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Hispanics turn out to vote at lower rates than whites. Why should anyone care what they think? The poor turn out to vote at lower rates than the rich. Why shou

by harryh 10y ago

Hispanics turn out to vote at lower rates than whites. Why should anyone care what they think? The poor turn out to vote at lower rates than the rich. Why should anyone care what they think? Those without college degrees turn out to vote at lower rates than those with college degrees. Why should anyone care what they think? I get the point that you're trying to make and you're not entirely wrong. But I think you're ignoring structural factors that lead to certain group's voices being under heard in the body politic. Those groups should be responsible for reforming themselves sure. But those outside the groups are a little bit responsible too.

tuxracer 10y ago
"But those outside the groups are a little bit responsible too." How? If you can't even be bothered to show up why is it other people's responsibility to coddle you?
- harryh 10y ago
  When one person doesn't vote, it's their fault. When an entire demographic group is systematically underrepresented, you have to wonder if it's something about society that is pushing them away from the polls.
  - ConceptJunkie 10y ago
    Maybe it's just all their fault.
iofj 10y ago
> The poor turn out to vote at lower rates than the rich. Why should anyone care what they think? > Those without college degrees turn out to vote at lower rates than those with college degrees. Why should anyone care what they think? It's the reverse. That's the whole point of "one person one vote", which was kind of a big deal in the beginning of the 20th century. People died for that. Besides, I find your entire idea flawed. Why ? To put it bluntly because the choice has always been between "the 51% oppress the 49%" and "the 0.01% oppress the 99.99%". If you want to experience the other end, be a construction worker in the middle east for a while. I think I know which you prefer. Secondly, when push comes to shove the globalization represented by the EU has systematically worsened the economic situation of most Britons. Tech and finance industries in central London don't seem to see this, but ... If you compare actual living conditions provided by a tech wage in central London with living conditions afforded by a Ford job 30 years ago at Dagenham you might be surprised, not in a good way - especially by the size of realistically available accommodation. Which might give one aspect of a far more reasonable explanation for why Britons aren't having kids then what is usually trotted up by the press - speaking as someone who has done so. Now compare 99% jobs ... waiter or cleaner in central London, and what living conditions that provides. Because that's what most of the service sector jobs are. The short of it is, the globalization movement has -to put it mildly- not delivered the promised economic prosperity, and should be thrown into the bin. Pensions getting cut, systematically worsening medical care, constant mass firings replaced by "do you want fries with that" jobs that pay a third, ... Let's go out on a limb here and say that a lot of Britons aren't happy with the evolutions of the past 30 years. Free capitalism and free markets are "winner take all" systems and work by throwing workers under the bus.
aaron695 10y ago
I think you missed the point. The young often say they don't vote cause there is no one to vote for. The was a direct vote on a issue, they couldn't be betrayed, and they still didn't vote. So perhaps they are just making excuses.
- harryh 10y ago
  I didn't miss the point. I agree that "there is no one to vote for" is an excuse. But what is the real reason they don't vote? I can think of several hypotheses: - They haven't yet developed the habit of voting - They are busier booting up their lives than more established adults - They move around more and are not yet embedded in their community None of these are reasons to think that their preferences should matter less. What's your hypothesis for why the young vote in fewer numbers?
  - aaron695 10y ago
    There lives have just 'been' so far. It's a foreign concept to interact out side of their world. This is also selfish and ignorant but that's young mammals.

by harryh 10y ago

tuxracer 10y ago

"But those outside the groups are a little bit responsible too." How? If you can't even be bothered to show up why is it other people's responsibility to coddle you?

harryh 10y ago
When one person doesn't vote, it's their fault. When an entire demographic group is systematically underrepresented, you have to wonder if it's something about society that is pushing them away from the polls.
- ConceptJunkie 10y ago
  Maybe it's just all their fault.

iofj 10y ago

> The poor turn out to vote at lower rates than the rich. Why should anyone care what they think? > Those without college degrees turn out to vote at lower rates than those with college degrees. Why should anyone care what they think? It's the reverse. That's the whole point of "one person one vote", which was kind of a big deal in the beginning of the 20th century. People died for that. Besides, I find your entire idea flawed. Why ? To put it bluntly because the choice has always been between "the 51% oppress the 49%" and "the 0.01% oppress the 99.99%". If you want to experience the other end, be a construction worker in the middle east for a while. I think I know which you prefer. Secondly, when push comes to shove the globalization represented by the EU has systematically worsened the economic situation of most Britons. Tech and finance industries in central London don't seem to see this, but ... If you compare actual living conditions provided by a tech wage in central London with living conditions afforded by a Ford job 30 years ago at Dagenham you might be surprised, not in a good way - especially by the size of realistically available accommodation. Which might give one aspect of a far more reasonable explanation for why Britons aren't having kids then what is usually trotted up by the press - speaking as someone who has done so. Now compare 99% jobs ... waiter or cleaner in central London, and what living conditions that provides. Because that's what most of the service sector jobs are. The short of it is, the globalization movement has -to put it mildly- not delivered the promised economic prosperity, and should be thrown into the bin. Pensions getting cut, systematically worsening medical care, constant mass firings replaced by "do you want fries with that" jobs that pay a third, ... Let's go out on a limb here and say that a lot of Britons aren't happy with the evolutions of the past 30 years. Free capitalism and free markets are "winner take all" systems and work by throwing workers under the bus.

aaron695 10y ago

I think you missed the point. The young often say they don't vote cause there is no one to vote for. The was a direct vote on a issue, they couldn't be betrayed, and they still didn't vote. So perhaps they are just making excuses.

harryh 10y ago
I didn't miss the point. I agree that "there is no one to vote for" is an excuse. But what is the real reason they don't vote? I can think of several hypotheses: - They haven't yet developed the habit of voting - They are busier booting up their lives than more established adults - They move around more and are not yet embedded in their community None of these are reasons to think that their preferences should matter less. What's your hypothesis for why the young vote in fewer numbers?
- aaron695 10y ago
  There lives have just 'been' so far. It's a foreign concept to interact out side of their world. This is also selfish and ignorant but that's young mammals.