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Discussion: General Forums / The Sandbox - Vote by number - I was thinking the other day about ways to get partisanship out of the political
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01-14-2009, 01:14 AM #1
Vote by number
I was thinking the other day about ways to get partisanship out of the political process and allow more minority views in the system. The first step would be to eliminate primaries and just list all candidates in one big election, as we did recently (and successfully) in California for the governorship.
But then the usual objection is that there would be too many candidates and the ballot would be "confusing". (The elitists love to assume the voters are stupid cattle who need lots of their guidance.)
So it occurred to me that we could replace the list of names with a simple 10 digit field where you enter your candidate's Social Security Number. It's a "taxpayer ID number", so every candidate should have one. They should advertise it the way they now advertise phone numbers. Put it on their website and in all their literature. If a voter is too dumb to transcribe the number of his candidate accurately, he's too dumb to be trusted with such an important decision as voting.
This should considerably simplify the ballot. It could also make it a lot easier to go to digital voting. A machine could even be available to scan the ballot and spit out the registered names matching the numbers entered, so one can spot a mistake before committing the form to the ballot box.Dude, seriously, WHAT handkerchief?
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01-14-2009, 01:45 AM #2
Re: Vote by number
I think it should be vote by issue. The poll lists the "top", say, 30 issues and then voters vote on them. Likewise, the candidates all fill out the same form. The after you vote, the machine matches you to a candidate that best aligns with your views and they get your vote.
|TG-12th|WhiskeySix
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01-14-2009, 08:24 AM #3
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Re: Vote by number
Thats an interesting idea.
Originally Posted by WhiskeySix
I think it should be vote by issue. The poll lists the "top", say, 30 issues and then voters vote on them. Likewise, the candidates all fill out the same form. The after you vote, the machine matches you to a candidate that best aligns with your views and they get your vote.
It would be funny to see how many people wind up "voting" for a candidate they would have never considered before because of "party lines/affiliations".
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01-14-2009, 10:46 AM #4
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Re: Vote by number
Talk about elitist attitudes. Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey
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01-14-2009, 02:16 PM #5
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Re: Vote by number
Sounds good in theory, but then you run into the problem that what candidates SAY they support and what they actually DO are quite frequently very different things. At least under the current system you can take the candidate's trustworthyness into account when casting your vote, and decide whether you think he'll actually do any of the things he promised. Originally Posted by WhiskeySix
I think it should be vote by issue. The poll lists the "top", say, 30 issues and then voters vote on them. Likewise, the candidates all fill out the same form. The after you vote, the machine matches you to a candidate that best aligns with your views and they get your vote.
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01-14-2009, 08:25 PM #6
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Re: Vote by number
The government has no jusidiction of the primaries. They are run by Dem, and Rep, parties respectively. Their purpose is to insure that they pick the candidate that will best represent their paticular party and not split the vote. Candidates that lose the primaries can still run for the office, but will just not be supporting by that paticular party. To force a party to make all potential candidates run would be...un-American. Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey
Elitists are right, the general public is extremely stupid.But then the usual objection is that there would be too many candidates and the ballot would be "confusing". (The elitists love to assume the voters are stupid cattle who need lots of their guidance.)
Two things...you think having a 10 digit number on the ballot out simplify it? That is maddness.So it occurred to me that we could replace the list of names with a simple 10 digit field where you enter your candidate's Social Security Number. It's a "taxpayer ID number", so every candidate should have one. They should advertise it the way they now advertise phone numbers. Put it on their website and in all their literature. If a voter is too dumb to transcribe the number of his candidate accurately, he's too dumb to be trusted with such an important decision as voting.
This should considerably simplify the ballot. It could also make it a lot easier to go to digital voting. A machine could even be available to scan the ballot and spit out the registered names matching the numbers entered, so one can spot a mistake before committing the form to the ballot box.
Saying that if a voter is too dumb to get it right they don't deserve to vote is blatent discrimination...also un-american. Besides, what about all those dislexic people out there who are prone to mistakes but you know...smart.
Realistcally, there is no advantage to this idea...Shhhh I'm being made
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01-15-2009, 12:58 AM #7
Re: Vote by number
In California, primaries are run by the state government. I think that qualifies as jurisdiction. New parties can opt out, but the state distributes ballots anyway, even if they're not binding. (It took a court decision to win that one.)
Now in states where primaries are operated by the parties on their own dime, I have no issue. Except that the old parties have written the eligibility laws for the final ballot to insure that new parties have a hard time competing, and so ideas counter to the mainstream "make government really big" mantra are rarely heard.
Funny how the suggestion of using numbers makes me elitist. Perhaps we should just drop all numbers from our education system. No need to clutter young minds with elitist ideas. Especially anyone who might one day need to figure out a mortgage.
Actually, that gives me another idea: Instead of employers negotiating wages with employees, they should just establish the wage with the IRS, and pay directly to the tax collector. At the end of the year, the employee gets a refund to pay his take-home for the whole year. Another way of saving people from needing to know about elitist numbers.
Ok, if numbers are too elitist, how about just a line where you fill in a name? No list of names to select from. The point being to eliminate the exclusion laws that prevent outsiders from having any chance of getting into the public eye.
BTW, anyone seen the movie Idiocracy? That's obviously the kind of society we should strive to attain.Dude, seriously, WHAT handkerchief?
snooggums' density principal: "The more dense a population, the more dense a population."
Iliana: "You're a great friend but if we're ever chased by zombies I'm tripping you."
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01-15-2009, 07:00 AM #8
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Re: Vote by number
Numbers don't make you elitest. Making the ballot more complicated so that stupid peoples votes don't count does.... Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey
Shhhh I'm being made
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01-18-2009, 11:48 AM #9
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Re: Vote by number
I don't have a problem with using a number, but it's against the law to use SSNs for identification in this manner... Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey
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01-19-2009, 05:34 AM #10
Re: Vote by number
I think it would be much more palatable to require politicians to use their SSN to identify themselves to constituents than the other way around. OTOH, Congress often makes itself immune to its own laws.
Dude, seriously, WHAT handkerchief?
snooggums' density principal: "The more dense a population, the more dense a population."
Iliana: "You're a great friend but if we're ever chased by zombies I'm tripping you."
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01-19-2009, 09:32 AM #11
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Re: Vote by number
The ones with the most marketing money would win. Brad Pitt for Prez,Puff Daddy for VP and Bono as secretary of state.
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