http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/research/published/probdecisive2.pdf
Would you get off the couch for that?
-christian *****************************'
Yeah, if you thought of yourself as part of a mass as opposed to an isolated individual. If one really wanted to register one's disapproval of major party politicians, one could vote for a minority party or write in "World Socialism".
I think the reason people don't vote *can* be pretty complex; but mostly it's just a case of alienation fueled by political ignorance (especially of intra ruling class policy conflict) and laziness. Those three forces have a tremendous inertia in the USA.
And, as I've pointed out before during the inevitable election cycle debates, if all those who weren't voting today, were required to vote (or be fined $50 as they are in Australia), you'd still get an overall vote for the continuation of the rule of Capital either by its liberal or conservative wing, just as you do in Australia. You just have to go to the pub or ride public transit to see that. Voting reflects the state of mass socialisation vis a vis political issues of the moment. I still think its amazing that Obama even got in last time. The current economic slump tipped him in, IMO; but it was also a victory achieved after decades and decades of anti-racist struggle. He'd never have made it to Prezzie the beloved 60s or before the here and now. Shows some advancement in consciousness has been made.
Mike B)
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