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http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/ The utopia at the end of history will be... awkward at best. Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:59:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29581 Admiral Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:45:26 +0000 http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29581 Well... two things, quickly. One: many people vote to vote against the other person. Two: many people vote based on personal preferences about the person's likability. I may not be right, but I don't remember the last time a person lost an election who was more liked on a personal level than the other candidate. While Democrats prefer to say it was the empty rhetoric of the Federal Marriage Amendment and the War on Terror in 2004 that won it (since they're incapable of admitting Republicans can win on people preferring them), I think it had a lot to do with personality. A lot lot. Well… two things, quickly. One: many people vote to vote against the other person. Two: many people vote based on personal preferences about the person’s likability. I may not be right, but I don’t remember the last time a person lost an election who was more liked on a personal level than the other candidate. While Democrats prefer to say it was the empty rhetoric of the Federal Marriage Amendment and the War on Terror in 2004 that won it (since they’re incapable of admitting Republicans can win on people preferring them), I think it had a lot to do with personality. A lot lot.

]]> http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29579 Frank Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:11:58 +0000 http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29579 I would say that on national elections voters tend to vote on ideology and principle more than on how a candidate's policy will affect him/her monetarily. The monetary costs/benefits play a bigger role in local elections, since the effects will usually have a larger and more direct impact on the voters wallet. Although given the Democrats threat to socialize healthcare, I suspect the strength of the "monetary" variable will be increasing in the upcoming Presidential election - since it will be more than a few dimes and nickels per voter that will be at stakes. I would say that on national elections voters tend to vote on ideology and principle more than on how a candidate’s policy will affect him/her monetarily. The monetary costs/benefits play a bigger role in local elections, since the effects will usually have a larger and more direct impact on the voters wallet. Although given the Democrats threat to socialize healthcare, I suspect the strength of the “monetary” variable will be increasing in the upcoming Presidential election - since it will be more than a few dimes and nickels per voter that will be at stakes.

]]> http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29569 slade Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:03:13 +0000 http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29569 oh for crying out loud. first the alligator's editorial board and now steve levitt? oh for crying out loud. first the alligator’s editorial board and now steve levitt?

]]> http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29567 Admiral Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:29:05 +0000 http://www.awkwardutopia.com/wordpress/2007/11/is-it-irrational-to-vote/#comment-29567 I can only think of what would have happened if me and 500 other people hadn't voted for Bush in 2000. Everything changes. I feel like there is a really good argument favoring voting that wasn't made... I'm gonna think about it, but of course I agree with your comments, Matt. The payoffs can be pretty huge and at such a minimum of cost. I can only think of what would have happened if me and 500 other people hadn’t voted for Bush in 2000. Everything changes. I feel like there is a really good argument favoring voting that wasn’t made… I’m gonna think about it, but of course I agree with your comments, Matt. The payoffs can be pretty huge and at such a minimum of cost.

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