In Defense of Ill-Informed Voting
I just got back from voting. Judging from the 13 pages of options, I voted in roughly eight million different races mostly for and against people of whom I have never heard. In fact, I probably only had solid opinions about the gubanatorial race, the senate race and the house race (and my vote will neither help Al Green, nor hurt Kay Bailey Hutchinson both of whom will probably be re-elected by landslides).
It is scary how many people I know don't vote because they don't feel informed enough to vote as if one had to pass a Jim Crow style poll test in order to cast a ballot. Now I know they think they could vote but choose not too. You know, they might think, the people who took the time to really investigate this race should be the ones to vote.
Nothing is scarier then passively letting others decide on critical issues of governance just because they are more 'informed' or 'passionate.' The people who are most passionate are almost by default nutty. The people who want to ban the teaching of evolution? They know exactly who to vote for in local elections. Ditto the people who want to impose the death penalty on people who have abortions or unilaterally abandon all arms.
So how can I vote about people I know so little about? I voted almost entirely party line. Whenever I could I voted for a Democrat. Wherever I could I voted against a Republican. Despite barely restrained ideological differences I even voted libertarian in an insane number of races (often for judge where the only other candidate was a Republican).
Was it enough? Could I have voted for the wrong candidate? It's certainly possible. In theory there might be a Republican I would vote for over a Democrat. In a hypothetical matchup of Joe Lieberman (back before he was a Connecticut for Lieberman candidate) and Lincoln Chaffee, I might vote Linc. Maybe. But in the hundreds of elections I have paid close attention to I cannot remember ever voting for a Republican over a Democrat (I did vote for John McCain, but only in a Republican primary against George W. Bush).
Party ID may not tell me everything, but it tells me a lot. In Congressional races it tells me who the person is likely to vote for leadership posts. I may not know much about many local house races, but I feel comfortable I know the difference between Nancy Pelosi and Denny Hastert. I know a Democratic majority would investigate civil liberties.
Party affiliation is enough for me to feel comfortable voting, but even if it weren't, I would vote anyway. Even if I vote for the wrong person, my vote means that politicians know I am out there. My vote is in play. Having voted affirms that I'm more likely to vote in the future, so they will seek me out and attempt to persuade me. I matter.
So I say it with pride: I voted for (and against) a boatload people I don't know a god damn thing about.
It is scary how many people I know don't vote because they don't feel informed enough to vote as if one had to pass a Jim Crow style poll test in order to cast a ballot. Now I know they think they could vote but choose not too. You know, they might think, the people who took the time to really investigate this race should be the ones to vote.
Nothing is scarier then passively letting others decide on critical issues of governance just because they are more 'informed' or 'passionate.' The people who are most passionate are almost by default nutty. The people who want to ban the teaching of evolution? They know exactly who to vote for in local elections. Ditto the people who want to impose the death penalty on people who have abortions or unilaterally abandon all arms.
So how can I vote about people I know so little about? I voted almost entirely party line. Whenever I could I voted for a Democrat. Wherever I could I voted against a Republican. Despite barely restrained ideological differences I even voted libertarian in an insane number of races (often for judge where the only other candidate was a Republican).
Was it enough? Could I have voted for the wrong candidate? It's certainly possible. In theory there might be a Republican I would vote for over a Democrat. In a hypothetical matchup of Joe Lieberman (back before he was a Connecticut for Lieberman candidate) and Lincoln Chaffee, I might vote Linc. Maybe. But in the hundreds of elections I have paid close attention to I cannot remember ever voting for a Republican over a Democrat (I did vote for John McCain, but only in a Republican primary against George W. Bush).
Party ID may not tell me everything, but it tells me a lot. In Congressional races it tells me who the person is likely to vote for leadership posts. I may not know much about many local house races, but I feel comfortable I know the difference between Nancy Pelosi and Denny Hastert. I know a Democratic majority would investigate civil liberties.
Party affiliation is enough for me to feel comfortable voting, but even if it weren't, I would vote anyway. Even if I vote for the wrong person, my vote means that politicians know I am out there. My vote is in play. Having voted affirms that I'm more likely to vote in the future, so they will seek me out and attempt to persuade me. I matter.
So I say it with pride: I voted for (and against) a boatload people I don't know a god damn thing about.