An Uninformed Vote Is Worse Than No Vote at All
An online preview of the upcoming segment on ABC's news show 20/20 takes an interesting look at potential voters who have a shocking ignorance of all things political.
Stossel brings up a point that I've always thought made a lot of sense. If you don't know what you're voting about, you really shouldn't be voting. I don't think there should be any legal way to take away someone's voting rights because they know nothing about the basics of the American political system. However, we should discourage people from voting if they are completely uninformed. And that's the reason I'm glad 100% of potential voters do not participate in any election cycle.
If you want to vote you should become informed about the candidates and the issues involved in the election campaign. If you're not willing to do that, why are you even voting? In essence, these voters are voting blind. And all that does is dilute the votes of those voters who actually cared enough to inform themselves before they voted.
I want to live in a country with universal suffrage. On the other hand, I don't want to live in a country governed by emotional and irrational mob rule. Authoritarianism can be seen in the rule of one man and it can be seen in the rule of millions.
(Hat Tip: Hot Air)
3 comments:
very true. we are living in a time now that shows much of the political ignorance in many people who put their so called faith in ''messiahs'' who are no better than the old boss.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, we dontget fooled again, NONO-the who song 1970's
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, we dontget fooled again, NONO-the who song 1970's :D:D:D
Certainly, it would be nice if only the well read voted in elections, but I doubt that will ever be the case. Isn't there a famous quote that goes something along the lines of 'in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve'. Well, I fear we've got it. Personally I'd expand on your idea and say I wish only competent people would become parents (thus at least partially addressing the ignorant voter problem) but that's -really- unenforceable. All we can do is to work in our sphere of influence to encourage people to educate themselves on the issues before they cast a vote. And to dissuade our incompetent friends from breeding :)
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