty and doesn’t realize what he’s said.
Stupid idea. I’d rather see us make voting easier. Move election day from Tuesday to the weekend – both Saturday and Sunday. With extended time to vote it will then be easier to make it to the polls.
Another possibility: since my Drivers Licence now contains my information both on the magnetic strip and in a 2-D barcode use it to facilitate voting. Let me go to ANY polling place in the County (then I can go at lunch near work). Scan my drivers licence – that then brings up the appropriate ballot. I vote there and am marked as having voted. Then collate the results county-wide.
The key here is TRUST – trust that the electronic system is honestly run and secure. From what I have known about Gale and his predecessor Chapman they are ‘bean counters’ and will give as honest a count as they can.
We can all agree that voter turnout needs to be improved. We all know that when X% of the voters approve something that is really X% of some very small percentage that actually turned out.
What I hear most from people who don’t vote is that they don’t know enough about the issues (which I think is there fault) or that they feel their vote does not matter in Kansas (and I’ve heard this from members of both parties).
A lottery will without question bring more people to the polls. But I agree that we then have many people voting with no idea about the candidates or issues just to have a chance at winning. I can see candidates and those supporting/opposing and issue focusing on telling people they could win $1 million, just go to the polls and vote in for (fill in the blank) instead of telling them where they stand on issues, why an issue is important, etc.
If we really want to increase voter turn out (and make it meaningful) we need to look into weekend voting, multi-day voting, and reform of the electoral college. These are only examples and I don’t know for sure that I’d ultimatly end up supporting them but I think they are worth looking at.
Thank you Mr. X for getting back on point.
Considering the type of elected officials we’ve been getting lately, do we REALLY want more people voting?I’ve always liked William Buckley’s proposal to make Americans take a current events test before being allowed in the voting booth.
JR, Rush wasn’t around when I learned right from left, er…I mean right from wrong. Question is, what’s wrong with facts, figures and perspectives? Oh, I forgot, the truth is not a liberal value.
RD, Kennedy backed up his stats how? Because he said so?
1. Name YOUR governor2. Name YOUR representative.3. Name one of your Senators4. Name the President5. Name the Vice President.
If you can’t answer those you have no business voting.
Although it’s a waste of time to post this for you, ID, I’ll do it anyway.
By the way, have you been living in a cave? Is bin Laden with you?
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen/1
RD,
LOL. Ya know, I can see ID and Osama as being ideologically similar like-minded cave-mates.
Buckley?Hell, Bill-O is just a copy of him, without the ivy-league accent.
Interesting idea, actually. I was going to vote anyway, but if AZ wants to give me a monetary incentive, too, why the hell not? Might encourage participation.
Hey, heard about THIS lottery? :)http://www.theonion.com/content/node/50640
P.S. Nice, scary article, RD, though unsurprising to me. One has to reject Kennedy’s conclusions AND his factual links to discount it!
All in a day’s work for some. . .
It’s possible that Clinton had more dignity with his pants down.
Wrong thread–and no time to bother (why did I do that?).
No, Tracy… Buckley has a BRAIN.
Just what I want…
A bunch of people who are voting to get lucky enough to win some money.
As if those that vote are not informed enough as it is.
Why not spend the money on educating people on the importance of getting involved in the voting process?
What about the schools? We have enough time and resources to teach every child how to put a condom on properly, but not enough to instill some sort of civic responsibility?
They used to teach civics in most schools, but those uppity hippies started applying their knowledge. . .
More seriously, for fiscal reasons I actually agree with Nathan.
Did you know that polled, 85% of Democrats think that George W. Bush was responsible for 9/11. That 90% believe that the election of 2000 and 2004 were complete frauds, stolen elections in a vast conspiracy done by Bush and Karl Rove.
Another poll of Democrats showed that 98% believe the Iraq War is for oil and to enrich Haliburton.
I can go on and on! Most Democrats believe in complete BS!
DING DIND DING Here we go again with that RING!Joe, What orfice did you pull this “data” from?
Actually Joe,
In one form or degree or other, I believe all those things.
