I heard an interesting argument lately. No matter how much we work to get out the vote, it won’t matter, because Republicans will win anyway, due to rigged voting machines. Therefore, why should we even bother to vote. It is true that in areas when Republicans control vote counting or voting machines with no paper trail, we can expect a discrepancy between raw exit data and official vote counts of 3% to 5%, always favoring Republican candidates. No such discrepancy exists in areas that Democrats control. This is probably because Democrats believe in the integrity of the electoral process, while Republicans do not. We should never stop fighting to ensure an honest vote count, but the notion that we should disenfranchise ourselves because of Republican election crime is pure stupidity. Here is the cost of stupidity.
Staying home on Election Day carries a heavy cost.
In Ferguson, Mo., where only 12 percent of voters showed up in the last city election, the cost of nonparticipation was a City Council wholly unrepresentative of the town’s population. On the national level, Democrats and independents — most of whom did not vote in the 2010 midterm Congressional elections — were swamped by Republicans who voted in much larger proportions. The result was a Republican House dominated by the hard right, which over four years became the largest impediment to economic growth and equality. The same thing has happened in many statewide elections.
It’s now seven weeks from the midterms. Will voters realize that decisions made on Nov. 4 will reverberate in laws not passed, roads not built and jobs not created?
The biggest prize at stake in November is the Senate, where Democrats are in serious danger of losing control to a Republican Party determined to roll back much of the social progress of the last six years, and to block as many of President Obama’s judicial appointments as possible. There is little chance that Democrats will win back the House this year, in part because of Republican redistricting, but many statehouses and governorships that control districting and voting regulations are also in the balance.
All of that makes it imperative that the demographic groups that turned out in relatively large numbers during the last two presidential elections show up at the polls this year. According to Catalist, a data analysis company, the groups with the biggest declines in turnout between 2008 and 2010 were voters younger than 30, down nearly 35 percentage points; black and Hispanic voters, down 27 points each; and single women, down 26 points. Those groups have historically been the most resistant to the right’s message of lower taxes, sharply reduced spending on social programs and job creation, and tighter restrictions on women’s reproductive rights… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
Click through for much more detail on the cost of stupidity.
Give up? NEVER! The more criminal practices Republicans use to steal elections, the harder we must work to overcome it.
Get out the VOTE!!
23 Responses to “The Cost of Stupidity”
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It's time to Rock the Vote, people!
Amen!
Can't emphasize it enough: GOTV!
Since I'm in KCMO and we have no major elections this year, I'm going to look into possibly driving folks to the polls in Kansas to see if we can get Orman (I) elected over Sen. Pat "No-really-I-DO-live-in-Kansas-even-though-I-only-sleep-in-a-friend's-recliner-Surely-that-counts" Robers (R-We're-Not-in-Kansas-Anymore). Since it's right next door, it would be an easy trip – but I don't know how he's setup for volunteers.
Taking MO voters there to vote sounds like a Republican thing. 😉
I might just comment that voting for a third party candidate is often as bad as not voting. This does NOT apply to the Kansas Senate race, of course – one needs to have common sense. (And kudos to you, Nameless, for your thoughts.) Sometimes it's not easy to grasp how important all elections are, even little ones – but if I say that the Kochs have been putting more and more of their focus into State legislative bodies, and county and municipal offices are sure to be next, perhaps my concern will be seen.
Say it loud – say it proud –
GET OUT THE VOTE!
When a third party candidate does not have a better chance of being elected than the Democrat, voting thrid party is every bit as much disenfranchising yourself as not voting.
God bless all of you working to get out the vote!
Right On, Pat!
OMG! A faux news parrot commentator… lol.
I trust you must be talking about AB.
Yes, I was referring to “AB’s” three (3) uneducated and ludicrous comments. “AB” made me laugh!
I would have actually allowed his tripe to remain has he posted under an authentic email address, but Republican trolls are almost always too cowardly to do that.
Okay, AB – your Mom wants to use the computer now … so come up out of the basement. And wipe your Cheetos smudges off the keyboard first!
I'm not sure how AB's comments got through unmoderated, but I deleted his three comments, because he was using a bogus email address. Like most Repubican trolls, he lacked the integrity to comment inder a valid identity.,
I feel no matter what we should never give up the right to vote. The republican/tea party has and will continue to try and steal the votes away from everyone but it should not be a reason to cave in and let them take it . Besides all the polls and propaganda telling us that they have all ready won is just that. Hot air. Remember 2012 when Romney thought he was winning? The polls were wrong then. Yes it would be our stupidity if we let them win.
100% agree!
I voted in my first election at the age of 18, and have not missed an election since. I encourage everyone I know to vote, it is a right and a privelege that not everyone has. If more people had voted, Dubya might not have been able to steal the election in 2000.
…and if fools had not voted for Nader.
Like Edie, I have voted in every election here, except one when I was so sick I couldn't even open my eyes!
If any Americans are thinking about voting 3rd party, please look to Canada to see what happens! We have the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party (those are the main 3), the Green Party and The Bloc Québec Party in Québec. Between Conservative antics including robocalls and a 39.6% popular vote, we ended up with Harper and his Harlots, Canadian Republicanus/Teabaggers for a 4 year majority government.
The USPS is talking about reducing the number of delivery days. Harper has mandated shutting down completely door-to-door postal service which will be bad for seniors, the disabled etc. I spoke to my mailman today and said I was signing petitions etc to keep postal delivery and their jobs. If you could help us, that would be great! Here's a link to the Change.org petition http://www.change.org/p/don-t-let-canada-post-end-door-to-door-delivery
If this comes through with my name on it, just click "Not You" beside my name. If you need a Canadian postal code, you can use A1A 1A1, or V1V 1V1 or M1M 1M1 (that's Maritimes, BC, and Toronto area).
Many Canadians agree, can't come soon enough. Don't put yourselves in our place for the sake of voting 3rd party. This short prayer (and common sense for those not religiously inclined) sure speaks volumes.
God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. — Reinhold Niebuhr
I wonder, in both of our countries, is it time for mandatory voting regulations similar to Australia?
That is worth consideration. Of course the Republicanus/Teabaggers, especially the Libertarians among them, would have a hissy fit over that one.
I cleaned up yout link.
I think not. People eho choose not to vote do not deserve a voice.
I am in favor of mandatory, compulsory laws requiring that all citizens vote.
There are many countries around the world which do have mandatory, compulsory voting laws.
It may be somewhat similar to the laws of having an ID card, just like you are required to have a drivers license and proof of insurance.
http://www.idea.int/vt/compulsory_voting.cfm
SDee my reply to Lynn.