What do you think of single issue voters? You know, the people who happen to disregard the rest of a politician's platform for their position on a single issue (or a few), be it gun rights, gay marriage, the environment, immigration, and so on.
Is this single-issue politics a threat to democracy or is it only the result of a weak democracy? On one hand, our complex problems are only going to be solved by compromise between many areas - between the economy, the environment, education, foreign policy just to name some - but when people think about their politics in terms of litmus tests, that's really breaking down our ability to form consensus and think about the big picture. On the other hand, one could argue that single-issue politics emerges because our current parties aren't making compromise, and people latch on to single issues because they are alienated and feel it's the only way to make change.
Or should we be welcoming of single issue politics? At the end of the day in democracy, we have to accept and work with everybody's opinions, and if they happen to care mostly about one issue above the big picture, so be it, right? It also gets people emotionally involved, and political engagement is a good thing when voter apathy is so high and people are simply not caring. On the other hand, is political engagement through single issues good - is that the kind of political interest that would help democracy?
Is single issue voting good or bad for politics? Can we do something about it or is it here to stay regardless? Is it a necessary evil that gets people excited about politics? Should we try our best to get rid of it?
Is this single-issue politics a threat to democracy or is it only the result of a weak democracy? On one hand, our complex problems are only going to be solved by compromise between many areas - between the economy, the environment, education, foreign policy just to name some - but when people think about their politics in terms of litmus tests, that's really breaking down our ability to form consensus and think about the big picture. On the other hand, one could argue that single-issue politics emerges because our current parties aren't making compromise, and people latch on to single issues because they are alienated and feel it's the only way to make change.
Or should we be welcoming of single issue politics? At the end of the day in democracy, we have to accept and work with everybody's opinions, and if they happen to care mostly about one issue above the big picture, so be it, right? It also gets people emotionally involved, and political engagement is a good thing when voter apathy is so high and people are simply not caring. On the other hand, is political engagement through single issues good - is that the kind of political interest that would help democracy?
Is single issue voting good or bad for politics? Can we do something about it or is it here to stay regardless? Is it a necessary evil that gets people excited about politics? Should we try our best to get rid of it?