| Super Moderator  Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle (grew up around D.C.) Gender:  Posts: 7,866 Country:  Points: 28,405, Level: 99 | Level up: 4%, 1,595 Points needed |  |  Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaxian  I do agree that this would happen, and it might improve things a little. But the problem is that candidates would still largely be getting elected for the same old reasons. There might be more candidates in the pool, but the people will still be voting based on a person's charisma and his pool of money. Instead, I'd rather the principles of good government be applied to each candidate's stance on the issues in order to determine who the best candidate is. That can't happen in a vote among people who aren't informed about good political principles, who aren't infromed about the issues, and who have neither the time nor the desire to read up on each politician's stance on the issues. |
The concerns you have about our election process is exactly what proponents of IRV think it can cure. IRV would bring issues to the forefront rather than candidates, hopefully ending the "popularity contest". With IRV people will feel empowered, like their vote actually matters again, getting more people to vote and perhaps engaging people to become informed about current day issues.
If something like IRV was implemented for presidential elections removing the electoral college would certainly be less necessary but I think the fact that it has been challenged over 700 times speaks volumes. --- help me Instant Runoff Voting, you're my only hope --- There is little doubt that the world in general is more liberal than it was 50 years ago and beyond. Conservatives are simply roadblocks on the path to an ever more progressive and liberal world. What a sad existence. |