why people don't vote - another reason: religious right and far right

[bobbieinok]

since 1980 have worked to make people think politics and elections are about abortion and religious issues and have nothing to do with people's daily lives.......

there was an article about this in the NY Review of Books some years ago.....part of an on-going discussion of how religious right and RW have manipulated media etc to turn most people off of politics and voting.......this plan leaves only the 'true believers' going to the polls

have you ever read/heard anything like this????

I wanted to suggest another reason for not voting, but discussion has gotten very long

see DU discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2133113#top

[Causidicus]

1. just wondering....

have participation percentages gone down since 1980?

I would say the reason is the complacency and abject stupidity of the masses, but I might be biased.

[bobbieinok]

2. read the DU discussion for a STRONGLY DIFFERENT VIEW

regarding compacency and stupidity

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS DISCUSSION AND (OF COURSE, IT'S du) ARGUMENT

[proud patriot]

3. Sadly IMO these are the reasons

1) "All politicians are scum" attitude.
2)the "outcome of elections don't effect my life"
3) "they all Lie"
4)"I don't matter"
5) "I don't have the time"
6)"I'm not into politics"

these are all quotes I've witnessed in my lifetime

Sad sad sad . I do counter these comments when I
am witness to it , and have empowered many of these
people to register to vote .

[Raven]

5. I heard absolutely every one of those excuses last Sunday.

You nailed it!

[Raven]

4. Hi. I'm not sure your theory is entirely right.

Some of the people I talked to in Troy NH last weekend voted because of religious issues like abortion. I think the right wing may encourage this "one note" kind of voting. The people who I spoke to who had never voted and said they would never vote seemed to have completely given up on the system. There were a couple of people who did not have the two forms of ID that they needed to register. These people were white but I couldn't help but think of the voter registrations in the South in the 60's.

I think of the people I talked to as the "invisible poor"...they simple don't show up on anyone's radar screen and the know it.