- Trends in groups often start with one or a few persons taking a stand. Expressing your intent on voting in your network is one way to get other network members to the voting booth. One can increase voter participation by announcing plans to vote. One must do this in a community that is predisposed to your candidate.
- Researchers investigated the effect of a single person's decision to vote. The person's influence spread throughout their local cluster. People were 15 percent more likely to vote if one of their political discussants made clear their intentions to vote.
- Within the research population, a citizen would positively affect the turnout decision of up to four other people. The researchers called this a "turnout cascade". In addition, the increased turnout was found to favor the candidate of the initiator. Human clusters tend to contain similar preferences for candidates and issues, thus an increase in participation was equivalent to an increase in between two and three votes for the candidate.
- Building connections to undecided voters and those who support your view are key battlegrounds in elections.
- If you are well integrated in your neighborhood, and are known for providing useful advice to neighbors then consider talking to them about your candidate. Also put out a yard sign supporting your candidate, and suggest others do so.
- Unless they are public figures, strangers do not influence. Instead of having strangers call voters, or knock on doors, the campaign should find well-connected supporters and have them go out into their clusters [workplaces, places of worship, neighborhoods, sports leagues, etc.] building support for the candidate. Bringing in masses of campaign workers, who are strangers, to contact local voters may cause more harm than good.
- This may have been part of the cause in the collapse of the 2004 Dean campaign in Iowa. The Dean campaign had a strategy called the Dean Storm - they would fly in people from across the country who they had recruited on the Internet. These outsiders would then go out into the public to persuade caucus participants.
- The Kerry campaign had a more successful strategy, and an apparently better understanding of social networks. The Kerry campaign connected to local politicians who had already build local influence networks over the years. The Kerry people had friends, neighbors, and co-workers influencing each other, and a surprising victory.
The preceding paragraphs come from Chapter Nine of book called Extreme Democracy, by Valdis Krebs. The chapter is appropriately titled, "It's the conversations, stupid! The link between social interaction and political choice." This chapter is well worth reading, or at least skimming (it gets gnarly in some places, but you'll easily get the main ideas): http://www.extremedemocracy.com/chapters/Chapter%20Nine-Krebs.pdf
May we now combine the preceding with a dose of common sense (apologies to any scientists reading this). What is the greatest factor that determines whether a high-schooler goes to college? What's the greatest factor determining whether a teenager will smoke or get into drugs? Have sex early? Work on computers? Get a job? C'mon, you were a teenager--don't pretend you don't know! It's the network of friends, which according to the rather amazing work of Mr. Krebs, is the very same factor weighing on whether people will vote, and often who they'll vote for.
I trust that you mouse clickers are beginning to see light here. We need to get to that group who might not vote for one reason or another, even though they are predisposed in the proper political direction. Consider the effect of the following email on your own network of friends, who you're fairly certain will vote correctly, if they actually get out to vote (or its effect on a friend who may somehow be undecided):
"Hey old friend, or new... just a gentle reminder to suggest setting aside some time for the upcoming election. I confess I've missed a few elections myself, for being preoccupied or unable to imagine what difference my vote would make. But I promise you I will get out for this one! I consider my vote to be my one silver bullet to let our leaders know how I think and feel. Many elections have hinged on a small number of votes, even one vote, as I'm sure you know. Someone recently pointed out that "democracy is not a spectator sport." How very true! So, yes I promise you I'll get out and vote in the upcoming election, for your sake, my sake, and that of humankind.
I was about to end by saying, "I hope all is well," but it's because I know the answer that I'm emailing my friends in the first place. Last but not least, it would surely help our cause if you'd pass this email on to others, or do an email of your own that helps gets those silver bullets flying!
P.S. Take a half hour or so and email something like the above to anyone you consider in your network. It may sound like preaching to the choir, but given what appears to be solid research, your clicking away just might tip the scales. Given Krebs' advice, I don't recommend emailing any of your less friendly contacts, unless you're a masochist who enjoys getting flamed (yes, I've been there, too).
