“The reality is that democracy is a very blunt instrument, and in todayÄôs environment we are choosing between ways of muddling through. We may hear that the election is about different visions for AmericaÄôs future, but the pitches may be more akin to selling different brands of soap.”
elections
Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections is a new documentary about voting manipulation and the disastrous state of our polling systems. The trailer strikes a balance of citizen activism and paranoia that I usually get a kick out of.
“There are only two kinds of reform that have any chance of actually reducing total expenditure on presidential elections. The first is to reduce the value of the presidency itself… The second is to reduce the uncertainty about who’s going to win.” I vote for the former.
Arnold Kling on politics and cults:
I do not know Ron Paul. He may be wise. He may be decent. But to dismiss all doubts about his judgment and his character would be to succumb to a cult.
Let me hasten to add that I do not think of the Paul cult as unique. I am equally loathe to join the Clinton cult, the Obama cult, the Guiliani cult…you name it.
For me, democratic politics is a “lesser of evils” game, and I’m never sure how best to play it. But I have to say that when I read that this year’s New Hampshire primary had a record turnout, it made my heart sink rather than warm. Not that I’m against voting, but I hate to think of people as buying into anyone’s political campaign.
