Vote for Your President, er... Your Idol
I used to think that a voting system in America that would make it easier for people to vote would mean that a greater percentage of citizens would vote. I leaned toward ideas like being able to vote using your home or work computer, perhaps entering one's SSN as an identifier to prevent one person from voting twice. I also thought that giving people the day off on Election Day as on national holidays .... well, we do have something to celebrate on Election Day, don't we? ... or even half a day off, might work to get the voters out.
However I have changed my mind. It's not because I've read that the number of votes cast for American Idol contestants greatly outnumbers the votes ever cast for president, as it's well-known that some fans cast multiple votes. That is easy to do when you're seated comfortably at home and the telephone is at hand. It's not like getting out of the house a few minutes early on Election Day and driving out of your way to the polling site. And some employers excuse some lateness of employees who like to vote early.
If they want to, the government can go ahead and make it easier to vote, as long as the system they choose is technically sound and the voting officials are not corrupt. But it doesn't matter if the weather is bad on Election Day or you're elderly or infirm, because political party workers in your community will have contacted you and inquired whether you need a ride to the polling site. And they won't ask you which party you are for as they just want you to vote.
No, because I think that people who want to vote will vote, even if it is in some way inconvenient for them. Even if they are not happy with any of the principal candidates, they will vote because they can. But I cannot understand why some people boast that they have never voted in any national or local election, even some who are well above the age when they have a right to vote.
I've read that so many people vote for American Idol contestants, because Americans want to have their "say" and make their opinions heard. If they have no opinions at all about candidates or political issues perhaps it is better that they don't vote.
Below are some links providing varying slants on the subject of this post:
Change laws to allow voting from home?
http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2006/06/05/243900-our-president-is-not-an-american-idol-or-how-voting-killed-the-political-star
American Idol parodies American Elections?
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=6843
Technology and Voting; Corruption and Winning
http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/vote_machines_what_will_count_your_vote.htm
However I have changed my mind. It's not because I've read that the number of votes cast for American Idol contestants greatly outnumbers the votes ever cast for president, as it's well-known that some fans cast multiple votes. That is easy to do when you're seated comfortably at home and the telephone is at hand. It's not like getting out of the house a few minutes early on Election Day and driving out of your way to the polling site. And some employers excuse some lateness of employees who like to vote early.
If they want to, the government can go ahead and make it easier to vote, as long as the system they choose is technically sound and the voting officials are not corrupt. But it doesn't matter if the weather is bad on Election Day or you're elderly or infirm, because political party workers in your community will have contacted you and inquired whether you need a ride to the polling site. And they won't ask you which party you are for as they just want you to vote.
No, because I think that people who want to vote will vote, even if it is in some way inconvenient for them. Even if they are not happy with any of the principal candidates, they will vote because they can. But I cannot understand why some people boast that they have never voted in any national or local election, even some who are well above the age when they have a right to vote.
I've read that so many people vote for American Idol contestants, because Americans want to have their "say" and make their opinions heard. If they have no opinions at all about candidates or political issues perhaps it is better that they don't vote.
Below are some links providing varying slants on the subject of this post:
Change laws to allow voting from home?
http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2006/06/05/243900-our-president-is-not-an-american-idol-or-how-voting-killed-the-political-star
American Idol parodies American Elections?
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=6843
Technology and Voting; Corruption and Winning
http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/vote_machines_what_will_count_your_vote.htm
Labels: American Elections, American Idol, Political Satire, Voting
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