Re: Ah Larry!

On 01 Dec 2003 21:29:48 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Totalswimm) wrote:

>>The political climate is so
>>poisoned (it is even reflected in a few replies found in this
>>newsgroup) that US citizens are becoming more and more alienated by
>>the political parties and politicians.
>
>That's part of the reason, but I tend to think it's that many people prefer
>light entertainment to real engagement. Most of the news media reports issues
>and positions in sound bites, because it's proven that's what consumers have an
>appetite for. Even the incivility in political discourse today is a form of
>entertainment. 

Real engagement is just driving down to the local school or whatever
to cast a vote for a responsible candidate. But who do you vote for?
Where do you get the information? From the news media! Of course you
can find responsible news sources here and there, but the majority is
big business with lopsided reporting to support a few select
individuals. From CNN to Fox and even the local news stations and
newspapers that report blubber you're only getting sound bites of
pseudoinformation, not necessarily because the people have an appetite
for it, but because it is the easiest way to support their shallow
candidates. 60% don't vote not just because they are lazy or aren't
informed (most have more idea of what is going on in the real world
that many politicians), but because they are fed up with the trash
they are being fed.

>
>And when so large a proportion of the populace have such a shallow
>understanding of the issues, they're less motivated to participate
>meaningfully.
>
>Then there's the sense, without meaningful campaign finance reform, that only
>major contributors have a real voice.
>
>And voter apathy may start on the local level, where it's hard to feel that the
>choices we are presented with are meaningful. In local elections, minor parties
>may get a significant proportion (say 20%) of the votes cast, but in the
>"winner-take-all" election system that 20% never end up with any voice. 

Unfortunately I've noticed a similar voter apathy here in Germany
where the 5% clause allows minority parties to win seats in
parliament. Since the Greens have been a minor partner in government,
many feel that they are turning into the same as the other established
parties. They are learning that governing is alot different than being
in the opposition. Sure there are still many "green" policies being
implemented, but it seems that all the other parties are jumping onto
the same bandwagon to secure votes. Now all the parties seem to be
tooting the same horn.

>
>In one tiny bright spot, the village of New Paltz NY, where I live, was the
>first in NY state to elect a Green Party slate to run the village, last spring.
>With only a tiny percentage of those eligible voting (600 voting in a
>population of 6000+), a motivated minority won. But in the countywide
>elections, the Greens could never get a voice so it's hard for their partisans
>to remain engaged. With proportional representation at the county level, I
>imagine a lot more people would be motivated to participate.

It's similar here in Freiburg. Last year a Green was elected mayor, a
first for a larger German city. But it doesn't matter what political
color you are, the problems all German communities are facing
momentarily are the same, a financial catastrophe with budget cuts
everywhere.

>
>And the weighted voting system that was used in the London mayoral elections a
>couple of years ago, seems to have gotten many more people feeling as if their
>vote mattered.
>Terry