From: Chris Russo (extropy@russo.org)
Date: Sat Dec 16 2000 - 10:38:32 MST
At 08:03 -0500 12/16/00, Dehede011@aol.com wrote:
> I understand how the politicians buy votes with our tax dollars by
>appealing to folks with social programs. However it is my understanding that
>the underclass basically don't vote.
> Does this mean that buying votes doesn't work or that I just don't
>understand something?
Part of what you say is true. I think that the general lack of
turnout from poorer communities has (in part) led to the decline of
many of this country's social programs in recent years.
I looked around for voting stats broken down by income levels, but
turned up nothing. Has anyone tried to use the Ferret?
http://ferret.bls.census.gov/cgi-bin/ferret
However, there are still voting blocks, like black voters who
certainly have stuck with the Democratic party. Since the Democratic
party offers benefits to black voters besides just social programs,
it's hard to distinguish whether or not the social programs alone are
getting them actual votes.
Does it really matter, though? If a political party's perception is
that they need to give out social programs to gain a certain block's
vote, then they're going to spend the taxpayers' money that way...
damage done.
You also can't simply look at social programs being only for the
"underclass", like welfare. Tax funded social programs exist in many
forms for voters of many income levels, and new ones are popping up
all the time: unemployment insurance, National Healthcare, farm
subsidies, publicly funded day care, etc.
As an additional note - the elderly, who were promised so much in
social programs this last election in terms of medicare, social
security, and prescription drug benefits, certainly do vote.
http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/FTR-SnrVote.htm
With Baby Boomers well on their way to being elderly, you'll see
politicians offering them social programs out the wazoo in coming
years.
Regards,
Chris Russo
--
"If anyone can show me, and prove to me, that I am wrong in thought
or deed, I will gladly change. I seek the truth, which never yet
hurt anybody. It is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance
which does harm."
-- Marcus Aurelius, MEDITATIONS, VI, 21
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