Why must people be "enthusiastic" in order to vote?

[Tony_FLADEM]

How difficult is it to spend 20-30 minutes to go vote on election day?


People act as if voting is akin to strapping a 20 pound weight to your back and having to go climb up a mountain.

I'm willing to drive 10 minutes to my local polling place so 2011 and 2012 are better than 2009 and 2010.

[NightWatcher]

1. I dont even need to leave the house to vote Absentee

but I'm not going to be enthused as I was in 2008. I'm not volunteering for candidates that forget the Little Guy as soon as they get in office, ever again.

[frazzled]

2. Yeah, you wonder

I haven't missed a local or state or national election, including primaries, since I was eligible to vote in 1972. It just seems like something you have to do, like filling out tax returns: if there is an election, you get out and vote in it. If you don't feel you know who the candidates are or what the issues are, get on teh google and find out. Or ask your friends.

I sigh every time we have to vote for members of the Water Reclamation Board or for circuit judges. But I do my homework best I can, write it down on a sheet of paper, give a copy to the husband, and we march off to our local IBEW union hall and cast a damned ballot.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Metrics.

Vote at 18. (I'll change the world!)

Vote at 30. (I'll try not to get hurt by my vote)

Vote at 40. (:tinfoilhat:)

Vote at 50. (Did you hear something?)

Vote at 60. (Would somebody please wipe my ass?)

Vote at 70. (Funeral home reform! :grr:)

[Fumesucker]

4. Do you *really* think enthusiasm has nothing to do with the number of voters that turn out?

It's just human nature, you are more likely to do something you are enthused about than you are to do something you perceive as a chore or drudgery or just a formality.

[phantom power]

9. +oo

[treestar]

22. That's just irresponsible

We have many chores we have to do in life. I don't need to be inspired or motivated to do them. Who does?

We do what we have to do.

[Fumesucker]

26. In theory, theory and reality are the same, in reality they are not.

I'm talking about the reality of average people (not political junkies like us) coming out to vote, get them enthused and the likelihood of them voting becomes much higher. Otherwise turnout would be 100% of eligible voters for every single election and we know that is far from the reality of things in the USA.v

[marmar]

5. They don't.....I'm voting, but I could hardly be described as enthusiastic right now.

nt

[gratuitous]

6. I checked into it

Hours of exhaustive research. Checking and re-checking the data, my own calculations, and all the variables. Here is what I found:

If you cast your ballot while holding your nose, it counts (and here's the tricky part) exactly the same as someone who votes while pumping his fist and exclaiming "Fuck YEAH!" The bad part is that when your candidate wins, he or she doesn't recognize any difference, either, and may regard an electoral victory as a "Fuck YEAH!" endorsement of their half-assed policies, rather than as a hedge against the nitwits on the other side.

[RaleighNCDUer]

20. Ezzakly. nt

[woo me with science]

7. Many say the same thing about sex. nt

[Uzybone]

8. because some people are infantile

they want candy and rah rah and an emotive leader to hold their hands and whisper sweet nothings into their ears.

Remember how the M$M and others acted like fools because Obama didn't seem angry enough about the oil spill?

I just want serious folks who try and get shit done.

[Tony_FLADEM]

10. I agree

You are more likely to get things done if Democrats are in power. With Republicans all you will get is endless investigations and favoritism towards corporations.

[Blue Owl]

11. Because Cluck Todd needs a new talking point to make Dems look bad

And he's reachin' deep in his ass for that one.

[JVS]

12. Would you spend 20 or 30 minutes holding a parking spot for a stranger?

why? why not?

[Marr]

13. People who are not enthusiastic don't contribute to GOTV efforts.

Sure, they'll vote, but they're not going to work their behinds off for you. Every volunteer is worth a collection of votes.

[mdmc]

14. voting = easy / getting out the vote = not as easy

I know I am not fired up and ready to go.
I know I am not ready to spend tons of my own cash to elect members of the DLC.
I know I am not healthy enough to walk the streets to help get out the vote.

[DesertFlower]

15. i vote absentee. i'm not enthusiastic.

we have a great dem rodney glassman who is challenging McCain for his seat, but McCain still has a lot of support in this state.

[SoCalDem]

16. Because it's voluntary

and like any voluntary activity, people must WANT to do it, before they set aside time to do it.

WE know it only takes a few minutes, but for an average person who does not follow politics daily, they may not see it as worthy of even a few minutes of their time:(

[woo me with science]

17. Ding ding ding!

This is the right answer.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Maybe the term also implies that not only are they willing to vote, but they may

donate money or time as well. My understand of this so-called "enthusiam gap," implies that the teabaggers, in particular, are "hyped up," and are not only excited about attending rallies and town halls, but are also organized, prepated to GOTV and vote themselves.

[RaleighNCDUer]

19. it's not that we have to be enthusiastic - we just don't want to be

"strapping a 20 pound weight to your back and having to go climb up a mountain", which is how it feels to vote for a Democrat who will be pushing Republican legislation.

If I hate a policy under the Repukes, how am I supposed to like it under a Dem? I KNOW the repukes would be worse - but that doesn't mean I'm all sunshine and rainbows about voting for the suppression of GLBT citizens, extraordinary rendition, 25 million uninsured people, record unemployment accompanied by bankster bailouts...

WTF am I supposed to be happy about?

[Tony_FLADEM]

25. Giving 30 million Americans health insurance and curbing health insurance

company abuses is pushing a Republican agenda?

[treestar]

21. Absolutely!

I vote every election, to be a good citizen. I need no one to motivate me to do that.

[butterfly77]

23. Because they loved the excitement..

of the last election and they want to feel the fire..:think:

[Stevenmarc]

24. Because Americans, by and large, are as Patriotic as they are Christian.

And most are full of shit at both.