Positive or Negative Voting

[SpeedRacer 1]

It seems every election we're stuck choosing between Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The Republicans and the Democrats so completely overwhelm the other parties that no new ideas seem to come in, and sometimes, it's hard to tell the policies of the two parties apart.

So here's a couple ideas I'm just going to throw out there>

1) You are allowed to vote either FOR a candidate or AGAINST a candidate. A Positive or a Negative vote.

What this means, at least when the policy first goes into effect is this: Most people will be so obsessed with the mud slinging between the two big Democrat & Republican candidates that they will run out and vote AGAINST the evil Muslim/Fascist/Commie/ReligiousNut/ExtremistSympathizer/Elitist/Dumbass or whatever each side is spewing at the other. So the Democrat and the Republican might collect some Positive votes, but they'll also collect a lot of Negative votes, because that's where most of the attention is.

Meanwhile, other parties such as Libertarian, Green, Socialist, Constitutionalist, etc. will collect some positives from their supporters, but not quite so many negatives since they will slip under the Mainstream's radar.

Now I will admit that I don't agree with all the alternative parties I listed there, but at least it would mix things up a little bit and maybe we'd get something other than the Same Old Shit in Washington. At least some new ideas would be on the table.

Other alternatives: You're allowed one Positive vote and one Negative vote.

just an idea.


edited to add: It would also send a strong message of dissatisfaction to the Republicans & Democrats.

And it would teach them that they had better come up with some good policies & not just rely on smear campaigns.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[akarunway 1]

Quote

It seems every election we're stuck choosing between Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The Republicans and the Democrats so completely overwhelm the other parties that no new ideas seem to come in, and sometimes, it's hard to tell the policies of the two parties apart.

So here's a couple ideas I'm just going to throw out there>

1) You are allowed to vote either FOR a candidate or AGAINST a candidate. A Positive or a Negative vote.

What this means, at least when the policy first goes into effect is this: Most people will be so obsessed with the mud slinging between the two big Democrat & Republican candidates that they will run out and vote AGAINST the evil Muslim/Fascist/Commie/ReligiousNut/ExtremistSympathizer/Elitist/Dumbass or whatever each side is spewing at the other. So the Democrat and the Republican might collect some Positive votes, but they'll also collect a lot of Negative votes, because that's where most of the attention is.

Meanwhile, other parties such as Libertarian, Green, Socialist, Constitutionalist, etc. will collect some positives from their supporters, but not quite so many negatives since they will slip under the Mainstream's radar.

Now I will admit that I don't agree with all the alternative parties I listed there, but at least it would mix things up a little bit and maybe we'd get something other than the Same Old Shit in Washington. At least some new ideas would be on the table.

Other alternatives: You're allowed one Positive vote and one Negative vote.

just an idea.


edited to add: It would also send a strong message of dissatisfaction to the Republicans & Democrats.

And it would teach them that they had better come up with some good policies & not just rely on smear campaigns.

Donno. But. Thread drift. Haven't received my absentee ballot from Fl. yet. Called all the #'s I got off the web for Fl. today. Out of service. The next sounded like a fax. Called a few more. Fuckin NADA. Fl. is one fucked up state to vote in.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[rickjump1 0]

Monopoly of the press, catering only to people with large sums of money keep the major parties in control; kind of like the politicians themselves.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[SpeedRacer 1]

The option of Negative voting might counteract that.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[rehmwa 2]

I think it's great.

I like that it would also facilitate replacing incumbants more effectively - people like to bitch about whoever is currently in - at all levels

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kallend 1,683]

bcn.boulder.co.us/government/approvalvote/altvote.html

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[skydyvr 0]

Interesting, clever, possibly effective, never happen.

. . =(_8^(1)

[popsjumper 2]

Big hole. The assumption in that is that the voting public knows the difference and could vote using reasoning power.

Then you have the bozos who vote straight party...like no other party has any good ideas. My boss was a straight-ticket voter. It pissed him off when I, every election, reminded him that his party could run a pig and he would vote for it.

Was he voting for or against? How the hell would HE know? He has no clue!

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[kallend 1,683]

Quote

Big hole. The assumption in that is that the voting public knows the difference and could vote using reasoning power.

Then you have the bozos who vote straight party...like no other party has any good ideas. My boss was a straight-ticket voter. It pissed him off when I, every election, reminded him that his party could run a pig and he would vote for it.

Was he voting for or against? How the hell would HE know? He has no clue!

There are still people who believe G.W. Bush is a good president. Amazing, but true.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[SpeedRacer 1]

Quote

Big hole. The assumption in that is that the voting public knows the difference and could vote using reasoning power.

well, that is always the assumption of democracy.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------