Reply To: Political Statements
jinx, you've hit the nail square on the head there. that's one of the major reasons i'm so apathetic politically. our election system is a popularity contest. almost none of the voters know where the candidates even claim to stand on most issues in any meaningful way. someone saying they're pro-choice doesn't tell you all that much, just that they'd oppose repealing roe v wade, and abortion is a complicated issue on which any thoughtful person should have a complicated and nuanced opinion, but that's no good for a sound bite so all anyone hears is the idiot version. and that's before the second question, ie to what extend does the candidate intend to actually stick to what's said at any point in their campaign or, indeed, their career.
the alternatives to electing leaders are no better, though. sometimes it seems like my choices are tyranny of the majority, tyranny of the rich, or tyranny of the tyrant. maybe i should be an anarchist.