Don't Vote. Slate will pick 2008 winners

Just when you thought American democracy could stoop no lower, Slate magazine pre-empts the 2008 elections.

Darn, and I just registered to vote.

According to a press release, Slate has launched the 2008 Political Futures Database, which utilizes data from three prediction markets to forecast the outcome of 2008 Presidential and Congressional races.

The futures data from is to be gathered from Iowa Electronic Markets, Intrade.com, and Casualobserver.net, beginning with the presidential primary races of both major parties and then the 2008 Congressional races.

With so much pre-polling and now futures betting going on, there's almost no need to vote anymore. But, if the voting machines are rigged, as some (including me) insist, won't Slate and other predictors like exit polls be way off?

Oh, that's right. Exit polls have only been found to be inaccurate in the United States in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. Strange, but hey, why bother? Or aren't you happy with the government we've got?

For more on how to understand the Political Futures charts and decide whether your vote matters enough to even cast it, click here.