Stupor Tuesday

Today, February 5th, millions of uninformed Americans will vote in their Presidential primaries.

Many will vote for the candidate whose name they recognize from television.
Many will vote for who they think has the best chance to win.
Many will vote for Obama because he is black.
Many will vote for Hillary because she is a woman.
Many will vote for McCain because he is a veteran.
Many will vote for Romney because he is a Mormon.
Many will vote for anyone but Hillary.
Many will vote for anyone but a Republican.
Many will vote for Hillary because they think Obama is a Muslim.
Many will vote only because they think it is their "civic duty".

All of these people are fools who, dare I say it, are unworthy of their right to vote. It has become almost blasphemy to suggest that the right to vote should require more than a pulse and a 5 minute trip to City Hall, yet shouldn't we at least consider the idea of Democratic reforms? If our democracy makes no distinction between the most apathetic, ignorant voter, and one who carefully studies the positions of each candidate and makes an informed decision based on reason, then you might ask yourself, is it really a fair system?

Pollsters will parse and analyze every possible demographic today, trying to figure out why people voted for whom, they will exclaim over McCain's strong showing from independents, or watch closely to see who wins the Hispanic vote. One group that is never accurately measured, or even discussed, is the highly prized idiot vote. That would include everyone I have listed above, those who wait to see the latest polls to make sure they "vote for a winner", as if a Cabinet position awaits them if they back the right candidate. It is impossible to know for sure what percentage of the electorate votes for specious reasons such as these, as no one will admit their ignorance to a pollster.

The pollsters are also complicit, instead of asking why someone voted the way they did, they will give them dozens of options to choose from, allowing the average simpleton to feel like they made an informed decision. "I voted for McCain because.....I think he has a lot of character, uh.., at least that's what I heard on tv. And wasn't he a war hero?" Sadly, this is what drives a huge chunk of our electorate, the mainstream media's sound-bite journalism, name recognition, and blind allegiance to "The Party".

It would not be an easy task to change the current system, it would certainly require amendments to the Constitution, something it is hard to rally people around unless it involves granting or denying marriage rights to certain minority groups. Demagogue politicians would scream "Disenfranchisement!" if they thought they had to appeal to the intellect of the people, rather than their most basic fears and prejudices. Any supporters of such reforms would be derided as intellectual elitists and snobs, for daring to question the American way of ignorance. But think about this, we require tests for everything from selling hotdogs out of a cart, to working as hairdresser, if such trivial pursuits as this require certification from the State, shouldn't our most precious right as citizens require similar diligence and study? I don't think this is ever likely to happen, therefore the best thing you can do is make an informed decision yourself, don't let the media choose for you, don't vote along party lines, don't vote just because you feel it is your duty. Most importantly, remember that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. Vote your conscience, and you will feel a lot better about yourself, regardless of who wins the election. I will close with a couple of quotes.

Charles Spurgeon: "Of two evils, choose neither"

John Quincy Adams: "Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost"