Well, I ran one once, but that was a full year ago.
But to consider 2004 alone is to cherry-pick the best case over the past thirty years or so, is it not? And that 61% is still well behind all the countries I listed.
It appears to me that this is the bottom of a trend that started roughly 25 years prior. Can you speak as to why that may be? I mean was Cleveland that much of a downer? 
So, because someone doesn’t vigourously participate, on this message board, in discussions about politics you assume they don’t care? I care a great deal but I tend to read the discussions and talk about the stuff I learn with others.
I’ve lived in both Australia and in the US. While living in Australia, I had a a fair bit of nvolvement in local political activity, through community groups and through a political party. At one time my wife ran foir office as a city councillor – though not in the expectation of getting elected, just with the aim of stopping the local lord mayor from being elected as a councillor, and that aim was successful. So I had a lot of friends involved invarious ways with politics.
In the US, as a non-citizen, my participation in politics is limited, though at one time I attended some branch meetings of a political party. And as a result I don’t know many people involved in politics.
So, my personal experience is different from Martini Enfield’s. However, one thing that I have observed in the US is that, outside the big cities and big counties, there are a whole lot more political offices per head of population in the US than there are in Australia. So I would expect higher political participation in rural areas and small towns in the US, because of all the positions that have to be filled. It’s different in Australia where, generally, local government areas have similar populations in any part of the country (which means that some rural shires cover very large areas, of course), and there’s only one kind of local government, as compared with counties, villages, townships, school districts, etc., that you find in most of the US.
In Canada, if you turn your back someone like Martin or Harper will get elected, and the nation will continue to tick along quite nicely.
In the USA, if you turn your back, someone like Bush will get elected, and start a war.
One would then expect an educated and articulate American to be somewhat more interested in politics.
Let me take a guess as to why voter turnout for Presidential elections in the U.S. is lower than many other developed countries.
[ul]
[li]Polls and news coverage on election day. I’ve spoken to quite a few people who said, “Nah, I didn’t vote yesterday, because when I got off work they were saying that so-and-so was a lock.”[/li][li]Insufficient options. People perceive that only Democrats and Republicans have a chance of being elected, and that perception makes it true. If you feel that there are only two meaningful options on the ballot and you don’t like either one, why vote?[/li][li]Predictions that your candidate either (a) doesn’t stand a chance or (b) is a shoo-in, so your individual vote won’t matter.[/li][/ul]
Personally, I make a point of voting no matter what. At least I’ll be tallied in that final count at the end of the day. And I’m a firm believer that your right to bitch and moan about politicians begins with your willingness to participate in the democratic process.
As attractive as your cynical worldview often is, I thing attributing this to “most” Americans is way off base. Revenge and perceived self-defense aside, I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of Americans would prefer that foreign policy involved no killing whatsoever, and that a healthy minority of Americans would prefer that much more attention be given to solving U.S. problems and much less to interfering with other sovereign nations.
That’s not very nice, it wasn’t Wilson’s fault he suffered that stroke…
Politics was the national sport. Arguing about politics was a local entertainment. Becoming a voter was a coming of age moment.
To begin with, only certain men (and we know who was excluded) could vote. Since voting was exclusive, arguing publicly about how you were going to vote was showing off that you were a voter. There are those that believe that as the voting population widened, being able to vote became less exclusive and therefore less desirable. I don’t think that the dates line up well enough to be sure. But arguing about politics still goes on.
Some would say this happens because Americans don’t pay enough attention to these fruitcakes to realize they’re fruitcakes, until it’s too late.
I disagree with that completely. I post on other, local message boards* and there is ongoing debate/argument/discussion/donnybrook about politics in this country.
- none as civilised at the Dope, natch.
Oh, dear. I shudder to imagine.
Don’t try. It isn’t pretty.
Any links, Jabiru? Honestly, not one single person around where I am has the slightest interest in politics- I admit my own interest in politics is largely related to keeping an eye on what’s happening with firearm legislation- but it would be interesting to see what sort of discussions are happening out there.