IT'S ELECTION TIME PEOPLE!!
First off I would like to say that I am a registered independent, and have a bachelor's degree in Political Science. I served 8 years in the Navy and am a proud American. I think it is every one's civic duty to CAST AN INFORMED VOTE! Any vote that is not informed is a waste of a vote, and it is the individuals responsibility to get informed.
As we all know, there are two main candidates; Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. I know there will be more on the ballot but honestly, a vote for Ron Paul is a wasted vote. Some people may disagree, "you should vote for the person that holds your values!". Well to them I say, "Don't be foolish!" Ron Paul is a good candidate, but he lost the Republican primary and shouldn't be on the ballot nor should you write him in. I know our system is not necessarily fair, but it is the only system we have and to maintain the integrity one should understand that.
Lets talk about the polling, the polling has been all over the place this election season. Most of the mainstream media polling would have you believe that the President is ahead in almost every poll.
But, you need to know the sample of people they are taking. Most polling places look at how the electorate voted last presidential election cycle. So, they take those demographics and assume that is how people will approach the new election. For example, in 2008 around 10% more democrats voted than republicans. Many of the polls believe that will be the case this year, I don't agree but who is to say. Now, these polls also break down the demographic; Race, Age, Party affiliation, Income level, Education level, etc. Once again they assume the same breakdown of voters will vote. History tells us that is not always the case. We all know the HISTORIC proportions of the 2008 election. Many people believe that turn out like that will not happen again. There were huge numbers of first-time voters, many of which may not have updated their voter registation data and may not vote this time.
(on a side note, if you move to a new address you must update your voter registration with the board of elections, just because you get a new driver's license doesn't mean your voter address has changed)
So I would say that alot of these polls are skewed to those numbers. Some people think that the polls are so biased that they don't reflect reality, I tend to agree with that line of thinking. A group of people have taken these polls and "unskewed" them http://unskewedpolls.com/. The results are about what I think is going to happen. But, we wont know until election day! If you are a Romney supporter don't get too excited and if you are an Obama supporter don't start to worry just yet.
Voting has been a right preserved by men and women laying down their life for the freedom and rights we hold so true. Just remember that an uniformed vote could have you looking like a fool!!
This Message Paid for by Christopher Todd
Good Job! Technology has definetly changed the face of politics as well. Many of the politcal commercials created today are used using actors and actresses who did still shots for a friend or company. Many of them are now finding them selves on these commericals as the face of some stance or opinion they had no idea they even stood for. I won't even get in to the amount of politics discussed on social networking sites and does listening to any of this make us an informed voter; I didn't think so.
ReplyDeleteDIG2000, Cindi Davis
Intesting perspective. I wonder if you would consider me an "informed" voter all my information was gathered via the republican mass media, or am I an "informed" voter if I get my information from the democratice mass media, but wait, I actually prefer being "informed" via twitter...because everything published on there is helpful and makes for me to be an "informed" voter. Information is only as good as the research and the researcher...it is quite human to seek information to validate our own beliefs.
DeleteAnd I disagree that someone shouldn't vote for Ron Paul or the candidate of their choice. That's taking away the individuals freedom that we so valiantly fight for.
DIG2000, Sunny Notimoh
When I mean "shouldn't" he is not on the ballot because he lost the primary, so theoretically you could vote for him but it contradicts the primary process. YOu can vote for anyone, but the power of that vote is deminished by the process of the 2 top parties. And inform, you should get info from both sides. Not the media but the candidates websites, and not the info that the candidate is bashing the other but rather the candidates policies and idology. The media is not to be trusted, they are in the bag for one of the candidates more so this year than any other.
ReplyDeleteChris Todd
Dig2k