OT Coronavirus: America in chaos, News and Updates. One million Americans dead and counting

I'm with Crand on this one. Slippery slope.

 

Link? Haven't heard that but yes, its a slippery slope and could be very dangerous. However there is no refuting that the crazy extremists on both sides are screaming the loudest these days… and if we aren't careful…

Very slippery indeed…

so how does society quell the fake news bandits openly trying to warp the masses to march inline behind them, so one can regain faith that society will vote with sound information provided to them, to make the best choice they deem fit, based on accurate knowledge of relevant data on said topic or vote?


talk about run on sentance…

 

But really how many people NOT on the fringes are doing all sorts of research into candidates and measures? Plenty of "sane" people that often just vote party line all the way down the ticket.
The question of who gets to decide is a scary one, and also what do you base these decisions on. What if someone that isn't neccessarily on the fringe doesn't research candidates, but relies solely on whether they are pro choice or pro-life to vote, so called one issue voters. Are they well informed enough to be voting? Where does one draw the line of the informedness of a voter?
I'm far likelier to support compulsory voting than I am a knowledge test to be able to vote.

 

Agreed. I'd rather make voting required and figure how to improve education, perhaps by funding schools with state taxes, rather than with local taxes, so that schools in small, poor and/or rural communities don't fall behind in teaching kids critical thinking skills.

 

Not in favor of compulsory voting.
Need voting rights bills that restrict dark money. Need campaign finance reform. Need good civics classes in schools.

 

ive been advocating for campaign finance reform forever!!!
I really don't think we can fix anything else until we get soft money out of it, amongst other things, with the finance reform.

 

Yeah, I'm not there yet... And honestly I don't think I ever would get there. Unless of course I were emperor...

Just frustrated.

 

Yes. But we how do we get campaign finance reform (or your other two great suggestions) with a population so susceptible to insane propaganda?

 

Compulsory voting would end the practices of disenfranchsing voters. That alone makes it worthwhile to me, before even getting into arguments about how democracy is a participatory sport and the strongest democracies tend to be the ones that have the greatest voter engagement.

(Yes, I know, technically the US isn't classified a "democracy," but a "Constitutional Republic." )

 

Compulsory voting sounds like North Korea or something. You can't force interest. This isn't like vaccines or other public health measures.

 

I don't get the comparison. I think it's more along the lines of trying to encourage a populace to actively take a role in the system that controls most everything.

And not saying I'm all for it. Just closer to that than requiring a test.

I also think the voting pamphlets we get sent here in Oregon would be beneficial elsewhere. My wife, who has only voted in Oregon, was surprised to learn that's not a common practice elsewhere. Growing up, you just had to write down or remember everyone you were voting for. Or, more commonly, just punch the simple all R, all D check option. I dunno if that's still a thing.
Mail in voting should be nationwide. It's easy. It's safe. It reaches everyone. It allows you to do research while you vote.

 

In a truly free society people have every right to be apolitical. Not voting is every republican's right...I encourage them to excercise it next election...if they don't trust the balloting...don't vote...simple!

 

Great job Eugene police!
Anti-maskers assault a small business owner in Eugene, Oregon...then get arrested.

 

It seems less authoritarian than compulsory army service and a number of countries, ones that we consider much friendlier than North Korea, have that. Like RR7, I'm not passionately for it, but I certainly see solid arguments for it. And yes, while initially it would be "forced interest," that's just the first generation of it. The point is to create a culture of engagement. Seat belts were forcing people to take an interest in their own health and was "forced interest" at first, but these days, aside from the rare nutcase who protests seat belt laws, it's simply part of the culture to buckle up.