And they ARE idiots.

I really identify with your last sentence:

Until we are ready to be the rising tide that lifts all boats, we will continue to sit in the mud.

And added together, they are a minority.

Because...well.... it's just too much trouble to vote. I have to get in the car... it's raining! And you can forget standing in line! Unless it's for the new Marvel Comic movie! (nah.... I'll wait for pay-per-view)

Oh come now.

They are only idiots when they don't vote my way or for my pet causes. All educated people agree on that.

Gee, I guess I am confused! So the important stuff must be defunding Planned Parenthood, closing mosques and impeaching Obama!

Please link to where I said that. I'd say it was a poor attempt at a straw man but as logical phallacies go, it's much worse.

which are their pet causes. They cut their own throats to deny those things to others with their votes.

Or were you trying to be humorous?

How have you stayed alive so long!

You have been around for around 47 or 48,000 years!

I loved Lucy!

That happens when they vote. Polls are only indicative of opinion at a given moment in time.

Remember Romney's comment about the 47%? He showed contempt for the American public, and they rightly rejected him. No one is going to vote for or listen to anyone who treats them as inferior, and that goes for those who insist anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot. I submit that is why you and those who think like you are unable to influence voters in your communities. It's ironic to see people decry oligarchy while demonstrating the view that only a select few are fit to make political choices.

None of the elections or events I mentioned are untrue.

Secondly, the point you make, "you are unable to influence voters in your communities." doesn't make sense considering what I wrote. If your statement was true than the issues I expressed would be localized to where I live. I gave examples of a national proportion, over a decade in scope. My personal ability to influence voters or not would have no impact on dozens of state legislatures, in teapublican control or the resulting gerrymandering or other voter suppression efforts.

Lastly, your statement of "It's ironic to see people decry oligarchy while demonstrating the view that only a select few are fit to make political choices." also doesn't make sense to me. My OP decryed bad voting habits and advocated for informed and engaged voters to counter things like teapublican control of state governments.
I also stated that until we are truely willing to address issues of voter disenfranchisment, bigotry, LGBT rights, the environment, college tuition and student loan crisis, income inequality and work to a better county and world for everyone, not just the elite donors ( the whole "left all boats..." comment at end), we will continue to get more of the same. What part of that is out of line with liberal progressive values and therefore Democratic values? Are you saying there is nothing wrong with teapublican control and that is the way it should be because that is what is best and what most Americans really wants?

Just as I oppose a hierarchical nature of society in which some insist some are superior to others. That is not at all in keeping with leftist values. I submit that if one starts from the premise that Americans are idiots, they cannot be successful in "informing them." I believe the goal should be to understand, listen, and formulate policies that speak to their concerns.

Watching Sanders supporters in this primary has given me some insight into the shortcomings of what passes for the left in this country.
Successful political engagement requires listening to and understanding voters, not just telling them how wrong they are or insulting them because they have the nerve to disagree or prioritize different issues having to do with their own lives. In the context of such an approach to politics, any claims of commitment to equality are hardly convincing.

"Watching Sanders supporters ..."
so only Sanders supports?
So Sanders supporters have given you "insight into the shortcomings of what passes for the left in this country."
Since I made a point to not mention any current canidiate and be neutral in that regard, speaking only to commonly held Democratic principles it is interesting that you spoke to a specific candidate while being critical of me for having an agenda.
Secondly, when you say this : "not just telling them how wrong they are or insulting them because they have the nerve to disagree or prioritize different issues having to do with their own lives."
Would you be willing to expand on this comment and give me Sanders supporters specific examples?
While I am always open to most ideas, I am not in regards to any that continue or expand voter suppression, bigotry, denial of women's healthcare, LGBT rights and income inequality.

Anyone who votes for a theocratic nincompoop like Ted Cruz is utterly immune to the charms of logic and sweet reason. So is ANY fundy of ANY kind. I cast my lot with the very wise and time tested words of Thomas Paine:

by gerrymandering, unlike congresscritters, where you can get a ham sandwich elected if you draw the boundaries of the district just so. The only possible conclusion is that a not inconsiderable number of states have a clear majority (of those who vote, not the entire citizenry) that can best be described as inbred half-wits, cave orcs, racist and xenophobic nincompoops and religulously insane borderline psychopaths. Because that is what they elect.

This may be hard to grasp, but maybe most people feel that a "revolution" is not necessary and they're quite happy with their lives as is?

Yet our republic has survived and even thrived for over 200 years. Many of us have been doing something right.

Buck up, Angry Chair. The view is always limited and depressing from a depression but hardly complete.

24/7/365 Total Propaganda Machine of the completely plutocrat-controlled modern media.

Joseph Goebbels or Josef Stalin wouldn't have dared to even imagine the size and sophistication of today's Omnipresent and Always Lying M$M. And the populace has been dumbed-down so thoroughly since Raygun that I would estimate the percentage of people in the US populace with functional and usable critical thinking skills to be 35%. At most. Idiocracy is all too real.

The view does tend to be depressing, considering that rent, utilities, insurance and so on take up most of the check in the first place. Food or dentistry is an ironic choice to make.

I earn a living with that.

Those were exemplary. People are all SO STUPID when they don't share your beliefs.

would be far dumber than the proverbial sack of hammers. Inexpressibly dumber.

"I also stated that until we are truely willing to address issues of voter disenfranchisment, bigotry, LGBT rights, the environment, college tuition and student loan crisis, income inequality and work to a better county and world for everyone, not just the elite donors"
Or
"While I am always open to most ideas, I am not in regards to any that continue or expand voter suppression, bigotry, denial of women's healthcare, LGBT rights and income inequality."

Lastly, my beliefs are liberal progressive values and they are not my beliefs, they are the belief of millions of Democrats.

Your arrogance is absolutely amazing!

By the way, the voters haven't spoken yet, at least not in almost a year.

What part of that do you disagree? What would you like me to modify?
What are you willing to be "ok" with: teapublican controlled state legislatures? The 2000 election? LePage as gov of Maine? Tom Cotton in Congress?
What part of any of that is not indicative of a willfully ignorant electorate?
Not necessarily you. Not necessarily me. Not likely any member of this site. But somewhere, many "somewhere" we have un-engaged and uninformed voters pulling a lot of levers to elect people that act and vote in ways that are counter-intuitive to the best interest of the average American.

for not voting the way you want them to. You can go ahead and call me ignorant if you like, though, because I'll be voting for Secretary Clinton, which I see is contrary to your wishes.