How to make more people vote:

[Venusgate]

"once you vote, we take the political ads off your TV and radio."

Anyone else being driven batty by commercials of baby eaters and freedom haters?

[Classy Viking]

Without the political ads many people would uniformed of who the candidates are. Granted what they find are usually very biased opinions on those candidates, but then, people may take it into their own hands to research which candidate is the best choice for them and the system they want to live by.

Also if you are not voting, you have no right to complain about the ads.

[reppy]

Pretty sure most people just look at the little letter next to the candidate's name.

[soundninja12]

I'm sorry to say what Reppy said is right.
But I also think that the adds do help the disappointingly few people that actually want to know what each candidate believes.
*shrugs*
I can't vote. I don't have a say. Wish I did, but I don't.

[Kimiski]

I'm so sick of campaign phone calls.... and no one in my lame house asks who' s calling before passing it on to me D<

[DemonSpawn]

The commercials are usually lies/mudslinging campaigns. Check http://www.politifact.com/oregon/

They don't have one for Washington but I think it's interesting.

[@random]

"once you vote, we take the political ads off your TV and radio."

Anyone else being driven batty by commercials of baby eaters and freedom haters?

The converse also holds: Continuing this kind of black-hole negativity is a good way to decrease voter participation. I'm not optimistic enough to think that those who benefit from lower voter participation would be above such a tactic.

[Venusgate]

Without the political ads many people would uniformed of who the candidates are. Granted what they find are usually very biased opinions on those candidates, but then, people may take it into their own hands to research which candidate is the best choice for them and the system they want to live by.

Also if you are not voting, you have no right to complain about the ads.

Those who care will research the candidates beyond their brochures.

Those who just watch the political ads have no right to call themselves "informed."

[Gryffinclaw Princess]

I got to vote for the first time this year since my birthday was after elections last year. (FAIL. D<)


But yeah...I am actually quite influenced by some of the things I hear in the political ads I watch on TV and hear on the radio.
For one, I live in Washington so Reppy might know what I am talking about here...but sometimes they need to watch what they put in their ads. Murray had one on the radio about how she is against tasing kids in school and I (not literally) about had a heart attack. I instantly made a comment to my step-dad next to me, "What?! Tasing kids? I didn't know that was a topic of debate in this election! Well...I am certainly not voting for her because some of those little bastards need to get tased..."
He had a good laugh because he knows it's true. :/
Security guards at school do nothing but stand there and if a fight breaks out then they jump in. But if a kid pulls out a gun, what are they going to do? "Oh um...lock down the school! Let's call the cops and wait for 15 minutes while they get here and see how many students die because we can't do jack ****." Yeah. D< Just tase the kid and get it over with, kthnx.



P.S. No, that is not the whole basis of my voting. I didn't just vote based on if they would tase kids or not. It was just what I happened to say at that time. |D

[MiriaRose]

I believe people have the right not to vote.

Also, I wouldn't believe half of what they say in political ads- A lot of it just isn't true. I'd rather watch debates and hear what the candidate has to say on the spot.

[RemSaverem]

Having canvassed for Obama back in the day, I can say sadly that sound bites are often all people remember.

[reppy]

Back in the day? Like, 2 years ago? 

[RemSaverem]

Feels like a lifetime ago, in terms of folks' views about Obama.

[Classy Viking]

I don't know about you, but I just filled out my ballot.
If you don't you're a Pinko Commie. Fact.

[Venusgate]

I don't know about you, but I just filled out my ballot.
If you don't you're a Pinko Commie. Fact.

So I pose the question, what do you do, now that the political ads are playing post-action?

[Classy Viking]

Ignore them like I did before. They'll be over with in a week anyway.

[jaybug]

It cannot be done.

1. Too many believe that no matter what, nothing changes. The people get screwed.

2. The issues are too complicated for what gets printed in the voter's pamphlet, and they cannot be bothered to deal with that, it isn't part of their life. Just gimme water to flush my toilet.

3. They're never going to pay voters.

4. You can vote for politicians, but the bureaucrats will still screw the people over.

5. What?