THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE (COMMENT).

THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE (COMMENT). Nick and Dick Weisfelder expressed some skepticism about American voters here. I have a much more favorable opinion of the American electorate. Nevertheless, reading about Adlai Stevenson in 1960 brings to mind the story about the man collecting petition signatures for Stevenson that year. One of the people he asked told him, “Of course, I’ll support him. I’ve voted for him the last two elections, and things have been going great.” The story was much told in 1960, but may be an urban legend (an unknown phrase in 1960). A few years later, I was told directly by a friend that he had been collecting petition against the Viet Nam war. One person was eager to sign because she felt it was so unfair that the Viet Cong were using gorillas as soldiers.

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3 Responses to THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE (COMMENT).

  1. Dick Weisfelder says:

    I’ve been misquoted. I said nothing about American voters, but expressed concern about the unduly elongated electoral process. However the burden now rests on Philip to explain his “much more favorable opionion of the American electorate.” I’m sure I’ll comment on that!

  2. Philip says:

    I apologize, Dick. Nick had commented that American voters…”don’t want to be informed”, and I took Dick’s general agreement as a blanket endorsement of what Nick said. I think that the nomination process is going to continue to run for almost two years because of the advantage that campaigning gives in the primaries. The primaries could be held closer to the conventions, but the powers in the parties seem to want a candidate chosen by at least the beginning of April. Dick, I will post on my “more favorable opinion of the American electorate.”

  3. Pingback: Pater Familias » ARE VOTERS RATIONAL? (COMMENT)

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