APATHY IS THEIR GOAL, NOT THE CAUSE
by Peter Moss,

An article titled "Virgin Voters" stated that Vermont Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz is trying to encourage young citizens to register and vote. (7 Days, Nov. 5, 2003). But to say that apathy is the cause of not voting avoids the issue, which is: what causes apathy?

The main cause of apathy is the growing realization that we live in a one-party system. Shrinking numbers are deceived by the "choice" available in the "2-party" DEM-REP set-up. After all there was bi-partisan support for the oil war in Iraq, for the tax cut for the rich, for the patriot act, for the Medicare drug "benefit" fraud, against environmental protection, etc. As a direct result, people realize that DEM or REP, the rich get richer and everybody else gets children, so why vote?

The incumbents love apathy. They can continue to collect their bribes (decriminalized by calling it campaign financing) and buy name recognition ads. No messy platforms, no lofty goals, no specific legislative proposals, etc. Just serve the bosses in the Bohemian Club. And the more new voters, the chancier the continuation of the status quo. With only 40% voting, the DEMs or REPs can win with just 18% or 19% of the electorate (the other 2-3% go to the Greens, Progressives, etc.)

I have proposed a televoters' act in a recent essay. Briefly, every television set manufactured in, or imported into, the United States of America would have a remote control with three new buttons: "vote", "yes", and "no". When the "v" button is pushed, the screen would display a voting home page (VHP) which would pose a question that can be answered "yes" or "no" unequivocally. Before voting, the voter must enter his Social Security number followed by a four digit PIN (personal identification number) selected by the voter, to preclude unregistered voters and multiple votes by a registered voter. At the bottom, the VHP would display continuously up-to-the-minute yes votes and no votes in digital form, and the percentage of yes votes and no votes in analog form, once based on the total number of registered voters, and once based on the estimated total number of registered and potential (or registrable) voters. All such votes would be treated as non-binding referenda. Although computer hacking could be a temporary problem, the Electronic Highway is here to stay. A televoters act would produce instant results and increase participation. That is why incumbents will oppose it. Anyway, it's just an idea whose time has come and will not pass.