What is the thought process of the average voter?

Question

Is there any voter who actually understands the actual workings of the government, election process, the issues of the economy, the ramifications of the GWOT and our involvement, the issues in the "hotspots" of the world? OR are we continuing our long evolution into the "sheeple" that are more concerned about American Idol, the latest medical scares and bad parenting practices?

Answer 1

The thought process is more favorable to your "sheeple" example.

Answer 2

Being a Democrat I think I can answer this objectively without calling anyone a liar or generalizing either political party.  There are news organizations that are biased.  They give more of one side to a story than another.  Fox News claims to be fair and balanced and it's painfully obvious that they aren't.  And not just Fox News...other organizations are too.  But I think people aren't too interested in knowing all the facts.  They want to know just enough to form an opinion of someone that they already want to like or dislike.  I've never known anyone to change their mind about a candidate after they've made it up.  Most people that I have talked to have decided on their candidate for the craziest of reasons and they use bits of news to confirm their beliefs.  For instance I heard a woman say she wouldn't vote for Obama because he won't wear the Flag pin.  That means he's Anti-American.  Crazy, I know but that's the only reason she won't vote for him.  

Whether people vote Democrat or Republican doesn't matter to me.  What matters to me is that people make informed decisions.  To do that, they need to read more than one newspaper and/or magazine.  And they need to watch more than one news show.  They need to read the full histories on all candidates and not let anyone tell them what to believe.  People have lost the ability to be objective in many ways.

Answer 3

There are a lot of mind-numbed robots out there, but they are the least likely to vote. That's why a rainy or snowy Election Day is best for us all.

Answer 4

No, voters do not know the workigns of the government. that's why "Hope", "Change", and "Yes we can" can get votes.

Answer 5

I do think there are a lot who understand the process - but maybe only 10% of the whole.  Unfortunately not many of those are here on YA! LOL

BTW - bad parenting practices is a serious issue.

Answer 6

You got it kiddo.

The average American, especially the young., know little or nothing about history, world affairs ( oh yeah, they are well into world class affairs) politics, current events, economics, business, capitalism, etc.

The mind set today is what feels good today.

Answer 7

One political party fits the last group of descriptive phrases and Obama has a stranglehold on them.

Answer 8

I don't understand anything about politics. I do not know the difference or meaning of democrat or republican. I don't know what a green party is, I don't understand why any of it matters. The only thing that matters is how each person plans on dealing with issues, and currently, the "issues" that everyone is btching about don't even matter. Who cares about abortion? Homosexuality doesn't mean anything. Sit down, shut up, and start working to fix our country financially wise and stop worrying about everyone outside of the US. Stop worrying about everyone's individual business for a minute and get us out of debt so working families can afford gas and food.

Answer 9

They go with their gut which I'm told is getting bigger all the time.

Answer 10

The thought process of the average person, be they voters or not is simply: "What is in it for me."