In this scenario every American over the age of 18 who is mentally competent must vote. There is no possibility of voter fraud. Upon the instantaneous counting of the votes these issues will be Written in Stone.

How do you think Americans would vote on these issues?

I think you would see a massive curtailing of freedoms across the board. I am not sure which writer of libertarian bent said it for sure- I think it was Hienlien- something about voting themselves bread and butter and taking away freedoms of those "bad OTHER poeple" that they don't agree with until there is a police state.

I think this is an interesting idea. We force the population to pay taxes, maybe somehow we could force people to go and vote... or maybe lose driving priveledges or something universal. The only problem would be the even more overwhelming ignorance and chance for corruption.

Abortion is probably the most controversial topic here, and gay marriage I'm surprised to see that 1/3 of the people voting said it would be voted in. I'm not sure why anyone would think that when all the polls state explicitly otherwise. (I personally don't care so long as it doesn't happen my church...)

Gun ownership- no brainer really. It would be impossible to enforce otherwise.

I'd love for things like abortion or gay marriage to hit a truly popular vote. I'd be interested to see what America says.

Since your question doesn't take time into consideration I voted in favor of all three. It's just a matter of time for gay marriage to be legalized. The same can be said for environmental legislation and/or some version of universal healthcare. Conservatives will get dragged kicking and screaming into a future with expanded liberal rights just like they kicked and screamed against the New Deal.

I said gay marriage would be illegal, I think abortion would be legal by a small margin, and the same goes for guns.

now, let's say guns are legal, are they legal for people that have a NON VIOLENT (property crimes, theft etc...) felony to own as long as they had finished their punishment?

one I was surprised that you didn't put legalzation of soft drugs (pot, mushrooms, LSD etc) or even just marijauna. I think most americans would vote in favor of legalizing weed at the least.

remember mob rule means 50%+1

With the addition of a box on every ballot that says "none of the above", to force politicians to confront their own lack of popular support (instead of assuming that the no-shows are all just apathetic), that's about my ideal form of voting.

On the issues, my guesses:

Abortion: Legal nationally, but only because the West and East Coasts have big populations. If the vote were carried out on a state by state basis, there'd be lots of seaside "vacations". For mid Western women of child-bearing age.

Gun ownership: Legal nationally. State-by-state, it would be compulsory in some states, legal in most, and in some it would legal in princple but totally impractical. (In Britain it is still possible to legally own a handgun, but only 22 cal or smaller, and only then if it is kept at a registered gun club. So almost nobody does it.)

Gay Marriage: Illegal nationally. State-by-state, my guess is that homosexuality itself would be outlawed in the states which outlawed gay marriage. My theory on gay marriage is that if you're straight and you care enough to put a vote in a box to outlaw gay marriage, if the options are "legal", "don't care" and "illegal", you'd probably vote to outlaw homosexuality altogether on the same basis.

The problem with this poll is that the choices are too black-and-white, particularly with abortion and private ownership of firearams. Even with same-sex marriage, there are many people who would be willing to accept "civil unions" for same-sex couples, but who would reject the word "marriage." However, I have to admit (to my despair) that those of us who support full legal recognition of same-sex marriage are in the minority at this time. Not forever, I believe and hope; but I will probably not live to see that day.

Abortion is the most problematic issue here. I doubt that very many people want to make it always illegal, or that very many people want to make it always legal. I suspect that, given the absolutely mandatory choice between these two extremes, it would go about 50:50, with very few people happy about the results. I think that most Americans would say that abortion should be legal under some circumstances, and illegal under other circumstances. The debate is really over what those circumstances might be.

There is no doubt in my mind that almost all American citizens would want to keep some form of private gun ownership legal. I don't think that very many want zero regulation of that ownership, or that there should be no restrictions on the private ownership of nuclear weapons and the like.

To answer the question as best as I can:

Same-sex marriage would (still) be illegal, but same-sex civil unions might be legal (by a small margin.)

