The fewer people that vote, the better?

[Nakura Chambers]

At my college there were people collecting signatures to "get out the vote" and to support a petition to extend early voting rights. When asked if I would like to help them out, I told them "the fewer people that vote, the better," and then I walked off. I can't say that I was joking either, not at all, I think that the last thing this country needs is even more ignorant people voting.

I can't help but sense that this might come across as somewhat elitist, but I'd much prefer it if only the most informed and educated people make decisions for this country. Wouldn't you agree that there is a lot of truth in that statement?

[Stir]

At my college there were people collecting signatures to "get out the vote" and to support a petition to extend early voting rights. When asked if I would like to help them out, I told them "the fewer people that vote, the better," and then I walked off. I can't say that I was joking either, not at all, I think that the last thing this country needs is even more ignorant people voting.

I can't help but sense that this might come across as somewhat elitist, but I'd much prefer it if only the most informed and educated people make decisions for this country. Wouldn't you agree that there is a lot of truth in that statement?

All people, be they informed and well-educated or not, will vote for what they believe is best.
And what they believe is best is usually best for themselves.

Which means that, by your suggestion, the uneducated and uninformed, who also happen to be the poor, will have no protection from exploitation.

Ancient Greece tried this. Didn't work well for... nearly everyone.

[Joathen]

Holy shit- I called it being a Nakura Chambers thread.

Alright, I'll bite and shoot down your whole point with one minor albeit dismantling one:

"Who decides the qualifications to be considered informed and educated?"

High School Graduates? College? Degree-Holding? None of those are remotely close to being valid indicators of intelligence or understanding.

[Nakura Chambers]

Holy shit- I called it being a Nakura Chambers thread.

Alright, I'll bite and shoot down your whole point with one minor albeit dismantling one:

"Who decides the qualifications to be considered informed and educated?"

High School Graduates? College? Degree-Holding? None of those are remotely close to being valid indicators of intelligence or understanding.

I never said they should be banned from voting, only that we shouldn't encourage them to vote. By all means, it is their right to vote in this country, but encouraging random people on the streets to exercise that vote is just foolhardy.

[Kalis]

At my college there were people collecting signatures to "get out the vote" and to support a petition to extend early voting rights. When asked if I would like to help them out, I told them "the fewer people that vote, the better," and then I walked off. I can't say that I was joking either, not at all, I think that the last thing this country needs is even more ignorant people voting.

I can't help but sense that this might come across as somewhat elitist, but I'd much prefer it if only the most informed and educated people make decisions for this country. Wouldn't you agree that there is a lot of truth in that statement?

I think it was nice of them to ask the janitor to join in school activities, and not just take you for granted.

[Hraklea]

Wouldn't you agree that there is a lot of truth in that statement?

I'd like to erradicate ignorance rather than not allowing the ignorants to vote.

[Sylreick]

The fewer people that vote, the faster it ceases to be a democracy.

[Naxere]

I'd like to erradicate ignorance rather than not allowing the ignorants to vote.

This. I'd rather have an informed populace than blocking the ignorant from voting. Not sure I'd want to go as far as mandatory voting like some countries though.

[Nakura Chambers]

I'd like to erradicate ignorance rather than not allowing the ignorants to vote.

As would I, but that's a gradual process. Also, I never said I wouldn't allow ignorant people to vote.

[Gheld]

The issue is that most people who do get involved wait until it reaches the vote.

But the democratic process begins long before that in the candidate selection process. The only people who actively and consistently participate in candidate selection are vocal special interest minorities and people with lots of money.

As a result all of the candidates are either in support of 100% state controlled communism or 100% crony capitalism wherein, either way, everybody is supposed to be a happy little meat robot that doesn't ask questions.

If the majority of the populace participated in candidate selection, the candidates, regardless of political party, would all be running on relatively centrist and pragmatic campaigns and it wouldn't matter how many people actually showed up to vote, because you'd have already directed policy via the candidate selection process and the election would just be a formality, a matter of choosing a face for said policy.

But people just show up in scattered gaggles to cast a worthless vote for a bunch of candidates that barely speak to their actual values.

[owbu]

so you think more people near a college voting will decrease the overall percentage of informed voters?

[Aurabolt]

In short: No, there's no "truth" in what you describe at all.

"Who decides the qualifications to be considered informed and educated?" .

/Thread.

I was going to paraphrase Jor'El, who says something alone the same lines to Zod in Man of Steel.

While you would ideally want people to make a well-informed decision, the reality is of course this RARELY happens in a Representational Democracy like the United States of America. That said, I would prefer this to what everyone in Washington prettymuch wants, which would be to do all the decision-making without bringing the general public to the table.

Also, it's been historically PROVEN and CONTINUES to be proven today that "Well-Educated" and "Well-informed" doesn't mean fair. I don't want to give any specific examples I know becuase that would derail this thread but I will say this: Some of the worst violations of human rights in recent years was done by people, countries, companies and etc. who had nothing but good intentions in mind.

[Hraklea]

As would I, but that's a gradual process.

I understand. I'm kinda against governments, so I'm not sure how useful I'm going to be to this thread.

Some of the worst violations of human rights in recent years was done by people, countries, companies and etc. who had nothing but good intentions in mind.

100% agreed.

[Deleted]

I'd much prefer it if only the most informed and educated people make decisions for this country.

What qualifies one as "most informed and educated"?

I mean, a religious person and an atheist generally have quite varied views on what "informed" is.

[BLCalliente]

I don't want to give any specific examples I know becuase that would derail this thread but I will say this: Some of the worst violations of human rights in recent years was done by people, countries, companies and etc. who had nothing but good intentions in mind.

"Hey guys, take my assertion as fact but don't ask me to back it up at all please"

[Stir]

As would I, but that's a gradual process. Also, I never said I wouldn't allow ignorant people to vote.

The problem is: If you don't at least attempt to convince them that it's a good thing to vote, they won't vote. Which means that only the higher classes will vote. And people will still vote for themselves first and foremost. Which means that poor people still have no defense, and they will become more ignorant as education becomes more and more 'only for the elite.'

[Joathen]

But yeah, those "Go out and vote!" folks should change their tune to something more along the lines of "Go home, extensively research the topics and then vote for as many elections at all levels of government as you can!" Because some of the laws that effect people most come from City/County/State level, the Presidential isn't the only one that matters, shit your vote could be worth nothing if the electoral in your state misrepresents anyhow.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

The problem with the assumption that fewer voters = better is that you assume the few who do vote are not also ignorant.

[Rukentuts]

What qualifies one as "most informed and educated"?

I mean, a religious person and an atheist generally have quite varied views on what "informed" is.

I'll leave this here. But conservatives should never argue that voter ignorance is a problem.

[Joathen]

Lol, Daily Show at number two...