Will abstain for $$$

An interesting survey finds that most NYU students would give up their right to vote for one year for a year's worth of free tuition. And half would give up their right to vote for $1 million.

Blogger cscs interprets this as a sign that "representative democracy just may have run out of steam." (S)he writes:

[I]s this it? Has democracy run its course? Have the conflating fields of markets, media, and government conspired to create a system that is bigger than the sum of its parts? Something pervasive, and unstoppable? A system where making the case for war is no different than making the case for a new car, or a new toothpaste. A system where we fight terrorists by going shopping.

A valid worry, but in my opinion overblown. I probably care about politics (and democracy), I think that 2008 will be the most important presidential election in half a century, and yet I'd give up my 2008 vote for a cool $30k. Why? Obviously, I'm thinking on the margin. One person giving up their vote matters almost not at all; if everyone did it, we'd have a big problem. And if someone went around paying people $30k not to vote, you can bet that pretty soon people would look around, see what's happening, and stop taking the deal.

Also, taking money not to vote is pretty equivalent to voting for the candidate that promises you the most money, either in the form of government programs or tax cuts. This is what many political scientists assume people do anyway, and few seem worried that this spells the end of democracy. Why is it less democratic to abstain for a $30,000 handout than to vote for Bush for a $500 check?

And even if non-financial issues matter, think about how many extra votes your favorite candidate could win with $30k more of ad money? If it's more than one, then take the money and donate it to your campaign of choice.

As for the $1M-to-give-up-your-vote-forever part, well, I'll grant that that's obviously a much worse deal. People probably just massively overestimate the purchasing power of "a million dollars." Back in Howard Hughes' time, a millionaire was something like what a billionaire is today; now, $1M buys you a two-bedroom in Menlo Park.

But offer me a billion dollars, and I'll gladly give up my right to vote forever. Which doesn't mean I'll be getting out of politics. It just means I'll go shopping for some newspapers and take the fight to Rupert Murdoch.