Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
These people work for you. They are responsible for making decisions that DIRECTLY INFLUENCE your daily life. .
They are supposed to work for, and serve at the pleasure of, We The People. But they do not.
They are NOT responsible for making decisions that "directly influence" our daily lives. You may *think* they are the ones making those decisions, but usually those are made by the bankers, big corporations, and uber wealthy individuals who may not even live in the US.
IMO, refusing to take part in a corrupt political system, is a right, a privilege, a duty and a responsibility. Imagine the consternation that would ensue, if they threw an election, and nobody came. Wouds that make a statement, or what?
Do you know for a fact that the votes are all counted honestly? "Those Who Vote Decide Nothing - Those Who Count The Votes Decide Everything" - Joseph Stalin
So, do you throw the entire ballot away, or just not count the fictional character vote? The person who responded to the Mickey vote seems to be saying that the entire ballot will go in the circular file. I don't think that is true. If it is true, please enlighten us, and please quote the applicable State Statute that says it must be done.
That's just an undervote for that particular office. The ballot is not discarded.
My parents used to always vote Republican, just to support the party. No matter who the candidate was. Even Nixon. They regretted that one afterwards (as if they were blindsided, and couldn't see from the get-go that supporting him wasn't a good idea. ) So that's what it's come to for many of the rest of us: voting Dem just to keep the other side from gutting health care, Social Security, the economy in general. What we need is another "it's the economy, stupid!" candidate.
My parents are the same way. It's their worst character trait. They don't know any of the issues, or any of the stances taken by some of the candidates... and it doesn't matter to them. They'll always vote Republican.
I've had discussions with them in the past about voting... I'd start with a particular issue, like abortion or religion, gun control. I'd get their opinions about them (they are pro-choice, non religious, and think we should have more gun control in this country.)
Based on the above, clearly they should be voting Democrat... but they don't.
They just absolutely refuse to do any research on what each party/candidate stands for, and have no idea who would actually align best with what they like. It's a phenomenon I completely do not understand.
I identify as "Independent" but to someone who votes Republican all the time, I'm a far left Liberal, and to someone who votes Democrat, I'm a right wing nut job.
The truth of the matter is, BOTH parties come up with the occasional "good" idea, and to shout it down and be against it simply because the opposing party came up with it is why our country is in such a gridlocked mess.
Imagine if a Democrat invented a cost effective method of cold fusion, and was willing to give that information freely to industry. We'd have another huge leap forward in productivity and cost reduction across the entire country... except that Republicans would denounce it as faulty science and double down on oil and natural gas to provide our energy needs. If the situation was reversed, the Democrats would spend all their time denouncing the technology and saying that solar was the way to go, even though the numbers clearly were against them.
Why is it so hard for people to be independent thinkers? I mean come on, if your opinions are formulated by Rush Limbaugh or Jon Stewart, is it because you can't think for yourself or just too lazy?
"You can't blame me for not voting if I don't like either candidate."
Sorry, but yes, I can blame you. There are always third party candidates. You could write in "None Of The Above" (NOTA)
Think about this: A lot of people (both military and civilian) died to guarantee that you have the right to vote. IMO, by refusing to exercise that right, you are urinating on the graves of all those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and civil rights demonstrators! Should not voting make you feel guilty? I don't know, because I do not know you. You will have to examine your own conscience and make up your own mind.
Personally, I took an Oath in 1958. I renewed that Oath many times over the years until I retired. I did and do take that Oath seriously. I consider voting to be part of that Oath. Even if I have to vote for "the lesser of two evils", or a candidate who I know has no chance, I will fulfill my responsibility to participate in the Constitutional Republic to which I swore my Oath all those times over the years. I can do no less!
^^^^^^
This!
You HAVE THE FREEDOM and the RIGHT to VOTE!
MANY across the world would LOVE to have that right.
It is an honorary privilege to vote! Many Died so we can have that right!
If you Don't like the two prime candidates, then as noted above, vote for third party OR vote for the one whom you like the most over the one you MOST DON'T want in. Had you voted against Obama, for example it may have made him NOT the president by voting for the "lesser of the two evils"-his opposition.
In some countries you may be taken at gunpoint to vote the only man in power back into office, so he can say "it was a landslide"......
I rarely vote in a presidential election because there is never anyone that I like running. Take the last election: You can't blame me for not voting if I don't like either candidate. What was the choice--a war monger or Obama.
Didn't Romney run against Obama in the last election? He's not a war monger, is he?
Anyway, it's a free country. It's your choice. But if you don't vote, you can't really complain about the state of things.
Even if you don't like the people, each one embodies what's called the "party platform." These philosophies of each party are written down. You can find them on the internet. A Democrat is GENERALLY going to follow the Dem. Party Platform, and the Republican will generally follow the Republican Party Platform. The candidates may differ from the platform in some respects, but generally they will follow those philosophies and goals. That's why they belong to those parties.
So you can vote for a party platform, even though you don't like the person, knowing that the country is going to be steered in that general direction, if the President can do that.
Location: The Northeast - hoping one day the Northwest!
1,107 posts, read 1,454,085 times
Reputation: 1012
Yes and no.
It's your own choice if you want to vote or not, and no one can tell you or make you feel a certain way.
I've only voted twice since I've turned 18, and both were presidential election years. in 2012 I voted... at the time I was living in Florida which.. well Florida! Plus the county I was in was also a swing county so every vote really mattered.
Now, I'm back in CT. It's a blue state, so one one vote more than likely won't make much of a difference as it might have in Florida.
If you are voting in the opposite party of your state (assuming you are not in a swing state) you might as well stay home like me. Our electoral college voting system is broken, the presidency shouldn't come down to a few key states. About 80% of american votes are actually irrelevant.
Republican votes in California for national office are a complete waste of time, but I do it anyway. Personally, I would like voters to have to pass a current events quiz before being allowed to vote. As they often show on the late night talk shows when they stop people on the street, MANY people have zero idea what's going on in the world.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) So that's what it's come to for many of the rest of us: voting Dem just to keep the other side from gutting health care, Social Security, the economy in general. What we need is another "it's the economy, stupid!" candidate.
