| Ignorant Voting the Death of Democracy  [+ favourites]
During Presidential elections, fairly exclusively, people are bombarded by the notion that they need to be responsible citizens and get out and vote.
The problem is, people don't know what they are voting on or who they are voting for, and are not given the best means of going about the entire process, be it getting information or physically voting.
Since the known or understood beginings of Democracy it has been said that democracy will fail when the voters lack the necessary information, as well as the understanding of this information needed to make an informed decision.
Anyone who thinks that just getting everyone out to vote is going to change the state of our so called democracy is sadly mistaken. But that isstill the only point I hear being stressed.
In terms of what information is available to the general public and very importantly what sources we have for this information is a key issue.
T.V. has been long argued to be a harmful medium, rightfully or not, in terms of content and effects on the general activity levels, as well as the influence on actions and decisions of people since its inception.
I say this to point out the irony of TV's current importance.
This country is going to, once again, elect our next president primarily from what information they gather from T.V.
Regardless of pre-concieved notions and feelings about TV as a medium, there is no doubt that information provided by it is questionable to say the least, really no different than information from the mouth of any human.
Sensationalism, if it bleeds it leads, personal bias, as well as a competitive popular market reliant upon sponsors and the tempermental nature and tastes of the viewers, governmental cencorship and other possible influence, far more dictates what information we have available and how it is presented to us.
One other point about the levels of active voters in this country, I feel, can be helped if not solved by seriously revising the actual physical voting process.
I understand the need for security in the area of keeping votes legitamite, but we have problems with that already.
What I'm saying is that with the change in times and especially the physical growth of the nations and cities themselves, there need to be, and inevitably will be, changes to the process.
The one that comes to mind off hand is, if this country can vote on a new "American Idol" from home then I feel that we need to get on the ball to get this type of system in place for presedential elections and other voting situations, I have heard of some programs but I do not know of their current status of availability or use.
At one time that would be a suggestion that may imply laziness on the part of the voters, however, with the growth of cities and populations this is becoming more a necessity.
In another time it made more sense to have voting set up as it is now, due to security as well as available forms of travel and communication, however now, with more people, less space, and better communication mediums available, those points have shifted and it is time for a change, leaving security as the main issue, which as I stated is a problem anyway.
I make that point because it is one of the biggest issues affecting voter participation and turn-out. While another of course is the afore mentioned ability to make informed decisions on topics that are often not even able to be understood by the general public, if even accessible to them.
Why are these issues not more readily addressed by those so strongly pleading for people to vote, or the news, or somebody.
Please let me know if I am I mistaken or if you believe this to be a genuine and serious issue.
"The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge is Not Ignorance, It is the ILLUSION of Knowledge. Stephen Hawking"
[ Edited by Ironwood at
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dicey at best eh? 
( there mouth is open) 
