Do you vote?

[KeyMaster45]

I was in a conversation with a classmate the other day who proudly proclaimed that they don't vote and have no intention of ever voting. I was kinda baffled by this so I asked why. Their response was something along the lines of "all my choices are shit, I'll vote when someone good comes along".

Too be honest, I don't understand this logic at all. Especially when said classmate goes on to discuss how our politicians were doing such a bad job at running the country. The philosophy I was brought up on is that if you don't vote, then you have little to no right to complain about how those who are elected are doing a poor job. After all, your best method of fixing the problem of someone doing a bad job as an elected official is to simply vote for their opponent or threaten to do so in a letter or phone call. Not voting is the same as voting for them, it's an affirmation that you feel things are just fine as they are and that your elected officials can continue to do as they please. (or worse that you just don't care how they run things)

tl;dr: Do you vote, why or why not?

 

[aPod]

I was in a conversation with a classmate the other day who proudly proclaimed that they don't vote and have no intention of ever voting. I was kinda baffled by this so I asked why. Their response was something along the lines of "all my choices are shit, I'll vote when someone good comes along".

Too be honest, I don't understand this logic at all. Especially when said classmate goes on to discuss how our politicians were doing such a bad job at running the country. The philosophy I was brought up on is that if you don't vote, then you have little to no right to complain about how those who are elected are doing a poor job. After all, your best method of fixing the problem of someone doing a bad job as an elected official is to simply vote for their opponent or threaten to do so in a letter or phone call. Not voting is the same as voting for them, it's an affirmation that you feel things are just fine as they are and that your elected officials can continue to do as they please. (or worse that you just don't care how they run things)

tl;dr: Do you vote, why or why not?

By not voting they are making a statement that they don't identify with any of the candidates, they don't see themselves being represented. That's a pretty big deal in a "representative democracy" I think they are doing the right thing by not voting.

So I think you're fundamentally wrong to say not voting means you're satisfied with the way things are.

 

[SirDeadly]

I'm Australian, I vote because I have too.

 

[smithy_2045]

I'm Australian, I vote because I have too.

Pretty much this. I don't particularly want a fine.

 

[Craorach]

I'm a non Citizen living in Australia, I don't vote because no matter how much tax I pay, how long I live here, how much family I have and how much land I own, I'm not allowed too because I have yet to take an entirely arbitrary test that most Australian citizens would fail.

 

[AngleWyrm]

I was in a conversation with a classmate the other day who proudly proclaimed that they don't vote and have no intention of ever voting. I was kinda baffled by this so I asked why. Their response was something along the lines of "all my choices are shit, I'll vote when someone good comes along".

Did you hear the president's State of the Union address? Here's what he had to say:

"Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we?re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren?t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded. We can do this. I know we can, because we?ve done it before. At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known." - President Obama, 2012

That's all he had to say on it. Imagine a good America; those guys in the 1950's created one.
No accomplishments, no plan for the future. Just a bizarre pep speech to motivate SOMEONE ELSE to get on the ball and, you know, fix stuff.

Read the 1950 State of the Union address [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=13567#axzz1kvbJrO60]. It is freaking awesome.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Australian, so yeah.

TEchnically, they can't make you vote, only go to the place and get your name marked off, but the vast majority of people cast a valid vote.

 

[Esotera]

I'm from the UK, voted once and really didn't like feeling responsible for all the shitty decisions they made that were entirely different from why I voted them in.

If there are good candidates that don't sell out their policies (and a large selection of them) then more people will vote. I refuse to support any of the current politicians.

 

[Dandark]

I live in the UK and I probably won't bother to vote since I can't even tell the two parties apart. Plus I have no idea which one of them will destroy the county more, although I imagine Labour will do the worst job of it.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Yeah in Australia you have to.

Problem is I dont know who half the people are. At least I know which parties I like...Still hate voting without knowing enough.

 

[Connor Lonske]

Here is how I feel in a nut shell for the most part.
Although, I would so vote for Ron Paul.

 

[SilverApple]

I was in a conversation with a classmate the other day who proudly proclaimed that they don't vote and have no intention of ever voting. I was kinda baffled by this so I asked why. Their response was something along the lines of "all my choices are shit, I'll vote when someone good comes along".

Too be honest, I don't understand this logic at all. Especially when said classmate goes on to discuss how our politicians were doing such a bad job at running the country. The philosophy I was brought up on is that if you don't vote, then you have little to no right to complain about how those who are elected are doing a poor job. After all, your best method of fixing the problem of someone doing a bad job as an elected official is to simply vote for their opponent or threaten to do so in a letter or phone call. Not voting is the same as voting for them, it's an affirmation that you feel things are just fine as they are and that your elected officials can continue to do as they please. (or worse that you just don't care how they run things)

tl;dr: Do you vote, why or why not?

By not voting they are making a statement that they don't identify with any of the candidates, they don't see themselves being represented. That's a pretty big deal in a "representative democracy" I think they are doing the right thing by not voting.

So I think you're fundamentally wrong to say not voting means you're satisfied with the way things are.

I would agree, if the non-voter goes to the election station, and makes the effort of spoiling the voting paper.

 

[farscythe]

i dont vote because i dont support any of the candidates here in the uk and voting for whoever you dissagree with least...is still putting someone you dont support in power (and thats assuming they actually stick to anything they said during the elections which i havent seen yet)

so no.. i cant see myself voting anytime soon

 

[MammothBlade]

Yeah, I do vote. Even though I know my individual vote doesn't mean much, it's a personal expression of liberty and political interest.

 

[Muspelheim]

I understand why people aren't very keen on voting. Sweden's in a similar position, we've got two faction-blocks with no real difference between the two, and both too busy sticking it to the other side when they win something. All the alternatives are too few or too poorly organized to really gain a foothold in the Riksdag (parliament), which tend to lead to people saying something along the lines of "Why bother, they ain't gonna win nothin' anyway".

But I'll still vote. It's a democracy, even if it's dying for a defrag. If there really isn't any alternative worth it, I'll just cast my vote on Buzz Lightyear or something. I've still executed my rights/responsibility as a citizen or whatnot, while also hopefully shown that I'm not happy with the available options.

One can hope that this mysterious Buzz Lightyear somehow do land a political position as a result of it, though. Well, Twilight is the more likely candidate, isn't she?

 

[Vegosiux]

Yes, I do. If nobody convinced me, I vote for some underdog I know has no chance of making it past 4%, so it counts against the big kids I don't like.

A vote I don't use doesn't count against anyone, therefore, yes, I do use my vote.

 

[Viridian]

HA! I have the best reason of all not to vote!

I'm not 18 yet, and thus have no say in the workings of 'Murica. Not that I would vote anyway. Campaigning is all about making promises that'll get candidates elected, and persuasiveness. How many of those promises actually get fulfilled once candidates are in office?