I'd like to think elections are about people voting with their conscience and not voting to keep any one particular person/party out; but since this is a clear fallacy, it can only be concluded that democratic fair elections are also an illusion under the current electoral processes. - Halil

when you vote you vote to get a person elected and personality of the candidates (oligarcs) is the only thing that is promoted and discussed. yet democracy is a regime where people choose policies not the people who rule them. representatives are legitimate to the extent that they represent your opinion but this principle has been long forgotten. you should dictate policies to your reps not the other way around. i think that this is a systemic problem not a problem of conscience per se - hacikenks