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Copps: Broadcasters Should Educate Public About Voting Rights

Did you miss the point.... or are you using the topic to begin a partisan discussion about who to vote for.

I don't see where Mr. Copps is asking broadcasters to help inform voters who to vote for.

Part of the political chatter right now is about stunts, tricks and changes in laws and rules in an effort to keep some people from being able to vote. I think Mr. Copps simply want broadcasters to help people understand who can and can't vote, and what actions a would-be voter should take in order to be eligible to vote.

Or did I miss something in the link that I missed?
 
That is the job of the FEC. Mr. Copps is a Commissioner with the FCC.
He is a bit outside his jurisdiction I think.
 
FreddyE1977 said:
That is the job of the FEC. Mr. Copps is a Commissioner with the FCC.
He is a bit outside his jurisdiction I think.
Click to expand...

If Mr. Copps were to tell Broadcasters that they should launch an editorial type push to convince people to change the voting rules, or convince people to take one side or the other in partisan issues, then yes, I would agree that Mr. Copps is "fishing in the wrong lake".

What Mr. Copps seems to be suggesting is that broadcasters, in their old-fashioned role of "public service" providers should help listeners understand current laws regulating when, how and where they can vote. If the broadcaster is in a state where the legislature has passed laws that require people to stand on their head while patting their tummy with one hand and signing for the deaf with the other hand, broadcasters should help listeners understand how they can obey the law/regulations by helping them understand what the law and regulations are. That would appear to me to be a very appropriate thing for the FCC or an individual commissioner to express. Absolutely INSIDE his jurisdiction.

If Mr. Kopps were to say to the broadcasters: "the election laws of this country are a disaster and the FEC policies are draconian and you should encourage your listeners to get them changed...." then I would agree with you that Mr. Copps had stepped outside his area of jurisdiction. If changing voter eligibility and the push-ups a voter must go through in order to be admitted into the "Holy of Holies space" on election day to cast a ballot is the axe he wants to grind, then Mr. Kopps should resign his position and ask the president to appoint him to the FEC or go to work for a think tank organization that would give him a platform for those views.
 
Why try to "educate" people, when they'll just turn the TV off?
::)
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
Did you miss the point.... or are you using the topic to begin a partisan discussion about who to vote for.

I don't see where Mr. Copps is asking broadcasters to help inform voters who to vote for.

Part of the political chatter right now is about stunts, tricks and changes in laws and rules in an effort to keep some people from being able to vote. I think Mr. Copps simply want broadcasters to help people understand who can and can't vote, and what actions a would-be voter should take in order to be eligible to vote.

Or did I miss something in the link that I missed?
Click to expand...


I get the point what Copps said. He wanted people not only to fight for the right to vote but Broadcasters should inform the public of their voting rights, The issues and candidates in a way that is fair. But this could only work in areas where the voters represent an independent majority.
 
recto101 said:
I get the point what Copps said. He wanted people not only to fight for the right to vote but Broadcasters should inform the public of their voting rights, The issues and candidates in a way that is fair. But this could only work in areas where the voters represent an independent majority.
Click to expand...

It appears you are restricting your thinking to only the General Election where the Republican and the Democratic candidates are the only issue on the ballot. But even in a county like the one where I live where the split is 90/10, it would work for broadcasters to educate people about their voting rights. Some of the 90% cling to the majority because they feel their vote is lost to vote with the 10%. If they begin to see elections where the voting was 89/11, 88/12 etc. we might see people who throw up their hands and say "To hell with it!" when they are not sure how they could join in the process.

What about Primary Elections? Vote counts tend to be slim during Primary Elelctions. There is a need during those elections for people who currently sit them out because they are not registered to join into the process.

What about Special Elections for Constitutional Amendments at the state level, special add-on sales taxes at the county or city level. Or School District Bond Issues. These low-turnout elections would be improved if broadcasters would "hold the hands" of their listeners and walk them through the registration and ELECTION DAY REQUIREMENTS issues. Do you need a picture... yes or no? What else do you need.

There is more to life that Bush vs. Gore or Obama vs Romney. There is congress, there are state elections, school board elections, etc.
 
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