SCOTUS decides for Hobby Lobby

[Agelastus]

Less unlikely than you think in First Past the Post, especially when you get down to Local Elections; and building up strength locally tends to be how the smaller parties make their eventual breakthrough to Westminster these days.

Even with first past the post we are talking about an election that hinged on a single vote, your vote.  That isn't nearly as likely as you think it is, unless you are talking about numbers of voters in the low hundreds.

Which is often the number of people who vote in local elections.

Last town council results, the second, third and fourth successful candidates (a slate gets elected) were separated by no more than 20 or so votes. Now Town Councils have virtually no power and are by far the lowest rung on the ladder. But it's a way to become visible and to start building a power base.

The lowest majority, incidentally, in the last General Election was 4.

So no, my vote is not less valuable to them than my money.

[OttoVonBismarck]

You wouldn't go even if the cost to go was reasonable in relation to the quality of food you would get to eat?

Probably not, it just doesn't sound very fun.

[frunk]

Which is often the number of people who vote in local elections.

Last town council results, the second, third and fourth successful candidates (a slate gets elected) were separated by no more than 20 or so votes. Now Town Councils have virtually no power and are by far the lowest rung on the ladder. But it's a way to become visible and to start building a power base.

The lowest majority, incidentally, in the last General Election was 4.

So no, my vote is not less valuable to them than my money.

If you lived in the US though where even the local elections have 10s of thousands of voters, would you feel the same way?

[Agelastus]

How many -OTUS acronyms are in common parlance? I know of POTUS, FLOTUS and SCOTUS, it that all? Is there anything we could invent to have a LOTUS?

The question actually nudged my curiousity enough to check Wikipedia - they seem to only have the three you listed.

[frunk]

Probably not, it just doesn't sound very fun.

Presumably people do, though, otherwise these dinners would be pretty desolate affairs.  Do you not understand why they choose to go?

[Agelastus]

If you lived in the US though where even the local elections have 10s of thousands of voters, would you feel the same way?

Interesting...

I think I'd still rate my vote as more valuable than the minatory amount of money I could afford to donate. I'm guessing that the larger Electorate increases the requirement for money so even if my vote is devalued so is the amount of money I can afford to pay for this hypothetical meal.

Interesting question though. I'm not going to say that my opinion might not change here.

---------------

However, I also certainly wouldn't ever consider not voting. It's a duty and a privilege more than a right in my mind.

I have very little patience with people who voluntarily choose not to vote. I'd actually strip it for a period from people who consistently chose not to vote which is a pretty extreme position; at the least I'd like to see non-voters fined.

[OttoVonBismarck]

By local elections having tens of thousands of voters he means basically--super big cities like NYC, SF or whatever--and then usually only for the highest offices like Mayor or other city wide positions. Or State wide elections (which have millions of residents.)

For the equivalent type elections to what you're talking about, say for local school board, county commissioners, small town officials, the voter numbers are minuscule.

Here are some true local election results from my area link.

That's still county wide, in a county with a good number of residents. In the actual city of Fredericksburg the elections are even smaller, for example we had one ward where a guy won 318-300 for councilman.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Presumably people do, though, otherwise these dinners would be pretty desolate affairs.  Do you not understand why they choose to go?

I think there's only two classes of people who go:

1. People who want to donate money and also hob nob with people in their party. I don't like the second part of that, but I will donate money on occasion.
2. People who themselves want to build their political connections, because they want to get active in local politics.

[crazy canuck]

Americans take their politics to seriously

Have you seen voter turnout figures in North America recently?

[The Brain]

You need a pretty cavalier attitude to politics to vote for the walking abortions on the ballot.

[frunk]

I think there's only two classes of people who go:

1. People who want to donate money and also hob nob with people in their party. I don't like the second part of that, but I will donate money on occasion.
2. People who themselves want to build their political connections, because they want to get active in local politics.

Well, I'm glad you can understand some people's motivations that you don't share.

[frunk]

By local elections having tens of thousands of voters he means basically--super big cities like NYC, SF or whatever--and then usually only for the highest offices like Mayor or other city wide positions. Or State wide elections (which have millions of residents.)

For the equivalent type elections to what you're talking about, say for local school board, county commissioners, small town officials, the voter numbers are minuscule.

Here are some true local election results from my area link.

That's still county wide, in a county with a good number of residents. In the actual city of Fredericksburg the elections are even smaller, for example we had one ward where a guy won 318-300 for councilman.

With 1000+ number of voters the odds of a single vote swinging it are seriously low as to be not worth considering, so I don't think that refutes my point. 

Looking at Connecticut relatively few people voted in elections involving active voting populations under 1000.  The vast majority are larger, meaning a single vote would be extremely unlikely to swing an election.

In the US if some oddball party wins the mayor for a small town that generally doesn't signify much on the national stage.  At a minimum it would have to be a position at the state level to be worthy of notice, and that's going to involve at least in the hundreds of thousands.

[Ideologue]

  Their bland-ass chicken and inadequately salted waffle fries make me feel the same way. 

Don't anger me.

Why, it might make or break your hiring decisions?

[Ed Anger]

  Their bland-ass chicken and inadequately salted waffle fries make me feel the same way. 

Don't anger me.

Why, it might make or break your hiring decisions?

No fear. Cal's pistol will fall apart.

MAH TRIGGER

[grumbler]

How many -OTUS acronyms are in common parlance? I know of POTUS, FLOTUS and SCOTUS, it that all? Is there anything we could invent to have a LOTUS?

POTUS is the only one in really common parlance.  FLOTUS seems to be a fairly recent invention and hasn't caught on.  I see SCOTUS on occasion, but see USSC much more often (even though SCOTUS is actually the acronym for the official name and is as old as POTUS).