tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post4217393568803171885..comments2024-02-13T14:25:06.949-05:00Comments on the bottlenecked blog: Why I VotedHarrison Brookiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-81541151336043920732009-10-24T21:21:24.422-04:002009-10-24T21:21:24.422-04:00Ok, I just ran the equation and I found that I got...Ok, I just ran the equation and I found that I got +1,598,232.1 units of utility out of my vote (with a margin of error of +/-13.3%). So glad I voted. Thanks guys!Justinhttp://justinis.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-83152134149431611662009-10-24T21:21:00.064-04:002009-10-24T21:21:00.064-04:00Reasons Why I voted:
1. you get free chickfila &a...Reasons Why I voted:<br /><br />1. you get free chickfila & starbucks in the hospital cafeteria if u have a "I voted" sticker.<br /><br />2. so i have an answer when harrison asks me who i voted for.Gettysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-82680565375545315062009-10-24T21:20:25.118-04:002009-10-24T21:20:25.118-04:00In case you guys didn't pick up on it, Ed was ...In case you guys didn't pick up on it, Ed was a math major, ha ha.Harrison Brookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-8051138997687002372009-10-24T21:20:12.601-04:002009-10-24T21:20:12.601-04:00Just for the sake of clarity ... "(benefit pe...Just for the sake of clarity ... "(benefit per person from your candidate)" is actually marginal benefit per person from your candidate versus the alternative(s) ... not the total benefit per person of your candidate ...<br /><br />And to eliminate Justin's issues overall, a reworking of the equation:<br />(marginal per-person benefit of your candidate winning versus the alternative(s)) * (total population) + (personal benefit of voting: "good feelings", illegal reward from Starbucks, Restaurant O, Ben and Jerry's, etc., cool sticker, "respect" of your friends, et al) - (personal cost of voting: opportunity cost of time in line, fuel/wear-and-tear cost of driving to/from voting location, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95232215" rel="nofollow">danger of driving to/from voting location</a>, opportunity cost of time spent educating yourself to be able to make an informed decision for your votes)<br /><br />That equation puts the value of your candidate winning versus the cost/benefit of you casting a vote. It doesn't actually take into account the likelihood that your vote affects the outcome of the race. In SC, there were approximately 1.6 million votes cast for president, so the first part of the equation should be:<br /><br />(marginal per-person benefit of your candidate winning versus the alternative(s)) * (total population of the US) / (total votes cast in your election segment)<br /><br />And it breaks down further when you're in a state that leans heavily one way or the other, as the likelihood that your vote affects the outcome decreases if the outcome is leaning one way or the other.Edhttp://ebynum.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-13080569726596630042009-10-24T21:19:52.953-04:002009-10-24T21:19:52.953-04:00You missed what I said:
"casting your ballot...You missed what I said:<br /><br />"casting your ballot solely to effect the outcome of the election is irrational."<br /><br />Soley being the key word there. Those good feelings are surely a reason why many people vote. The difference is consumption vs. production.<br /><br />"What about the good you believe your candidate will do for you and the country?"<br /><br />The benefits to the total population (300 million) is measured in the equation.Harrison Brookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05372315442336546216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143724362136202099.post-35552273403622623202009-10-24T21:19:44.102-04:002009-10-24T21:19:44.102-04:00Come on, there's way more in that equation. Wh...Come on, there's way more in that equation. What about the good feelings you get (rational or irrational) from doing your part in our democratic process? Surely that can be seen as a benefit. What about the good you believe your candidate will do for you and the country?<br /><br />Regardless, good reasons for voting, all.Justinhttp://justinis.comnoreply@blogger.com