Now if you can't do THAT much, I do recommend you heed the title of this article!
Geery lived off the grid for 15 years in an earth-sheltered, solar heated home, while his kids learned in school that solar energy isn't feasible. NAPTA hosts a page on Geery's foibles in education, and explains how he got his butt fired from a tenured teaching position. Here's a short clip of his most recent solar contraption; for more on that project, and Geery's contention that the Wright Brothers took a wrong turn, please visit his airship page (hyperblimp.com). Apparently, Geery is the only one in the world to respond to Osama bin Laden, call bullshit on him and George together, and expose them for the pansy ass rich kids that they are. Unfortunately, bin Laden has been too scared to write back and explain himsself; and George is still working hard to finish his goat book.
The nightly fairies came as usual, and suggested the following for the emails I'm now going to send. I think the P.S. below may move some Doubting Thomases:
Hey old friend, or new... just a gentle reminder to suggest setting aside some time for the upcoming election. I confess I've missed a few elections myself, for being preoccupied or unable to imagine what difference my vote would make. But I promise you I will get out for this one! I consider my vote to be my one silver bullet to let our leaders know how I think and feel. Many elections have hinged on a small number of votes, even one vote, as I'm sure you know. Someone recently pointed out that "democracy is not a spectator sport." How very true! So, yes I promise you I'll get out and vote in the upcoming election, for your sake, my sake, and that of humankind.
I was about to end by saying, "I hope all is well," but it's because I know the answer that I'm emailing my friends in the first place. Last but not least, it would surely help our cause if you'd pass this email on to others, or do an email of your own that helps gets those silver bullets flying!
P.S. Research on recent elections strongly indicates that making our voting intentions known to friends, can make a large difference in voter turnout. If you want more info about it, here's an article on voter turnout>
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 72 quicklinks, 123 diaries, 739 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 8:19:03 AM
Both sides are pro-war, have consistently voted against the constitution and turned the Bill of Rights into flash paper (disappears before our eyes!), pro-torture, is O.K. with the deaths of 3 million Iraqis over the last 15 years, pro-military (xxx-0 voting record), police/military state activists (RealID and blanket spying). They support covert operations on both sides and have for the last 60 years, killing innocents around the world. Both the Senate and Congress are nearly 100% behind the Israeli destruction of Lebanon. Both Dems and Cons are for hiring mercenary companies to work with black operations to torture and snuff innocent men, women and children around the world. Does Somalia, Sudan, Kosovo, Nigeria, Chad, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Ecuador ring a bell?
The vampires in Washington are a face that hides the real power and they vote accordingly. Few care about working class wage slaves and their families, just as they don't give a damn about life around this planet. It is something to be conquered for the people that know better how to tell the masses how to live their lives.
Globalist interests started with the liberals and made it later to "conservatives". Neo-liberalism has been practiced by administrations since Ford. Carter and associated Senate and Congressional committees started the creation and funding of the mujahadeen to work with mercenaries in Europe, Africa and Asia as the death squads of the eastern hemisphere with the blessings of democrats and republicans in congress. No one paid attention to the activities in Central America when both sides of the isle supported death squads from the "School of the Americas".
Our "representatives" support the lies in our "American" curriculum in schools, the expansion of the empire through robbing resources and wealth of other countries, always vote for more money for the M.I. Complex and never let an opportunity to put more fear into the people any chance they get.
Vote in America? Not when there is a choice of to absolute evils. I'll just watch the concocted results as they come in as reality TV entertainment and wake up the next day knowing that nothing has really changed. The "parties" are really just a hybrid of one, just like the two faces on a coin.
by
Jim Reinhart (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 10:08:43 AM
You speak the truth, and your conclusion is not unreasonable. So many people I see are walking around like zombies, oblivious to the horror show we're in. If you don't have a pit in your stomach about what's going on, you aren't paying attention. And I don't think NASA with their Hubble telescope has spotted Jesus sailing in yet...
