Relying on the media or the party for accurate information about candidates is folly. Since we don't have anything close to "fair and balanced coverage," or the European luxury of a horde of niche parties representing every view under the sun, Americans face the disadvantage of having to look at each candidate's record individually. This isn't too difficult; candidates for office (other than for the lowest local positions) usually have previous political experience. It is just a matter of exhuming their voting records and their public utterances. Fortunately there are many groups do this research and publish voting guides. Examples of these are the John Birch Society, the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, the National Rifle Association, trade unions, and professional associations. Many of these organizations also survey the candidates to determine their positions on other matters.
While it may be time consuming to identify the organizations that best represent your views and then read their published voting guides, there's no excuse to go to the polls uninformed. Even still, many of the small percentage who exercise their franchise walk into the poll with only a vague understanding of the positions of the major candidates and not a clue about the positions of the minor candidates. They may have seen a negative campaign ad or two on the TV, but more often than not, they don't even recognize the candidates' names on the ballot. They're left with the choices of picking by party label, picking "incumbent vs. challenger," or leaving them blank. This is the sad reality of our political system. Interview a hundred Americans and 99 could probably name the President. Less than half could name their Senators or Representatives in the Federal Legislature. The numbers drop sharply at the State Government level. What percentage of the electorate can name their State Senators and Representatives? What about County Commissioners? How about their City Councilmen; or School Board Members, or Sherif, or Dog Catcher? These ignorant people are the "Swing Votes" that candidates in tight races covet. If a campaign can even build name recognition, then the candidate will probably win. So until Americans step up and take responsibility, they're going to suffer under bad leadership. To paraphrase Joseph de Maistre, Americans have exactly the government they deserve. -----Original Message----- From: murdoch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 11:05 PM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [biofuel] Never read a bigger pile of horse manure in my life... In addition to what you're saying, one pet peeve of my own is the coverage of the coverage. I wouldn't mind seeing a breakdown of how much media coverage is of: A) Candidates' views as to what the issues are and what their views are on them. B) Candidates' supposed electability. C) Candidates' views as to other matters such as the coverage of them, the coverage of their peers, etc. etc. Very little of an election appears to be, in my view, coverage of the Job Candidates and what they think the could do to do the job better. Often much fo the coverage is of the press or gosh-knows what. I don't think it's irrelevant to cover the totality of things, the views of the man-on-the-street, but at some point the focus should be squarely on the business at hand. Often the coverage is of who is leading, which plays into your point. I don't want to know so badly who is "leading" as much as who *I* am going to vote for. *I* determine who will be the leader on my ballot... that's how I see it anyway. On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 13:38:33 -0500, you wrote: >No Bryan, > >What I am implying and abhore is the concept of categorizing and typifying >voters to the point of "wonder of wonders" that there is no point in anyone >even going to the polls as, of course, the pundents already know who's going >to obtain whatever margin already. It's a degrading, destructive and >manipulative practice used in an attempt to "herd" the electorate into >prescribed beliefs rather than leaving the gate open and encouraging them to >follow their own judgement. > >That's primarily what I object to, as it completely discounts the full >bredth, width and depth of human decision making. > >Thus I stick to the fact that every vote has the capacity to win or lose an >election, making either all votes potential "swing votes," which completely >negates the "crystal ball prediction practices" used by pundents at large. > >All you have to do is take a look at Florida 2000. Who were the "swing >voters" there? The ones that voted for Nader? The ones that didn't get to >vote at all? Those that chose not to vote? Or those who did vote? > >It was and always is the totality of votes that place the pendulum in it's >particular resting spot when the polls close. > >No one should have any use for the sound bite vernacular of self-prescribed >pundents. > >Todd Swearingen > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Bryan Brah" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> >Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 10:26 AM >Subject: RE: [biofuel] Never read a bigger pile of horse manure in my >life... > > >> Todd, >> >> >> >> How can you say that there is no such thing as swing voters? You're >> implying that EVERY voter actually considers the issues and candidates >> and makes an informed choice. The truth of the matter is that many >> people still vote on party lines, though that number is decreasing. >> It's true that no single group determines the outcome of an election; >> but candidates have a fairly good idea of who their supporters and >> opposition are before they enter a race. That said, campaigns don't >> generally waste resources courting the die-hard supporters, likewise >> they don't bother trying to sway the violent opposition. What they do >> is concentrate on those demographics and districts that could go either >> way. While this group may change for each race, it is definitely a >> "Swing Vote." >> >> >> >> -BRAH >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Appal Energy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 11:36 PM >> To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com >> Subject: [biofuel] Never read a bigger pile of horse manure in my >> life... >> >> >> >> Yahhh....horse manure is definitely related to biofuels..... >> >> When are the pundents going to realize that every voter is a "swing >> voter," >> that there is no single constituency that determines one outcome or >> another - that from start to finish it's precious little more >> predictable >> than what shirt will end up on top when the dryer stops... >> >> (Of course it's considerably more predictable what shirt ends up where >> if >> everything is line dried.....dohhhhh!!!!!) >> >> http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8904 >> >> >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor >> >> ADVERTISEMENT >> click here >> <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=194081.3897168.5135684.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705 >> 083269:HM/A=1706996/R=0/SIG=11p5b9ris/*http:/www.ediets.com/start.cfm?co >> de=30509&media=atkins> >> >> >> <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=194081.3897168.5135684.1261774/D=egrou >> pmail/S=:HM/A=1706996/rand=919403804> >> >> >> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >> http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >> >> Biofuels list archives: >> http://archive.nnytech.net/ >> >> Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. >> To unsubscribe, send an email to: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service >> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> >> >> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >> http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >> >> Biofuels list archives: >> http://archive.nnytech.net/ >> >> Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. >> To unsubscribe, send an email to: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ >> >> >> > > > >Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > >Biofuels list archives: >http://archive.nnytech.net/ > >Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. >To unsubscribe, send an email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT click here <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=194081.3897168.5135684.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705 083269:HM/A=1732161/R=0/SIG=11p5b9ris/*http:/www.ediets.com/start.cfm?co de=30509&media=atkins> <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=194081.3897168.5135684.1261774/D=egrou pmail/S=:HM/A=1732161/rand=938058708> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Remanufactured Ink Cartridges & Refill Kits at MyInks.com for: HP $8-20. Epson $3-9, Canon $5-15, Lexmark $4-17. 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