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Sunday, January 13, 2008

Web Politics

I am looking at the ElectionVine Polling Place widget on this blog and I am noticing that Kucinich is still on top but losing ground to Ron Paul quickly and that Hillary Clinton hasn't even made the cut.

This is not a reflection of non-Internet political reality which has Obama and Clinton going head to head whilst Kucinich is lagging far, far back in the pack. It also has Ron Paul at 28%, not the 10% he's garnered in one caucus and one primary.

I see why pollsters take the data from the web with a big grain of salt. It seems there are a lot of netizens who love voting in on-line polls but when it comes time to disconnect from one's computer, go outside, and get over to the polling place to cast a real, legit vote too few ever exercise their civic duty to vote in state, local and national elections.

What would happen if all these net voters got registered to vote in real elections and than actually did so and people like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich won the race for President (or at least the nomination in their respective parties). I mean, what if 99% of the registered voters went out on election day (and there will be two national elections in every state-the primaries going on now until June and the national election in November) and voted for their favorite (not the person they feel can "win" based on who the corporations want to see in the Whitehouse-which ain't either Paul or Kooch). I believe we would see a much different political landscape in the country and a government that is closer to the ideal of by the people and for the people, instead of our reality; by the corporation and for the corporation.

FYI I like participating in on-line political polls and forums but I also am registered to vote and vote in most elections, even the local ones with only one issue or candidate on the ballot. This is a civic duty I take seriously and I wish far more people in the USA would too

1 comment:

shy_smiley said...

I'm prepared to vote this year. I've been informing myself better this year than I ever have in the past, and I'm prepared to wield my vote truthfully, I hope. I'm afraid I'll still be influenced by the corporations. Status quo America holds me sway, for sure. If I weren't afraid of what might happen, I'd move myself and my family to a sustainable farm. That's why your blog is so appealing to me. I'll be visiting often.