From: spl@pitstop.ucsd.edu (Steve Lamont)
Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy
Subject: Re: COUNTER BLITZ  -= Strike out against Pork-Party-Politcs =-
Date: 30 Sep 1992 19:34:38 GMT
Organization: University of Calif., San Diego/Microscopy and Imaging Resource
NNTP-Posting-Host: pitstop.ucsd.edu

In article <01GPE8BHZ6MK001661@utarlg.uta.edu> B645ZAW@UTARLG.UTA.EDU
(STEPHEN TICE) writes:
>      o  complex voter registration requirements
>         (instead of just using state drivers liscence or id's)

Fill out a form with your name and address is complex?

>      o  frequent relocation of polling places
>         (without postcard notice to the residents)

Hmmmm.  That's odd.  I get a reminder of where my polling place is
with my sample ballot.

>      o  frequent redefinition of district boundaries
>         (again without informing the public via postcard)

District boundaries are re-drawn only about once every 10 years,
subsequent to the census.  You may argue with the *way* that the
districts are drawn (I certainly have my doubts), but the changes
aren't that frequent.

>      o  "representation" by number coded district
>         (rather than neighborhood, subdivison, or town)

How is the "South Fernwood Acres Congressional District" any more or
less descriptive than Congressional District 32?  How does this lead
to any better or worse representation?

>      o  dominant party control of districting
>         (to exclude minor party or independent access)

No argument there -- but I'd like to hear of an alternative that is
less prone to corruption.  Computer generated congressional districts maybe?

>      o  tax subsidies of dominant party campaigns
>         (also to exclude minor party or independent access)

No argument here.

>      o  elections on work days
>         (rather than simple mail-in voting)

All employers, by law, must give employees time off to vote.  Anyhow,
every day is a work day for someone.  Other days run afoul of
religious proscriptions.  In any case, you can always request an
absentee ballot.  In California, I believe, you can even request one
at the time you register to vote (I know when I registered I was
offered the opportunity -- I frankly don't remember whether it was for
just that election or for as long as I wished).

>      o  age restrictions
>         (rather than direct recognition that every citizen
>          regardless of their degree of intellectual or material
>          attainment has a valuable viewpoint to offer)

The vote for the newborn!  Now there's a concept for ya.

>And lastly, the most damaging: dominant media control of the
>world view (ie propaganda) by leaving out essential facts, or
>just plain lies.

... as opposed to the counterculture/right-wing/left-wing/radical-centrist
media which are always oh-so-fair.  Everyone pushes their own
viewpoint to the detriment (and sometimes exclusion) of all others.

Face it.  The media aren't there to give you information.  They're
there to sell you cars and beer and soap and what have you.  The
"programming" or editorial content, whether it's "news," music videos,
sitcoms, or the latest made-for-teevee potboiler, is just there to
keep you interested long enough to watch the commercials (or read the
ads or listen to the five minute spot cluster).

So what else is new?

							spl
-- 
Steve Lamont, SciViGuy -- (619) 534-7968 -- spl@szechuan.ucsd.edu
UCSD Microscopy and Imaging Resource/UCSD Med School/La Jolla, CA 92093-0608
"If you don't think people are this crazy, you need to move to LA!"
                                     - Gary Stollman
Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy