Voting

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 24 Feb 2006 17:59

Do you vote? Do you see it as a duty? An option?

Does it matter to you?

Does it make you angry that the majority of people don't seem to do it?

Personally I've been able to vote for over 5 years, and did once. It sucked. I probably won't do it again. Just wanted to see what everyone else thought.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 24 Feb 2006 18:14

In Australia voting is compulsorary and I am a big supporter of that. You need to turn up and cross your name off the list or unless you have a good excuse you'll be given a toke fine of $20. A good excuse is supposed to be "my mum just died" but the one time I've not voted in an election (it was a local council election rather than a state or federal election) - I just said I'd moved out of the area (which was true) and that was fine.

In a genuine democracy the government has to be chosen by the people and if they don't get a majority vote or the ruling coalition doesn't get a majority vote I don't see how they can claim the right to make decisions for the people. The government in a democracy is making decisions for all the people so it is the responsibility of all the people to put forward their opinion as to who they want to lead them. If they don't want anybody to lead them they have to put forward that opinion (by voting informally - ie. not following the voting procedure and putting in a blank form or writing a message on it) - abstaining from voting out of apathy is not an option in a genuine democracy.

As Dave Hughes recently said in responce to an American saying: "You don't vote and you get fined?" - "You don't vote and you get Bush..."

Personally I think people who live in countries where they don't have to vote and don't vote are stupid. Every single thing in your life is controlled by politicians - from the fact that you have running water to where you're allowed to live to the costs of petrol. I can't understand why people wouldn't want to voice their opinion on who should control those things.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 24 Feb 2006 18:37

there are too many opportunities to vote...small elections for local govt. and all the candidates are the same...totally moderate. besides, im economically liberal and socially conservative. i have become sickened by politics and dont see a solution in the near distance.

Bagira · Post by **Bagira** » 24 Feb 2006 19:18

Only came 'of age' two months ago with no elections in between.

In any case, presidential elections in the US are fucked up. You vote for someone to vote for you. That someone is not obligated to vote for the same person you would vote for.

In any case, politics sucks. All the drama and whatnot. So little actually gets done by that governor which actually affects me.

About the Australian voting enforcement and such...I think it's a good idea in general, but devestating for America. I personally think that voting should be restricted to those who know what they are talking/voting about. There should be some basic literacy test out there to weed out all of the people who scream 'Blood for oil!' and that sort of junk.

You should have to know what you are voting about in order to vote on it. Being deluded and being able to vote is totally wrong. Thus I think that voting should be restricted and enforced at the same time.

Hmm. This must draw quite a few flames. But oh well, want truth or random BS lies?

brycimus · Post by **brycimus** » 24 Feb 2006 20:15

i think people should vote definitely. but don't vote unless you're informed, then it's just worthless and you could be a hand in putting a person who doesn't deserve to be in that position. that's what our forfathers fought for so people should definitely do it, it's a privelege. i'm only 15 right now, but when i' eligible to vote then i will

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 25 Feb 2006 19:33

I'm all for voting on anything local (aka anything that has to do with state law, govenors, mayors, etc) becuase I, personally have a direct effect in deciding what happens. In electing a president, unless I'm horribly missinformed, the electoral colleges vote for whom THEY think the population they represent, would vote for. It was my understanding that in one of the last two presidential elections (bush vs kerry?), Bush won the electoral votes and the presedency, while his opposition won on the public votes. All in all, not a happy day for me, but then again.... What could I do?

Slowsis · Post by **Slowsis** » 25 Feb 2006 19:42

Actually....Bush won neither. The Supreme Court decided to dis-allow a recount in florida, even though it seemed blatanly obvious that there had been some problems surrounding the input of a number of polling stations.

dp · Post by dp » 25 Feb 2006 19:54

To the best of my knowledge, I believe Bush won the popular vote and the electorial vote in the past election, but without the supreme court's help, he won neither the popular or electorial in his first presidential election.

Slowsis · Post by **Slowsis** » 25 Feb 2006 19:57

Yah...when i said neither i was refering to the 2000 election.

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 07 Mar 2006 16:45

Yeah, you gotta vote in some races, at least some of the time.

But, distinguishing which crook is going to drive America off a cliff the SLOWEST is very difficult.

Both parties will go against the will of the people, to sell us out.

They know the voting public is about worn down, almost ready to give up voting altogether.

-n

crazylegs32 · Post by **crazylegs32** » 09 Mar 2006 20:14

its much easier to win the popular vote when they have the electoral college. The electoral college end up repressing votes because for example- If my state is already agreeing with me then I may not vote because I know which way my state is voting. But if it was a purely poular vote then I could cancel out some idiots in some stupid states that like our leader.

Anz · Post by **Anz** » 10 Mar 2006 13:15

If you you're too lazy to vote you don't have the right to complain. So go to vote for Donald Duck if there's no better option. But if you've voted, you can complain about the situation.

Voting tell that people care about the political situation, so why would you complain if you don't vote.

junkyardjew · Post by **junkyardjew** » 10 Mar 2006 13:53

im economically liberal and socially conservative

That's funny peter, because I have exactly the opposite political bias, and here in Canada there's a party that promotes itself directly to me. (The green party, if you're a Canadian and interested).

I wonder what you mean when you say economically liberal?

junkyardjew · Post by **junkyardjew** » 11 Mar 2006 12:52

im economically liberal and socially conservative

This might rub some people the wrong way, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder why you aren't staunchly in favour of the Republicans in power right now. They're pushing to ban abortion and gay marriage, but they're spending huge amounts of money they don't have and extending the influence of government.

Wouldn't you say that big-government republicanism pretty much fits the bill for economically liberal and socially conservative?

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 11 Mar 2006 14:37

ana-ali said:

-----------
But if you've voted, you can complain about the situation.

Voting tell that people care about the political situation, so why would you complain if you don't vote.
---------------

This should be accurate, but what if the person you voted for, got elected?

Can you still complain about them, or have you forfeited your right to complain?

Tons of people who can't or don't vote complain all the time,
And the politicians race to see who can get on their knees and suck cock first.

-n