We could fix that, of course. It would probably require a Federalizing of voting place standards and some funding, with the intent of bringing the lesser to the level of the better, thus equalizing access to voting. How much would this effectively empower the lower classes? I don’t know, I want it done for reasons of justice, I want it done for reasons of egalitarian democracy, which is the central principle of my political outlook.
I expect this is unlikely any time soon, I expect some firm opposition from Republicans. Actually, I expect they would gibber, greeb, daub themselves with shit and set their hair on fire rather than let such a thing happen. Strictly for reasons of high-minded civic virtue, you may be sure.
Yes, but he was using that to dodge the fact that it’s not a class issue, but one that varies by location, economy and budgeting priorities. For example, the town I grew up in was one of the wealthier towns in America, but had some sections in the ‘old part of town’ that were lower-middle and upper-lower class housing. There was even some subsidized housing. And everybody in town, absolutely everybody, could vote at the same exact polling locations.
The small(ish) towns I’ve lived in since then had the same general situation, there’s been a mix of lower, middle and upper classes and all of them have the same polling places, usually the local schools.
Quite possibly, and that also varies depending on whether or not we’re talking about an urban environment. Even poor neighborhoods in a town may not have the population to be their own districts, for example, and so they won’t be effected. And, as I pointed out earlier, a lot of the mechanics of physical voting is obviated by the fact that it’s often possible to order a ballot and submit it by mail.
And even then, difficulties (at least those we hear about on the news) tend to be in densely populated urban areas. And due to that fact, any number of factors are more relevant and telling than class status, from how district lines are drawn to how city funds are allocated, and so on.
While Lucy was happy to declare victory while not really reading what I’d posted, the point is that sure class can be involved, but so can racial groupings and education status and so on. But that doesn’t mean it’s a lower-education-level-struggle. The factors that can influence voting districts and funding allocations in big cities is certainly a topic worthy of discussion and analysis, but simply declaring “it’s class struggle” is an abdication of analysis, not its fulfillment.
So your town was small enough that it didn’t have more than one polling station? I’ll take your word for that, and in that case what we’re talking about doesn’t apply. But in larger areas, that’s not the case. Looking at the congressional district in my county in the last election, we had 70 different precincts, as you can see here (in PDF):
Sure, but even in those cases (that we hear about on the news) tend to be in the poorer sections of urban areas. Rich neighborhoods in urban areas don’t usually have much problem with voting. And you’re right that you have to take into account how district lines are drawn and how funds are allocated, and all that, but those questions aren’t independent from questions of wealth and social class either.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think you can just look at every social issue and say “Oh, it’s class”, and then be done with your analysis. But I also don’t think you can just dismiss class differences and their social effects, which some people (although not necessarily you) want to do.
Nah, you misunderstand. It had several, but they were at the local schools all of which were within walking distance from pretty much everywhere within their sub-district and all of which had more than enough machines. And the district was sub-divided into precincts in such a manner that even low class people who lived in subsidized housing voted along side rich people who lived in mansions (and of course middle class people in the middle). The town I just moved from, actually, had some really shitty housing (that I was living in) just two streets down from houses that were 100K+, and both were in the same precinct.
You are correct. But that’s my point, class can be a factor, but it’s not necessary the only factor or the most important one. Population density, demographics, political divisions via gerrymandering, etc… There are any number of factors, and focusing solely on class and declaring that urban precinct adequacy is simply an issue of “class struggle” pigeonholes a complicated issue into a pet gloss.
I think that, voting especially, the situation can get very, very complicated. With abuses during the 2000 presidential election, for example, were they anti-Democrat? Anti-Black? Anti-low SES level? Etc… Class can enter into it, and I’d be interested in seeing a detailed analysis. But “in some urban centers some lower class people are adversely effected to a certain degree” is not, as I see it, a rigorous analysis.
Lucy, I understand that you’re not quite bright enough to understand nuance and clowning is pretty much the limit of your intellectual output. I do get it, honestly.
But as usual, your lack of understanding is not a problem with anything I’ve posted, let alone backpedaling. Go figure