Americans that don't vote

[practicesanteria]

I am a Canadian and I think that I know way more about american politics than canadian politics. I work in the movie business and I was asking the Americans on the set if they were going to vote. One of them replied "vote for what?" and another said "I'm not a registered voter" and they are well into their 40s. Yet another person said "I'm voting for Bush. Let him finish what he started. He's only got a couple more countries to invade anyway" totally serious. I can't believe that there are still people who don't vote when the information is so readily available and in their face all the time. If you live in a country like the US which has so much impact on the rest of the world, you have to at least try and have a say in what goes on. Frustrating really.

[no yu begin wher i end]

It's ironic, really. In a country that trumpets democracy and freedom throughout the world, they can't even get off their lazy asses and vote at home. For the Venezuela elections, they had 95% voter turnout. In Brazil, it's a felony not to vote.

 

I wonder how many American non-voters supported the idea the invasion of Iraq in order to install democracy.

 

Voter apathy notwithstanding, it is your right as a human being to vote. Don't like the mainstream candidates? Give your vote to a fringe candidate. If you don't vote, then you're being irresponsible and showing utter disdain for the system that allows you the freedoms to live in peace without fear of secret police dragging you out in the middle of the night to a re-education center, or that you or anyone dear to you may not live to see another day because you think that everyone should be allowed education and health care. It's a case of laziness and ignorance, and it's fucking sad.

[miscellaneous]

I believe it's a mnaditory vote in Australia, as well.

[no yu begin wher i end]

I think it should be like that here in Canada, too.

[miscellaneous]

First we need Proportional representation...

[no yu begin wher i end]

Isn't that what Jack Layton wants the Martin Liberals do impose if they ever want the NDP's support?

[miscellaneous]

Sure is!

 

Yay Jack!

[no yu begin wher i end]

Haha. Poor Paul Martin. His hopes for what could have been the biggest Liberal majority ever vanished as soon as the sponsorship scandal broke loose. Oh well, as long as Harper didn't get in, I'm ok. All things considered, Martin probably is the best candidate to be PM.

 

Jack Layton...such an excellent record in Toronto...way to stick it to the man!

[Sparq]

This was the problem I had with the last federal election...NONE of the parties seemed any good. Conservative defence policy was the only one anywhere near acceptable to me, but some of their other policies sucked...and Harper scares me. On the other hand, I didn't want to let the liberals get another majority...NDP is just lame...etc...bah.

[miscellaneous]

NDP is Not Lame! Baaaah!

[HoboFactory]

Although I'm not yet old enough to vote, I wouldn't if I had been not because I don't care about politics or what happens to the nation, but because I'm disillusioned with the system. First off neither the democratic nor republican party to a sufficient degree represent my beliefs. In America, a nation of nearly 300 million people, only 2 major parties to chose from that cover the wide spectrum of political beliefs that are bound to exist?? That's pretty stupid. Furthermore, as demonstrated in the last election and several elections prior, the popular vote doesn't matter because the electors in the electoral college can vote contrary to what the majority voted for anyway.

[Sparq]

Perhaps they're not really lame, that may have been harsh....but at this rate the major parties are all so bad that the only thing that motivates me to vote is my desire to keep the Bloc out of power. A political party whos policies only apply to one province should not be allowed to exist.

Edited September 6, 2004 by Sparq

[ToadMan]

I never refuse to vote. But if your going to, then you should still go to the polling station, and abstain. The difference is, that abstained votes count for what you intend, that you have an intention to vote, but nobody is apt to you.

 

Peace

[Sparq]

I'll have to remember that....thous supercanuk may have told me at some point, it sounds familiar. In any case....if you don't vote, you have no right to complain. And I like complaining. Do the math.

[Moonlight_Graham]

The only thing i don't like about forcing people to vote, or rallying people who don't care about politics to vote, is that you are getting people who are entirely uneducated about the candidates to cast a vote...which they don't even want to do in the first place.

 

In a way, i'd rather have half a country vote, where most of the voters are somewhat informed, instead of having the entire country vote where the majority of voters have no clue on what they are voting for.

[Sparq]

Sounds vagely Starship Troopers-esque. Only citizens can vote, and only those who have proven themselves in some way get to be citizens.

[eeleye]

I'm big on voting in general. Even if you're voting for the less popular candidate you're still actively participating in democracy and that's better than letting someone else have your power by being a no voter. No voters should have no right to complain about how the current leader is leading the country either. Yes they are a citizen but they gave no input as to whether they supported such a person so they have no right to complain when it's already a ways into it so to speak.

[eadorer]

I completely agree with you. And I also agree with a statement I read earlier on this topic, about rather having only half the country vote than everyone. I'm a fourteen year old Canadian, and I know a heck of a lot more about U.S politics than probably half the American's out there! Man, I can't wait to vote! Anyways, if people who aren't informed about politics don't vote, than they haven't got a right to complain, and maybe next time will take some initiative and see whats happening so that they will at least know that they did their part in trying to improve the state of their country. And if you are up to date on what's happening than you really really need to vote, cause the U.S is going to he dogs lol.

[no yu begin wher i end]

Man, I can't wait to vote! Anyways, if people who aren't informed about politics don't vote, than they haven't got a right to complain, and maybe next time will take some initiative and see whats happening so that they will at least know that they did their part in trying to improve the state of their country.

Damn straight.

[juanpe]

In some countries - not in Spain, for example - voting is compulsory... i think everybody should have the right to decide whether they want to chose their representatives, although in some cases there should be more citizens involvement in politics isusues... in any case, what happens in politics affects the rest of the population

[Crusader]

I think not voting is stupid. If you don't vote you shouldn't be allowed to complain about the government.

[juanpe]

exactly, when you vote, you are chosing someone you want to represent you... if you don't vote, you dont have the right to ask politicians to change things for you because you didnt choose them

[compman_55]

Thats right if you don't vote you have no right to complain about the situation in the country.

[juanpe]

you may complain, you may say that things are right or wrong, you may have an opinion... but i think that you can ask the government to solve problems if you have voted them or you have voted other parties to represent you...

 

people - in general, and Im talking about Spain, the place where I live and know better - dont get commited with or get involved in politics so much, and politics affects everything around us

[HoboFactory]

Some problems with the government are beyond solution by means of voting, so to say that people who don't vote dont have the right to complain I think would be untrue. I'm very well informed on politics and the election process, however if I'd been old enough to vote in this election, I wouldn't because there is no right answer in who to vote for and because I don't believe in the 2 party system. Furthermore the electoral college minimizes the amount that votes matter anyway, they're practically meaningless.