Comments on: Voters Are Stupid

By: Cynical In CA

Cynical In CA — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:17:34 +0000

“Voting by checking a box or voting by influencing public opinion is still voting.”

I respect someone who can outsnarky me. That was one amazingly snarky post.

As to the point quoted above, there is nonviolent voting and violent voting. An example of nonviolent voting is responding to one of those ridiculous CNN polls they post on their website. Influencing public opinion, i.e. persuasion, is not violent. Voting in a political election is violent because it sanctions the existence of government and state, which is defined as an entity with a monopoly on force in a given geographic area.

When one votes in a political election, one is stating one’s preference as to which way the guns are turned. Ironically, it is always and forever at oneself. That is the essence of stupidity.

To conflate persuasion with voting, however, renders all speech violent. I can’t imagine human existence without speech, although I find myself longing for just such a condition at times, usually when engaging in debate with voters.

By: Cynical In CA

Cynical In CA — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:11:40 +0000

“You have to admit that Americans have exactly the kind of politicians they deserve.”

I admit it only if the premise is granted that voting is immoral (on which I am non-negotiable). Then it would follow that immoral people deserve immoral slavedrivers.

I am an American. I do not vote. How could I possibly deserve any slavedriver?

By: Blueskyboris

Blueskyboris — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:35:53 +0000

LOL, there are a lot of stupid people in this thread. Voting by checking a box or voting by influencing public opinion is still voting. You may think that you are not voting, but you are…. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be fucking wasting your time on this blog..

By: Fascist Nation

Fascist Nation — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:08:40 +0000

Well yes, people who vote are stupid. But they were bred in a cage of government education and corporate TV. So it is hard for them to contemplate that voting is immoral in concept and rigged in practice.

By: cliff

cliff — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:53:40 +0000

I work in an elections department and I can draw from a bottomless pool of first-hand stupid voter anecdotes that would chill anyone’s bones.

It’s actually pretty disheartening sometimes.

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:30:20 +0000

Never mind. Got confused about Don Young — the other corrupt pol in Alaska. Hard to keep track now a days.

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:11:33 +0000

This was the Republican primary.
The thought is Stevens will be much easier for the Dem (Berkowitz) to beat in the November election. So, a win for Stevens was “a good thing” from the Dem point of view.
Isn’t politics great.
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/alaska-lt-governor-sean-parnell-concedes/

By: Durkin

Durkin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:52:35 +0000

Voters are stupid…and in other breaking news it’s been learned that squirrels like nuts. Not making fun on RB’s statement, but you have to admit that Americans have exactly the kind of politicians they deserve. No matter what the misdeed, voters line up like Oliver Twist and ask “Please, sir, I want some more.”

You can see the same thing with John “Original Maverick” McCain. Fail = Republicans last 8 years. McCain = Republicans. Oh, let’s put McCain in office! As the rest of the world goes “Huh?”

To be clear, the Dem side of the coin will just have different corruption and wild-ass spending. With a few exceptions, you tend to get what you deserve in life.

But by NO MEANS would I ever mean that ANYONE should consider US Foreign Policy in any way contributed (or provoked) 9/11. No. THAT would be silly…and un-American…and get you put on a list only read by men in dark suits and sunglasses.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:25:33 +0000

Does the “voters are stupid” argument explain why we’re stuck with a choice between McCain and Obama?

By: J

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:31:22 +0000

Some people believe it would be better to have a corrupt Republican than a Communist er I mean Democrat in office. The problem is that there is no really good choice in the election.

By: Cynical In CA

Cynical In CA — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:00:39 +0000

Thanks very much Cappy, it came from the heart.

By: Cappy

Cappy — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:38:01 +0000

Cynical in CA, wish I could give that post about 8,000 thumbs up.

By: Stormy Dragon

Stormy Dragon — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:15:04 +0000

Voters don’t mind government corruption–they mind government corruption they’re not in on.

By: Blueskyboris

Blueskyboris — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:53:15 +0000

j.d. just called himself ignorant. That’s not surprising, considering this is a libertarian site.

By: Blueskyboris

Blueskyboris — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:49:59 +0000

At least Andrew Williams is honest. He knows that he is stupid.

By: akromper

akromper — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:42:01 +0000

Balko, hadn’t seen that poll. Tell me that isn’t true…:( Everyone I talked with is disgusted by the whole Veco scandal top down. Now our Palin picked AG is covering her butt while all questions regarding Email abuse, Troopergate and outright lies are being directed to the McCain/Palin campaign. Wtf? Our ALASKAN politics and mismgmt will now be media handled by the GOP? I’m really looking forward to her backspin loopy to kill her numbers. When this is all said and done, seriously, a WHOLE lot of people don’t want her back.

By: j.d.

j.d. — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:34:22 +0000

well they voted for Palin. It’s not suprising they’d vote for a MR. earmarks too.

I think stupid is too harsh a word for the vast majority of the voting public. Stupid implies that they cannot grasp the concepts presented to them. While I don’t have any serious evidence to back up my claim, I’m certain that self-education on serious political matters is possible for most people.

I think a better word is grossly ignorant: they don’t care, and they don’t care to know.

By: Phelps

Phelps — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:30:54 +0000

I’m guessing that no small part of it is a desire by Alaskans to punish the Ds for the onslaught against a massively popular governor. That they have to prop up the disgrace Stevens to do so is probably why Stevens isn’t running away with 60-80% of the vote.

By: troy

troy — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:30:30 +0000

Or Alaskans are corrupt.

By: Andrew Williams

Andrew Williams — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:30:07 +0000

“Voters are stupid”

And you’re JUST figuring this out NOW?????