It was seeing this coming that caused me to make every effort to get Dennis Kucinich on the presidential ballot. If enough people had but pulled the right lever back then, we would not be in this mess. And I still contend he is the one candidate actually holding out hope, as I think even his website shows.
As for the immediate upcoming elections, my personal hope is that enough people send such a resounding message that we want a way out of hell, rather than going further in, that elected officials take note and grow some balls, and maybe some ears too.
Why will I vote? Because I basically believe in humanity, I think the Universe is somehow a remarkable and beautiful place, and because neither you nor I know what's around the bend. Also, I have every reason to believe that what is around the bend has everything to do with what we do now, how we think, and how we act toward each other.
On a yet more personal level, I thought I was dying not so ago--no, I was dying, with an ejection fraction of 10% (ask any nurse, if you're not sure that means)--and then a year ago August 17, I had a heart transplant. So I feel a bit like Lazarus, and believe that I ought to do SOMETHING besides get buried alive.
Check out the links in my profile, and you'll see a few more reasons why I am going to vote.
But let's face it, life is a pretty personal thing, and we each need to make up our own mind.
I still hope you get out and vote.
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 72 quicklinks, 123 diaries, 739 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 11:20:20 AM
Deciding NOT to vote prevails in my social network
I get the feeling that I am witnessing evidence of mass brainwashing. Readers of sites like this support voting for Democraps more because of their hatred of the Bush regime and Republicrooks than because of their confidence that Democraps will do what they have not done in many decades - actually serve the interests of working- and middle-class Americans, fight corporate and special interest corruption wherever it is, and overhaul and restore our democracy. Voting in our current two-party duopoly controlled political system is exactly like participating in a game (sports or gambling) when you know it is crooked and stacked against you. A sane person does not try to have an intelligent conversation with an insane person. As far as I and my social network friends, we see no rational reason for voting for any candidates of the two major parties (okay there are a very few exceptions of true mavericks - my favorite Republicrook one is Ron Paul). I would like to see all you neo-progressives jumping on the Democrap bandwagon explicitly tell the world exactly what reform actions a Democrap controlled House would take. Or, will you just be satisfied by the entertaining crusade to punish Bush and his fellow criminally guilty Republicrooks? They deserve criminal indictments not just impeachment, of course. But all that activity will be an enormous distraction for the public. Will we see courageous legislative actions? How long will it take for you gung-ho Democrap supporters to admit that being better than Republicrooks does not define a great political party? I say stop voting if your only choices are Democraps or Republicrooks - stop giving credibility and legitimacy to our totally corrupt political system.
by
Joel S. Hirschhorn (131 articles, 32 quicklinks, 60 diaries, 524 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 12:10:03 PM
I like to think I'm not moved by hatred, so much as picking the lesser of two evils. No, I don't think you'd see a lot of courageous actions with the Democrats. They condoned the Iraq war, as we all know. Put Kucinich in, however, one of the few who voted vehemently against the Iraq war, and has tried to establish a Department of Peace, and then I think you would see a lot of changes, as his issues website indicates. I suppose I still dream that if we got the Craps in now, we could pressure them to put their most serious leader out front. I think at this point, even my life-long Republican father would vote for Dennis.
Meanwhile, give me Edward Kennedy or Orrin Hatch, and I don't find the decision too difficult. Nor do I think Edward Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and a great many others are all that insane. I imagine they're all highly pressured by corporate interests, but that is one of the first things Pelosi claims she'd end.
Also, let us assume that we could convince everyone in America not to vote. Look who we're left with. At that point, I imagine you and I and Rob Kall might become good friends in some Haliburton detention camp.
I'd actually be sorely tempted to go further than a criminal indictment for Bush, as my friend, David Blomstom, suggests at one of his websites, jail4bush. And I guess I'd rather have the public distracted by that, than, say, Clinton's dong. I suppose I could not help enjoying it, but I hope I would not give up on so many other causes.
