Most at NYU say their vote has a price

[razorsharp]

<p>

Two-thirds say they’ll do it for a year’s tuition. And for a few, even an iPod touch will do. </p>

<p>That’s what NYU students said they’d take in exchange for their right to vote in the next presidential election, a recent survey by an NYU journalism class found. </p>

<p>Only 20 percent said they’d exchange their vote for an iPod touch.</p>

<p>But 66 percent said they’d forfeit their vote for a free ride to NYU. And half said they’d give up the right to vote forever for $1 million.

</p>

<p>Ok, so what material object or cash would it take for you to give up your right to vote in the next Presidential election? How about an iPod or iPhone?</p>

<p>[Most</a> at NYU say their vote has a price - Lily Quateman - Washington Square News - Politico.com](<a href=“http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/6892.html]Most”>Most at NYU say their vote has a price - POLITICO)</p>

[citygirlsmom]

<p>NYU students should be embarrassed- but maybe that just meens they think that what happened in the past with voting machines, etc, shows that votes may not count anyway</p>

<p>either way, NYU students…tsk tsk</p>

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>I’d like to sign up for the $1M please.</p>

[jmmom]

<p>My right to vote I would not sell.</p>

<p>A year’s college tuition if I cede the opportunity to vote in the upcoming Presidential election? Yep, I’d make that deal.</p>

[jazzymom]

<p>Actually, the story says that the surveyors had to keep upping the offer to get more students to say they’d give up the right to vote in the next presidential election. Relatively few would do it for an i-pod touch. They had to start offering full rides to NYU or $1 million to get more to say yes. </p>

<p>The story also mentions that even those tempted by the dollar signs were aware that the right to vote was important, not lightly given up. Many respondents said they did believe that one vote could make a difference. </p>

<p>Let’s fantasize that this is a serious question: someone comes to the door and offers me $1 million to withhold my vote next year. Uh, where do I sign? I didn’t hear anything that would preclude me from going out and working hard for the candidate of my choice. If I get 10 or 20 or 100 people to vote for that candidate who might not otherwise have done so, can I be absolved of my greed for taking the bribe to not vote in that one election?</p>

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>

…the surveyors had to keep upping the offer to get more students to say they’d…

…reminds me of the old joke.</p>

[UriA702]

<p>Try that with Columbia students, the result would most likely be very different.</p>

[1of42]

<p>I’d absolutely do it for $1 million. I could do more with that money than my single vote could ever do, in terms of influencing politics.</p>

[thisoldman]

<p>We should all be glad that these students have learned the free enterprise system and the principles of economics. We should be proud that they can set a price for their vote. We taught them well. </p>

<p>If the students settle to vote for such a low promise for reward, they can be too easily bought off and influenced. I discover as many of you know that there are already too many adults that can be bought for small sums, small fame, small access to power, and a picture taken with the President. </p>

<p>At what price would you pay to have your Picture taken with the President or the defacto President or future President?</p>

[Opie_ofMaybery2]

<p>Votes have always been for sale </p>

<p>just ask your congressman or senator…</p>

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>Considering that likely a large number of students already don’t vote for no remuneration it’s not surprising that they’d be willing to do the same thing for an iPod.</p>

[paying3tuitions]

<p>It’ll be important to get young people to vote in the next election, so if this helps understand that demographic, the question has value.</p>

<p>Don’t they ask questions like this to determine the sensitivity level and place some measurable value upon it? If you survey a group and ask them “on a scale of 1 to 10, how important is voting to you…?” I can’t compare it. If a survey tells me that x % an educated group of young people places the value of half a million dollars on their vote, it’s a way of expressing that idea.</p>

<p>I suddenly remembered working in my grandfather’s small business in an innercity urban neighborhood, during the years of MLK’s greatest speeches.<br>
My grandfather asked a very poor customer who she’d vote for. Her answer, “The Democrats gave me $1 for my vote, the Republicans gave me $2. So I’m voting Democrat. They’re more honest.” I was only 12, so too young to figure out if they were serious or just bantering, but I remember thinking then, “how did someone know what number to offer?” I did pick up from the tone that votes were being bought throughout the city.</p>

[UriA702]

<p>

At what price would you pay to have your Picture taken with the President or the defacto President or future President?

</p>

<p>I speak for plenty when I say, You couldn’t pay me enough to take a picture with Bush.</p>

[thisoldman]

<p>^ A New Yorker and would say, “there is always a price” or perhaps maybe there is an offer that you shouldn’t refuse?</p>