Listening to Political Radio this morning and they had on several individuals who did not vote and still had a strong opinion on the election. This baffled me, how can you possibly complain if you don't try and do anything about it. This poll is simple, but I do ask, if you reply with "No" please explain your reasoning behind it. I'm not looking to start a debate in this thread in regards to your political affiliation just merely getting an idea about who votes and who chooses not to. Have a good Super Tuesday.
I wasn't going to vote until I realized I was out of Rice Krispies, and the polling place was on the way there. So I said "Eh what the hell, might as well" Bunch of old people bickering at each other trying to use computers to get you into a booth.
Why shouldn't you be allowed an opinion regardless? We have a presidential election system that effectively disenfranchises 80% of the country. Individual voting or not voting (because in these areas, your vote is astronomically irrelevant) doesn't really change this fact.
There's already a thread on this, but I'll bite. I didn't vote, and I'll probably never vote again. I did in 2008 and I felt all dirty afterwards. I don't vote for many reasons: - You have your reasoning backwards: Only those who don't vote have a right to complain. If you vote guys in to office and they proceed to f*** s*** up, then you have no right to complain. Someone post that Carlin video, please. - Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil. - You have a greater chance of being killed on the way to the voting booth than of your vote actually having an impact. - Voting for either Romney or Obama would literally make me feel sick.
I voted last Tuesday then I went and bought Assassin's Creed III which is set during the American Revolution. I was patriotic as **** that day.
Most places have more than President to vote on... Obviously my vote for Gary Johnson means little for this election. I might have sat out, if not for my state ballot initiatives.
I understand your frustration with the political candidates, but there are local races which will affect you greater than the national races.
Yep. The local races can impact the individual more than the national races. Tax levies, school board, city council, bond referendums. That is why I don't get the "I don't like any of the presidential candidates, so I won't vote" or "I live in Texas, Romney will win the state, so my vote is useless" attitudes.
Still doesn't make a difference. Frankly the primaries in my area go a lot further than the general election, in which Republicans don't even campaign and get roundly slaughtered. State level offices are more or less the same way. Local races generally don't make much of a difference around here either; to get major things done in NYC you basically need to have tons of money on your side to push through your initiative, in which case the politicians will go along with you. Doesn't really matter who they are other than the Mayor or arguably the borough presidents.
If that was always the case then situations like NV, NC, and IN flipping to blue in 2008 would never happen since those states had been reliable Red states. Also you are ignoring that the election isn't just about president. There are also elections for local candidates and local issues so even if your presidential vote is statistically insignificant votes other votes aren't.
So in other words you are fine with having others decide your governance all the way from school board to President.
I'll never understand this attitude. Never. It's incredible that someone doesn't want to have a voice in who and how they are governed.
It's true in many large urban areas though - which is where a substantial proportion of the population lives. Your vote in national issues is irrelevant, and at best you can hope to be able to stop some idiots from taking control of your local school board and replacing evolution with Jesus Horses and abstinence only sex ed. That's not a very stirring endorsement of the democratic process. Not if you do the math.