I don't know anyone who believes we're on a level playing field. It's more like a ninety degree tilt. But it's the only playing field in town, except for the one called education (which deserves infinitely more attention than most adults give it, as it is the only way I can conceive of to alter the system for good).
Also, in my opinion, there are countless seeds in the system that have yet to be nourished to fruition. The fundamental goodness of humans, for example, that Sally Kohn wrote about on Common Dreams, and that almost any elementary school teacher can tell you about. As could my wife, who works her butt off teaching eighth grade science. And what about the ideas of, say, Amory Lovins, at Rocky Mountain Institute?
I'm not sure what a neo-progressive is, but I'd prefer to be called a simpleton, since I like simple things. Like F = ma, E = mc2, up is up, down is down, and the Republicans need to go. Still, my article was meant more as a suggestion than as a dictum. I can relate to your feelings, but I'll pick the other poison.
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 72 quicklinks, 123 diaries, 739 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 8:08:50 PM
"Kill your family! Torch your house! Then go shoot yourself!
This article pretty much reflects my own thoughts on voting. I generally agree with what Geery has to say. As far as the way the political climate has soured other people on all politicians, making them complacent in their resignation (here comes a rant), I wish to point out that there has been demonstrated a very real difference between the two major political parties. The Democratic party represents the interests of people who have to work for a living, as opposed to the Republicans (majority in Congress, control of the executive branch, extremely conservative SCOTUS appointees), who have rubber-stamped the neocon agenda as promoted by the president. Corporations have been given massive breaks, workers are left without pensions, Social Security is under assault, jobs have been outsourced, we are under surveillance without judicial oversight, which a REPUBLICAN MAJORITY DID NOT OPPOSE! The cost of health care and the fact that 48 million people in this country have no health insurance. The erosion of the constitutional separation of church and state has been promoted by this administration, and the REPUBLICAN MAJORITY in Congress has done little to oppose it. With rare exceptions (Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, Sen. Chuck Hegel of Nebraska), there has been little dissent from the Republican side of the aisle, and the only bill vetoed by the President was one which had bi-partisan support, but not enough to override a veto--embryonic stem cell research, it seems, is immoral if it is not done by privately owned pharmaceutical companies, who are able to market their technology to those who can afford to pay top dollar for the miraculous remedies that can be developed through embryonic stem cell research. The rest of us who cannot afford it, can just go ahead and suffer from diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease & myriad other conditions, go broke, bankrupt our families, or perhaps just die. The Democrats did not preside over the era of economic disparity that recalls that of the 1920's (anyone who thinks that private accounts are better than Social Security should review what life was like for people who were older or no longer able to work before the Social Security Act). The Republicans hate any program that benefits those who are not born with a trust fund, and although progressives were the ones who initiated reforms that made our drinking water safe, it was a Republican administration that greenlighted relaxed EPA rules for arsenic levels in our drinking water. It was a Republican administration that, with the compliance of a REPUBLICAN majority in Congress, cut the budget for first responders and local law enforcement agencies--those law & order hardass Republicans.
Don't like to vote? Then don't--that way, when you lose that right as well, you won't be missing anything. But at least you'll know in your heart of hearts, that you are more sincere than those crooked politicians. Yeah--you totally rock! Let's have a beer together sometimes--I swear, I'm not a politician. I just try to hire better ones. By VOTING.
And right now, the best way to vote is to vote for the Democratic candidates. If the election isn't close, then it'll be more difficult for the Republicans to steal it by screwing around with the machines. Oh, and WHO, praytell, sponsored a bill (H.R. 550), that would create a verifiable paper trail for ballots? Why, it was a Democrat, Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12). Great Day In The Morning!
by
Laur (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments)
on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 8:37:02 PM
I said, "What? Is this guy from Oklahoma?" Yesterday, a father blew his three kids away, put them on the bed, side-by-side, started his house on fire, then got on top of his precious dead kids and blew his brains out. It is not that rare for it to happen.
Had a neighbor that did exactly the same thing?
