Do You Vote?

[Eclogite]

Robert Heinlein had a practical solution to the problem of unappealing candidates or policies. If you can't find someone, or something, to vote for, find someone, or something, to vote against.

[bpjg2fat]

so lets go back to the last presidential election. i live in california. where the state IS liberal. and a mass vote goes to the democrats. and with the electoral college voteing system. why should i even get up to vote democratic when i allready know the outcome? or why should i get up to vote against the democrats when i know my vote wouldn't have a slight impact againsn't the mass counter vote?

 

:(

[purplesungirl]

If you only vote once every four years in the "big" election, it is kind of pointless because your missing out on the oppurtunity to vote for all the "little" polls that shape the way our system works. You have to vote on town and state policies in order to shape the candidates that make it to presidential candidacy. You have to be involved in your state and local government to keep abreast of the political situation surrounding you. That's how you ensure the people being paid to represent you are actually doing their job.

 

Being a citizen of this country is a full time job. So many people are phoning it in.

[Tormod]

why should i even get up to vote democratic when i allready know the outcome? or why should i get up to vote against the democrats when i know my vote wouldn't have a slight impact againsn't the mass counter vote?

 

You should vote because you have the opportunity. Most people in this world don't. Simply put.

[purplesungirl]

You should vote because you have the opportunity. Most people in this world don't. Simply put.

 

Tormod,

 

While I agree that the citizens of this country (USA) should excercise their rights and that they should feel priviledged to even have them when so much of the world does not, I do not think the only or even best reason is just because these rights exist.

[ughaibu]

If the opportunity to steal a bicycle arises should one steal it because one has the opportunity and many people haven't? I'd need a better reason than opportunity to persuade me to vote.

[Qfwfq]

Isn't the 'never' option a paradox? How can someone truthfully vote that they never vote? :(

 

I'd need a better reason than opportunity to persuade me to vote.

Well, fine, just let everybody decide for you then.

[Tormod]

If the opportunity to steal a bicycle arises should one steal it because one has the opportunity and many people haven't? I'd need a better reason than opportunity to persuade me to vote.

 

This is a nice argument. You are stating that the right to use democratic power is equal to stealing. Do you then also suggest that voting should be punishable?

[Tormod]

Tormod,

 

While I agree that the citizens of this country (USA) should excercise their rights and that they should feel priviledged to even have them when so much of the world does not, I do not think the only or even best reason is just because these rights exist.

 

I didn't say it is the only or best reason. I stated it as an obvious reason.

 

There is no real reason for voting unless one wants to participate in the democratic process. People who do not vote basically say that any election result is fine, and they actively support the winner.

 

That a party wins an election in a democratic country (note I am not suggesting that the US is a typical democratic country) is evidence that the process of voting works.

 

Abstaining from participating in the voting process is basically the choice to not participate, and accept any outcome. But no whining later, please.

[InfiniteNow]

It is disheartening when you do not feel the system is truthful. When you sense that the setup is skewed and your vote might not matter.

 

We do have the privilege, which many others do not, and that's fantastic. But many of us have a tough time motivating ourselves to vote when we've seen some of the crazy nonsense in our political system these past few years...

 

Case in point, 2000 US presidential. How is it that some lame brunette (Katherine Harris) and the court decides who I voted for?

http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/vote2000/report/main.htm

 

 

.... the electoral college is a whole other issue, and certainly served a purpose when it was established, but has long outlasted it's usefulness.

[ughaibu]

Tormod: I would feel it on my conscience had I voted for those elected since I've been eligible to vote. I've stolen bicycles in my time, I can live with that more easily than I would be able to live with having voted for Thatcher or Blair.

[InfiniteNow]

Somebody in here is exercising their right to vote right now... Some recent posts directly from the polls for the past few minutes. :surprise:

[the romantic cynic]

i would if i were old enough

[Drip Curl Magic]

I'm still unsure as to weather I'm gonna vote when I'm 18. Probably not. Just because I've always felt lazy and helpless when it comes to polotics.