tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post2130900251901946979..comments2024-02-13T14:25:06.949-05:00Comments on the bottlenecked blog: When Shouting is Better than VotingHarrison Brookiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-63668895841536267892010-06-01T09:39:56.767-04:002010-06-01T09:39:56.767-04:00Just got this link from Jeff:
http://www.scienced...Just got this link from Jeff:<br /><br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100531082859.htm<br /><br />The system described here still favors the wealthy, I think, since it's measuring votes in "real" dollars rather than proportions, but this is exactly what we were talking about...Amikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-69679576655096568242010-05-29T01:14:08.252-04:002010-05-29T01:14:08.252-04:00Awesome! I want to go!Awesome! I want to go!Amikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-1888096626241616132010-05-28T20:03:26.274-04:002010-05-28T20:03:26.274-04:00That's a great idea! Though I guess Bill Gates...That's a great idea! Though I guess Bill Gates could control politics by donating billions to a poor person who then donates it to a politician. Still, I feel like there is something in the idea.<br /><br />As for James Madison, there are fewer better politicians to quote. In fact, I'm getting paid to go to a <a href="http://center.montpelier.org/neh" rel="nofollow">week long conference on him this summer</a>.Harrison Brookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-20559283791716537552010-05-28T15:23:09.384-04:002010-05-28T15:23:09.384-04:00Well, the point is to register how much you care a...Well, the point is to register how much you care about the issue in question, right? In that case, probably better to measure the 'value' of donations as a percentage of income, rather than in real dollar amounts. I presume that would be true of charity giving, political giving, and everything else--even purchasing goods for personal use. ("I care SO MUCH about the Black-Eyed Peas that I will spend 40 percent of my weekly paycheck to see them live.")<br /><br />The point about Christ-like voters is a good one, but I can't take credit for it--that's me paraphrasing James Madison again.Amikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-74210149622949296632010-05-26T21:42:33.829-04:002010-05-26T21:42:33.829-04:00Sure a thousand dollars means less to a millionair...Sure a thousand dollars means less to a millionaire than it does to a pauper, but I'm not sure that unravels the value of the shout. As for the the Luke passages, those were in regard to sacrificing for charity, not having your political voice heard. I think the two are too different to compare.<br /><br />Good point about Christ-like voters and politicians. But my guess if we were perfect, a benevolent dictator would probably be easiest.Harrison Brookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-33741076133038790442010-05-26T15:05:39.119-04:002010-05-26T15:05:39.119-04:00...a passage that ends happily (i.e. the REAL sacr......a passage that ends happily (i.e. the REAL sacrifice is recognized as such) only because the observer is Jesus, who is insightful and who has his priorities straight. Were every politician and every voter Christ-like, this setup would work just as well for campaign donations. (Of course if men were angels, we wouldn't need government at all.)Amikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-21251007357180638272010-05-26T15:00:00.827-04:002010-05-26T15:00:00.827-04:00Good points. On campaign finance: I see your point...Good points. On campaign finance: I see your point, but eliminating limits on donations will not accomplish the purpose you're seeking here. The multimillionaire can give hundreds of thousands without batting an eye--it's not "costly" for him in the same way that it's "costly" for a single mother working two jobs to donate $50 to a campaign. That's a 'louder shout,' in the sense you're describing, but of course the $100,000 donation will register as a louder shout in political discourse (and in the mind of the politician receiving it).<br /><br />Or in other words, Luke 21: 1-4.Amikenoreply@blogger.com