But gster is correct. You are engaging in intellectual dishonesty. There are qualifications and degrees of agreement with what you assert. And you have no source other than your own words.
But hey if you can go on, be my guest. Gster can ring the bell and I’ll just sit here and laugh.
I like ya Joe, you’re silly!
If ya stop and think about it…. 9/11 DID happen on Bush’s watch. I don’t remember anything like that happening on Clinton’s watch. Oh sure, the WTC got attacked, but as I recall, not many people died and the perps are in prison now. But while President Protector was in charge, the bad guys brought down the towers and killed about 3,000 people. Lemesee, how many people have we caught that were involved in 9/11? Hell, dumbass Bush couldn’t even attack the right country over that one.Only 90% of Democrats think the 2000 election was a fraud? We need to wake up the other 10%!Yep, by hook or crook, Republicans won the election. Look what ya got. President dumbass. How’s that workin out? We got 2 wars we can’t finish and the Middle East is crumbling around us. The place is going up in flames and our Army is right in the middle of it. This is some kind of plan? What if you silly-assed Republicans have brought us to End-Times and God’s not ready yet? You’re gonna look pretty stupid. Oops, too late, you already look stupid.”Another poll of Democrats showed that 98% believe the Iraq War is for oil and to enrich Haliburton.”So what’s yer point, ding-a-ling boy?
“Principles? What principles do you mean?”
Fair enough JR, I’ll try to explain.
I meant those factors that outweigh dollars and cents. Principles, like freedom and self reliance instead of relying on a nanny government. Principles like respect and protection for the unborn. Principles such as recognition of the existance of absolute right and wrong and good and evil determined not by the pathetic and corrupt self interest of this world, but by the standards of one who is timeless and eternal.
Those are the principles I meant JR.
Well outie I think I already deconstructed most of that upthread but I do wish to be thorough.
“Principles like freedom and self reliance instead of relying on a nanny government”
Translation: He who has the gold makes the rules! If you are hurting it is your fault!
“Princilples like respect and protection for the unborn” Oh you righties got that in spades Outie. Your concern for the “unborn” extends even to protecting blastocysts on ice their right to be discarded instead of being used to heal the sick and ease pain. Your record on the BORN is clouded in many other ways as well. Seems you guys are all for babies! Yup right up until they need to eat!
“Principles such as recognition of the existance of absolute right and wrong and good and evil determined not by the pathetic and corrupt self interest of this world, but by the standards of one who is timeless and eternal.
Well outie I live in this world. I concern myself with the care and feeding of THIS world. See us Liberals have to do that because God is strangely absent in such matters. While such as you seem to have some special knowledge of what “God” says, it also affords you the special dispensation of always being right while God remains silent. Thus YOU get to determine “absolute right and wrong” and at least ATTEMPT to use it to control others.
Yeah Outie. I get your “principles” real well.
JR,
You and your friend KFG have been pounding on poor ole outlander for quite a while now on this here thread.
The poor old boy seems to be nearly bludgoened unto death. Surely you and your friends can quit beating up that poor fool. It is painful to watch his pathetic ass being kicked so hard and thoroughly.
Outlander is only trying to stand up for the poor and disposed of our country. Can’t you see that??!!
Outie has no interest whatsoever in the conservative rightest republican agenda. Not him, no way. He is a good Khristian man… I thinks anyways.
So, please quit pounding on his stupid pathetic ass. It is getting embarassing to watch. Not so much for you, but for him.
BlogMom…
Jr: You are so confused. Because we believe in principles, including absolute right and wrong we are directed to help our fellow man and to do the socially responsible things in this life. I don’t know what your motivations are.
Blogmom, and your contribution to this discussion is….? That’s what I thought.
I think one way to encourage voter turnout is to make it so that if the person you REALLY want to vote for is in a third party, you can still make your vote count. There are many multi-party voting systems in use all over the world.
Of course, the main opposition comes from the ‘two’ parties in power, who don’t want to lose that grip.
When was the last time you actually felt like anyone in the government, on any level, actually represented your views?
Cheers.