Me, I'll go with MoveOn.org and make calls to Ohio where the race is so tight, you couldn't put a high E guitar string through it. 9-}
ccharpman
by
Dale Hill (58 articles, 0 quicklinks, 102 diaries, 347 comments)
on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 12:55:13 AM
Well, Dale, that of course is the exact opposite of what I was advocating. I can only apologize for what in hindsight does not look so great as a title, given what you're saying.
By all means, keep making those phone calls!
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 72 quicklinks, 123 diaries, 739 comments)
on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 6:20:21 PM
Mr. Han your article title is a bit over the top. But perhaps its better than hijack and airliner and slam it into the Whitehouse. At any rate....voting for representatives is the problem.
We keep pushing the same garbage wagon. We should stop voting in an organized way, and demand only issues to be voted on.
Issues are the peoples concerns along with representatives who support such and such issues. But the Representatives lie, to flex their dominion over the legislate.
We as a people must realize that we represent ourselves and our own directions. When we combine we become stronger. No one can steal that outcome. When the issue vote is decided it becomes a matter of administration, and management.
We don't need Presidents, or Senators, or Congress. We only need our vote. I think Judges are servants and not representatives so we can vote for them to do and administer our courts of law.
Don't Kill you family! Torch your house! Then Shoot yourself!
Demand change in the process. We don't want to vote for Presidents anymore. They are the problem. Representatives wage battles across America, we don't need this.
Our issues are the concern, and the peoples vote should decide these issues. This way no one is singled out for being the cause of this or that. The ego mania is humbled, and real America comes forth.
So lets not be afraid to NOT voting for representatives, but put your vote in for the issues.
I will never be lied to again. Paper trails for Issue voting is great. Paper Trails for Representatives are not going to assure that Representative is going to represent me.
I want my own representation. I am sick and tired of handing my life vote over to some loser politician. Time and Time and Time again..they all prove to be losers.
If anyone needs an awakening it is Americans on this issue. I certainly do not think Bush wouold have succeeded in doing 911 and lying about going to War..if the people did not support representative government.
They may have blown up the WTC, but at least the peoples vote I am sure would support a real 911 investigation.
By going the way of representatives, we Americans allow a corrupt system to continue operating. We allow murderers to walk the streets.
Frankly no sense in Killing your Family, Torch your house, or Shoot Yourself....they will do it to you anyway....because you support the representatives of Corruption.
by
Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 930 comments)
on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 7:11:22 AM
How's that being your own representative working out for you? Passed any laws?
Don't like either party? Vote for the least bad, then start local initiatives to frame the government laws you want, then lobby them to the state level, then federal AS FAST AS YOU CAN!
by
brantl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 23 comments)
on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 9:49:53 PM
How's that being your own representative working out for you? Passed any laws?
..It has worked pretty well for me. I know it is senseless in supporting your lying illegal laws, so I have my laws I go by and come to find out they are actually superior to yours.
Don't like either party? Vote for the least bad, then start local initiatives to frame the government laws you want, then lobby them to the state level, then federal AS FAST AS YOU CAN!
..Yes I don't like either party or 3 parties, and think it is the party system that is wack-o. No I don't vote for the least bad, I vote for the good and the best way to do things. I believe in Issue Resolutional Democracy. I do not trust anyone with my vote. I dare say voting in America is really allowing politicians to use our vote, anyway they seem fit. They do not represent me, they represent themselves, by stealing my vote. Who protects my vote? No-one. Nonparty politics...places issues at the platform, giving all Americans the opportunity to vote on those issues. The results determine the direction of the country. No longer do we need Congressmen, Senators, Presidents, and V.P's. They are merely correspondents and administrators implementing the peoples will.
This will eliminate dirty campaigns, buying elections, and career politicians. It is high time the people took responsibility for themselves, and not give their votes to lying, murdering, thieving, terrorist politicians.
by brantl (0 articles, 8 comments) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 8:49:53 PM
by
Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 930 comments)
on Monday, October 23, 2006 at 8:27:43 AM
12 comments
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