Abortion would (still) be legal, but there would still be a passionate debate about it.

Gun ownership would (still) be legal, and there would be something of a debate about it.

I voted the same as Victoria here.

I actually looked up a Harris poll for the issue of abortion, since I was curious after reading aevan's post. Interesting to note that support was highest when the memory of back-alley clinics was freshest, closer to the beginning.

US population support for Roe is the lowest it has ever been, but still has the majority support.

Here's what I find interesting from your link:


IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT NOT ALL is the most important part here. What does that mean?

In my opinion, most people are more pro-life than not. Most people believe that women shouldn't "willy-nilly" be able to abort pregnancies. Both my post (which I obviously didn't make up) and yours state the same thing essentially.

Not all. What does that mean? It's extremely subjective. I think I'd even fit in that category. If the baby has a low chance of survival, if the mother might die, etc, etc. Those people would've voted in that category, right?

Anyway- that's where this should come to a popular vote. It at least should be done in real hospitals... which in my other post there are some interesting reasons why they are not.

If a popular vote allowed for several options, i.e. abortion is legal when _____, it would lay this to rest forever... OF COURSE unless the USSC changes the policy. HA!

I think the information given would indicate pretty clearly what that means:



The "circumstances" covered under Roe...elective through the first trimester, only certain exemptions in specific cases thereafter.



Your post stated that "all the polls state explicitly otherwise" (which would indicate that the majority would make elective abortions illegal if given the vote to do so). So I beg to differ, I do not believe we are stating the same thing.

I nulled my vote, and I think true Americans would do the same thing given the totalitarian circumstances of the hypothetical voting scenario described.

Who is determining who is and who is not mentally competent? This is not a requirement for voting in the Constitution. It would be a poll test, I suppose. Or maybe you'd need a psychiatrist's note. Either way, it's impossible under our form of government if, you know, we go by the Constitution. People with IQs below 100 get to vote, if they want to.

There is always a possibility of voter fraud within a government that holds free elections. To expect this to somehow be fixed means an extremely strong police state, where the penalties for voter fraud are so sever as to keep the crooks at bay. In a word, dead.

By our constitutional form of government, nothing is Written in Stone. We have an amendment process that has changed our Constitution quite a bit since the first ratification. And besides, things written in stone aren't permanent. They need to be written within our consciousnesses. Stone errodes over time.

So, I'll say this: In a totalitarian state as described in the hypothetical voting situation, the results would be as such:

Gay marriage illegal, and so would be the condition of being gay.

Abortion illegal, except for the ruling classes -- don't talk about it either. Got to have that cannon fodder you know, and cheap labor.

Guns illegal. Only the state gets 'em, and don't even think about hunting on the King's land.

These are of course the results that the totalitarian government would want, not the people. But the people are not counting the votes, and so there you go. The totalitarian government would have to commit suicide to get rid of the fraud, and that's very unlikely.

I do get the intention of the hypothetical: What do you think most other people think? I think I don't know, and I think it's impossible to figure out what most other people think. I think most other people probably think that they think like most other people, but I don't think that's right. It's an illusion. It's probably a good idea to ask before making assumptions.

I think gay marriage ought to be legal, and that the state has no influence on what any church believes. In fact, you don't have to be a member of a church to get married today, legally speaking, and you don't have to get married in a church. You can do it at a JP's office, in your living room, or even on a cruise ship.

I think abortion ought to be a legal option and a private matter between doctor and patient. I also think we need 100% healthy, effective and available contraception, along with decent sex education.

I think guns should be controlled better than they are. I'm just not sure how to do this. Maybe there's a technological answer to the problem, or maybe a legal one. But then there's the principle that you can't fix stupid. Ah well, if only the Founding Fathers had Ron White.

I don't reckon the Government should be involved in any of it. Legal / Illegal - None of their business. I probably should've NULLED my vote, but I wanted a chance to say "I don't need no stinkin' SuperCop in Washington to tell me what's right and wrong. I can take care of that myself thank you very much."