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Originally Posted by smooth
political action and parties hinge upon groups of people forming ideas based on simlar ideals. it's in peoples best interest to vote on issues that are meaningful to them or the group of people they share views with. groups coalescing together and determing what is important to them, even if there are only 7 of them, is the very nature of politics. nothing is going to result in me casting 5 or 10 votes: I only vote once, and my friends, who share similar views on the issues that are important to us as a political group, will vote one time each.
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From the sounds of your original post I was under the impression that you informed your friends as to the stances of various candidates and the impact they would have on their lives if voted into office. If it is a genuine discussion, then fine. If it's you acting as their only source of information, then it is not.
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Originally Posted by smooth
That you would draw a distinction between me or a party official motivating people to vote in a particular way is very strange to me. It seems to me that I would know the needs and issues within my circle of friends better than a party official. I must say that I find your notion of representative politics very strange if you think that people should be tested whether they know enough of some outsider's opinions and views rather than if their information is formed within the circle of people they spend time with every day of their lives.
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If you worked in marketing you would know that the influence of someone that is known to you versus the influence of a stranger (you vs. a party official) is astronomical. Strangers are more likely to be viewed as information sources - acquaintances are more likely to be viewed as decision influencers. You are therefore more likely to influence a friend's vote and this is an influence that is easily manipulated. Again, an informed decision is not made, but an order is obeyed.
I don't think I understand the second part of your paragraph. If I understand it correctly, you think that people should be tested on the views of their circle of friends? When it comes to voting someone into power, unless that person is a friend of yours, the views of your friends are irrelevant. But I don't think I've understood you correctly.
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Originally Posted by smooth
People will make an informed decision based on what is important to them--not what you (or anyone) else thinks should be important and subsequently placed on a test. My father-in-law only needs to know that his candidate doesn't want to allow abortion--he doesn't need to know what anyone else thinks about it in order to make an 'informed' decision. That's my point.
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The only problem being that not everyone will make an informed decision. And with regards to your father-in-law, I direct you to the example I've made twice now with regards to voters thinking that someone stood for something when in fact they stood for the complete opposite.