MTV's Rock The Vote

[Sapper6]

each presidential election year, MTV launches its "Rock the Vote" campaign, supported by loads of tv ads on their network, celebrity endorsement of the RTV movement, etc. the main idea behind their Rock the Vote ad campaign is to encourage the younger-able-to-vote generation to get out there and vote and "to make a difference". i happened to see one of these ads on MTV the other night and what is mentioned in the ad is, "regardless if you even know who's running, vote for SOMETHING, beit education, medicine, science, foreign affairs, domestic issues, whatever...".

is this a good message to send across to the "young and easily influenced"...? i guess im wondering does this mindset lead to overall bigger problems in the future. i firmly beleive you shouldn't vote or not vote for a candidate based upon where they stand on just ONE issue but rather where they fall in the MULTITUDE of issues, both foreign AND domestic.

let's say for example little Bobby just turned 18 and spends most of his late nights burning his eyes on MTV. he happens to see one of these ads and bases his decision about who he's voting for because of where candidate X resides on one issue, but not having any clue about what candidate X feels about other, possibly more important issues.

if any of you have happened to catch any of the Rock the Vote campaign shows, basically the candidates are put in front of a studio, "town-hall style" audience of young Americans ranging in ages from 18-25ish. the candidates are asked a multitude of questions from the audience, whereas, mostly all of the questions have mainly to do with things that affect or are affecting Americans of this age group.

i guess im just stating that when Americans of ANY age go to the polls here in a couple weeks, they should do their best to know AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE about ALL candidates, and use this information more wisely when making a decision about who should be our next countrie's leader. i somewhat disagree with the idea of "vote for something".

what do you guys and gals think...? this should have nothing to do with partisanship or anything ralated to our current candidates, but instead, to the more specific Rock the Vote MTV campaign.

cheers,

Sapper6

 

[michaeledward]

i guess im just stating that when Americans of ANY age go to the polls here in a couple weeks, they should do their best to know AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE about ALL candidates, and use this information more wisely when making a decision about who should be our next countrie's leader. i somewhat disagree with the idea of "vote for something".

According to current regulation, the right to vote exists for all citizens (naturalized or natural born) at the age of 18. No other restrictions are placed on voters. At one point there were other restrictions; you had to be male, you had to own property, you had to be older than 21. Each of these restrictions fell, correctly, when examined closely.

There is no requirement that a voter know anything about a candidate. Nor should there be. If a voter wants to vote for the first candidate on the ballot, because that candidate is the first candidate on the ballot, that is a valid reason for selecting a candidate. And no one is able to say otherwise.

The 'Rock the Vote' campaign is a good campaign because studies have shown that if a young citizen votes, they are more likely to continue voting. Our nation is at its strongest when we all participate.

 

[Sapper6]

According to current regulation, the right to vote exists for all citizens (naturalized or natural born) at the age of 18. No other restrictions are placed on voters. At one point there were other restrictions; you had to be male, you had to own property, you had to be older than 21. Each of these restrictions fell, correctly, when examined closely.

There is no requirement that a voter know anything about a candidate. Nor should there be. If a voter wants to vote for the first candidate on the ballot, because that candidate is the first candidate on the ballot, that is a valid reason for selecting a candidate. And no one is able to say otherwise.

The 'Rock the Vote' campaign is a good campaign because studies have shown that if a young citizen votes, they are more likely to continue voting. Our nation is at its strongest when we all participate.

no where in my post did i mention regulation existing or should there be regulations imposed. it's about taking personal responsibility for your actions, being a responsible citizen, KNOWING REASON BEHIND ACTION, and not just doing something JUST FOR THE SAKE OF DOING IT.

yeah of course folks could just vote for the first person on the ballot because they are "the first person on the ballot", or because they like the way they spell their name, or because a candidate reminds them of their grandfather or many other rediculous reasons. to do so would certainly not be illegal but would most certainly be an injustice to our democratic process. be a responsible voter, know why you are doing something. it's just the RIGHT thing to do.

i hope that come election day, our younger generation of voters know why they voted for a particular person and not just because someone told them to do so.

:asian:

 

[michaeledward]

I understand your point of view. You mentioned two of three categories; a and c

A) informed voting
B) uninformed voting
C) not voting

I am all for adding that third category; b. I would like to increase the number of a's and b's, but most importantly reduce or eliminate c's.

There are too many C's out there. If we can get them to B's, eventually, they may turn into A's.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I have to agree with the fact that to many just dont vote.
This could be because we really need a strong third or forth party in this country and it could also mean that most folks don't think it makes a difference sence there seem to be few (if any) people in congress that are not millioners with little touch with the reality of most of the country.
The rock the vote and the wwf voter drives may help bring exposure to the organisations running them but they do help get people registered and perhaps in a few more years we will have many more informed voters by their efforts.

 

[rmcrobertson]

This is America: we put no strictures on WHY people vote as they vote, we only ask that they vote, and put our faith in the collective wisdom of the people.

Anybody but me ever wonder why it is that when Democrats get nailed for registration irregularities, it always revolves around signing people up to vote, but when Republicans get caught out, it always has to do with denying people the right to vote?

Hm.

 

[Sapper6]

...and i'll say again:

i hope that come election day, our younger generation of voters know why they voted for a particular person and not just because someone told them to do so.

Anybody but me ever wonder why it is that when Democrats get nailed for registration irregularities, it always revolves around signing people up to vote, but when Republicans get caught out, it always has to do with denying people the right to vote?

...and i'll say this again as well:

this should have nothing to do with partisanship or anything ralated to our current candidates, but instead, to the more specific Rock the Vote MTV campaign.

your question about registration irregularities is a different topic altogether. :asian:

 

[michaeledward]

I just read this article in 'The Nation'.
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20041025&s=wiener

Rocking the Youth Vote--From 1972 to 2004
by Jon Wiener
The same week a federal judge in Los Angeles ordered the FBI to release the last ten pages of its file on John Lennon, a group of rock musicians, headed by Bruce Springsteen, began an election-year concert tour of battleground states. The two recent events had a strange but distinct resonance.

 

[Sapper6]

hey nice article. kinda funny about them trying to deport Lennon for speaking out, actually kinda rediculous, but funny altogether.