The Big Story: The truth of the irrational voter
January 29th, 2008 by Wayne Garcia in People, Presidential PoliticsA sampling of some of the incredible disconnect between what people say they believe in and the person (or issue) they choose to support:
- A Pasco County woman who says being against abortion is her No. 1 issue. So who is her man in the GOP primary? The one candidate who, as governor of Massachusetts, was pro-choice.
- The schoolteacher who says she is pro-choice. Who is her candidate in the Republican primary? The most ardent pro-lifer who has introduced legislation in Congress to overturn Roe v. Wade.
So, who voted, and (if you want to tell us) who did you vote for and why? And how did you vote on Amendment 1?
(I voted early, and as a registered NPA, I could only vote for the Amendment 1 question. Given my recent column on the matter, is it any surprise I voted against it?)
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January 29th, 2008 at 11:58 am
When my brother told me he was voting against Amendment 1, I thought of his “Dennis Kucinich for President” sticker on the back of his car and decided to vote FOR it.
GO RUDY!
January 29th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I voted nearly two weeks ago. I’m a loyal Democrat, but on the presidential preference part of the ballot, I left it BLANK, still PO’ed between the crap regarding the DNC decision to strip our state of all it’s convention delegates and the candidates’ cowardly decision to agree not to campaign here (but still use Florida as a vitual ATM machine).
On the constitutional amendment which it seems only an attorney can figure out, it was a resounding “NO”.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I voted last Friday - for Rudy Giuliani. Mostly as an effort to change the primary system. I prefer a series of regional primaries, rather than the “chosen four” then the free-for-all we have now.
A win by Giuliani, as I noted on my blog, would show future candidates that it is possible to skip Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina and still do well.
However, it seems that voters are indeed sheep… and the media’s “horserace” coverage have had an impact. Voters like to feel they picked a winner, meaning their vote is less about issues than it is about following the other lemmings over a cliff…
It’s like watching a car crash happen in slow motion.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I voted no on the Amendment, and at first, was surprised that it passed.
Of course, after a bit of thought, it makes perfect sense that the regular guy wants to get all that he can as soon as he can get it - forget about the greater good, or future rewards. The majority is satisfied with a fast nickel over a slow dime.
Those of us who pay a bit of attention to this stuff get all hung up on what the “right” choice is, while completely forgetting about the people who just show up and vote.
Of course, your examples of irrational voters above also tell us that there is a segment that simply does not have the slightest idea of what they are doing.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Hence why the Republic we have is better than any true Democracy could be in this country. Idiocracy would be the future indeed. If the voters would turn out to put the right people in the legislature to begin with, we wouldn’t have to settle for such nonsense as Amendment One.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Tommy,
That “segment” is far far bigger than you could possibly imagine.
But the problem isn’t the voters - it’s the candidates.
People who should be in office - the smart, capable, talented - are doing other things with their lives. This isn’t a case of deciding on who is the “right” choice, it’s a really a “lesser of all evils” decision.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:22 am
Reminds me of the old saying…half of ‘em read the paper; the other half vote…something like that.
January 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Voter ignorance and apathy in Florida has been around since we acquired statehood in 1845.
We’re known as a “goof off†state– we’re the “end of the lineâ€, orginally, for the railroad, and now I-75. Every free-loader, drifter, tax-dodger, general ne’er do well, and criminal running from the law finds their way down here.
Folks relocate here to play in the sun (or hide out) and get comfortably numb.
Seemingly, few want to be adults and focus on our many real, serious issues. That is why we have so many of them. Oddly, the poor public education system perpetuates this system.