Do you think voters should take more blame for how are government is?

Question

I sure do. I keep hearing about how politicians have "fooled" the voters. How politicians lie to get into office. And I think to myself that the people who put them there are greatly to blame also. Many times if people would just use good sense and take a good look at the candidates they could avoid casting a vote for someone that will do their job poorly.

I'm sorry I meant to ask : Do you think voters should take more blame for how OUR government is ?

Isn't also true that if we can't take part of the blame as voters, then it follows that we really don't have any power at all ?

Answer 1

Darn right! We have over 150 million eligible voters in this country, how many do you think will take the time to vote? How many will take the time to be informed voters or will they just follow the money? The candidate with the most money must be the best person to elect! Wanna bet? To be an informed voter you must watch the debates, watch more than one news channel, read the small articles on the back pages of the newspaper for real information, not just the front page news, that doesn't give you the little things that just could make a difference in who you vote for on election day. Watch the candidates during interviews on programs other than the news, get to know them as much as possible. Sure this sound like a lot but, when you consider what has happened to our country in the last few decades, maybe we had better start doing our duty to our country & ourselves by taking a little extra time to be informed about who we are really electing & what they are all about before we cast our vote for them!

Answer 2

Yes, absolutely! This country has become so apathetic about voting and other things, and the politicians know it. So they know that all they have to do is say things like: "when I'm elected, I'll give everyone $1000.00 in their IRA, or every new baby born will get $5000.00, or every-ones health care from now on will be free (all Hilary) and all these apathetic voters will accept it and never wonder why the federal gov't is even involved in these kind of things in the first place, but more obvious - how could we possibly pay for all this? Anyway, just get informed and vote, even if it's not for one of the main candidates.

Answer 3

Perhaps a part

I think it has to do with also how we do elections . Money talks

What if no money was allowed in hands of the candidates but in a pool and only equal air time was given to each candidate--no more no less. No favors owed to big corporations. I would even consider that quest as a good tax raise.

As it is now--an honest candidate would have a hard time getting in yet alone winning without owing favors to those who support them.

I think our choices now are few as far as good candidates. Lincoln if he were alive could never win today.

And yes we are to blame--we allowed this to happen.

Answer 4

As long as elections are clean and honest, with a paper trail to make sure that the election is not fixed like the last two were, then you can blame the voters for making uninformed and myopic choices. There are two facets to this question, and you have to look at both of them. The voters are responsible for failing to look at the candidates voting record, and where they get their campaign finance money, and for failing to base their support strictly on a candidates stands on the issues but as long as the elections remain fixed, and campaign money comes from those with strictly selfish interests, and the candidates remain beholden to their benefactors, then even choosing the best candidate by making a truly informed decision, does not guarantee a win. *sm*

Answer 5

These cookie cutter candidates are all representing special interests. Maybe not Ron Paul, Obama, and possibly Edwards, yet we don't know that for sure. Kucinich may also be clean, though it's hard to stay clean after a long career in Washington!

Honestly, when in any nation have tangible democratic reforms been advanced without the spilling of blood?

These parties will continue to offer us only the illusion of choice until somebody is killed for it.

Answer 6

YES!!!!!!!!!!
this is our government it is time we become involved and demand change. as long as less then 75% of those elgible to vote register and only 50% of them actually vote we will never have a government that represents us. many of us say well i did not vote for so &so but the fact is most of us don't even vote. we damn sure complain . i am by no means a supporter of our current administration but i failed to do more to see that it was not elected. i must do more in the future,
we all need to do more.

Answer 7

Yes, I do!! LOL One of the rare occasions that I agree with you, but I agree 100%. We get exactly the government we deserve, and it's a disgrace that more people in this country vote for American Idol than in governmental elections. There are people who are willing to risk their lives for a shot at democracy, and most Americans are apathetic at best - completely ignorant at worst. If you don't know who or what you're voting for, STAY HOME!

"Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." - George Bernard Shaw

Answer 8

No thats not true, because if you dont vote then technically you have no right to complain, because you didnt give your input on the situation, and maybe if you would have the right person would have gotten picked. And if no one voted then there wouldnt be a president. ( Which in some cases would be grand)

Answer 9

I think the fault is more with NON-voters, like my husband, who complain about the government but don't vote to change things.

Answer 10

Politics mirror the public. So of course we are to blame for the sorry state of affairs.