As U.S. presidential campaign candidates are reportedly spending millions trying to woo that most elusive of political consort -- the undecided voter -- the following article written for Monsters and Critics sister publication The Tech Herald suggests it's really all a waste of time and money.
Do undecided voters already 'know' their preference?
A recent Canadian study has found that, unconsciously, people already know who they are going to vote for based on deep-seated conceptions, its as though they haven't got round to telling themselves yet!
Many millions of dollars are currently being spent by the campaign teams of presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain in an effort to sway undecided voters, yet a new study shows this may be money wasted.
Moreover, people who claim to be undecided may in fact have unconsciously already made up their minds based on deep-seated attitudes, according to Canadian research.
Undecided voters are believed to number around 10 per cent of the U.S. electorate and are expected to play a major role in this year's presidential election, which analysts say will be a cliffhanger.
In a study published in the journal Science, psychologist Bertram Gawronski and his colleagues at Canada's University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, said that mental associations made quickly by individuals usually predicted how they formed an opinion on the issue in the future.
"One could say that people sometimes have already made up their minds, even though they do not know it yet," Gawronski said.
Gawronski's team interviewed 129 residents of Vicenza, Italy during a fierce political debate over the proposed enlargement of a U.S. military base in the city and found from initial interviewing that 32 residents approved the idea while 64 were in opposition. A key 33 participants remained undecided.
A series of negative-positive mental association tests conducted by the research team found they were able to predict with a high degree of accuracy what the interviewee's eventual response on the issue would be. They found there was a discernible difference when participants were asked to press a key that was the opposite of the position they eventually chose.
"The difference [in reaction time] was typically very small -- usually about 100 to 200 milliseconds," added Gawronski. "But these millisecond differences were informative enough for us to predict their future decisions."
University of Virginia psychology professor Timothy D. Wilson, Ph. D, told WebMD the research had important implications for election campaign managers.
"The lore in politics is that campaigns need to target undecided voters," he said. "But this research suggests that it may be much more effective to focus on your base by registering as many people as you can and getting them to vote on Election Day." [source]
Image above: Voting during the French presidential election in 2007.
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The American Republic returns on September 11, 2008, Revised
A Letter to The United States Congress and to The American People
Americans have lost their way by choice and coercion propagated by those that wish to have it all. Americans that have plenty are not bothered by the confusion and rape of the land and its people. The Americans that outnumber the wealthy are the ones that suffer in America. The idea of a Republic of America was an original perfect form of government. The ones that made the choice to write on paper their ideas for a perfect form of government were themselves imperfect. The document called the Constitution is a promise on paper and in spirit to Americans to protect and to serve Americans, our Nation with truth. That has not happened, thus the discord and confusion within our nation to Americans.
Our Nation, our Homeland has been sold, raped, and ravaged by many outsiders and insider traitors, which have allowed our eagle our National symbol to be locked in a cage with little sustenance. Our Star our symbol of truth has been buried in the sand with the trash of other nations.
This is not acceptable, and will be resolved.
Our current Congress has forsaken our nation by giving little and taking so much for themselves and their financial supporters. Congress has allowed Capitalist Businesses from within and out to take over our Nation and rule by the power of selfish money and lies.
Our Great and once powerful Military are ruled by those that give false and deceptive orders coupled by untruthful commands. They, the soldiers of our fortunes are engaged in ambiguous battle campaigns fighting under and for False Flag counter intelligence fueled by deceptive propaganda rhetoric. Human lives on all sides are dying for the few that have lost their way thru choice.
Our President, our leader of our Nation has with his advisors and financial empire brokers reinforced the ultimate crime to humanity by lying to himself, his family and his country. Our business leaders have lied to our Nation and prostituted our ingenuity to others for unnatural profit.
There are too many Americans that have some or little or none, and that Ladies and Gentlemen is not acceptable. Congress and others have failed to provide even the basics for our Nation to thrive. Too many selfish secrets, many which are known amongst a few, are tearing our Nation and Planet apart. By allowing those that know what lies behind the looking glass, to control the masses at will is an affront to GOD.
There is too much advertised hatred and racial prejudice fed by ignorance and choice. Religions have taken front seat to freedom and truth, thus confusing those that wish to know the truth, by self-choice.
On September 11, 2008, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America, we Americans can and will make a choice to free our Eagle from its cage of captors, allowing it to be stronger and fly higher than ever before, and unearth and restore our Star to its rightful brilliance from the sand of trash of other Nations, and take back our country from those that have stolen it from us all. Annuit Copetis.
We have learned from the past, and we have learned from the present, now we will make a choice to either continue with America as is, or Change America to a True Republic that truly represents the sincere interests of its people and other Nations. It is not an impossible task to overcome; all it takes is an honest choice and the will to sacrifice.
We are a Legion of many, who will live a life of peace, and have respect for all living things, while having considerations for those who are different, and look for ways to truly accommodate those who are slow in understanding.
We support the poor, helpless, and defenseless people. We support the freedom of Women, we support the sane treatment of animals and the environment, and we support the freedom of religion and expression. We do not support ignorance, period.
We are a growing nation of people that encourage all Americans to become part of the New American Republic!
CHANGE FOR AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!
NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM
Judah Ben-Hur, Sui Juris
Ambassador
The American Republic
Diplomatic Mission: North America
A Sovereign Republic
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To those undecided voters, I would like to share a comment from CNN's world reporter. He is the voice of how the world views Sen John McCains voice on the choice of Gov Sarah Palin as a running mate. This is a video clip from the Wolf Blitzer program on an article that also ran in the Washington Post. CNNs foreign reporter states that being Gov of Alaska is unique in that 85% of the business is digging holes for oil, which is good experience to be President of Saudi Arabia, but not good for being a heart beat away from President of the United States. Please view this CNN video clip, to the end, and think about who should be President of the United States. What will the world think of us? More importantly, how weak and stupid will we be treated?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/29/zakaria.sarah.palin/index.html?iref=newssearch#cnnSTCVideo >
THINK AMERICA..