Did you vote?

[BP3]

I'm curious what percentage of the folks here voted in Tursday's elections. I'm not asking how you voted, just if you did.

[Iaian]

Yes I did vote. And yes I think my vote counts. There are a lot of people pissing and moaning that there are no choices but when it all boils down to it, nothing changes unless you vote. Hate the Democrats AND Republicans, vote for a third party. Hate the leaders of the third party in the area? Support someone that you can get behind. Iaian

[RobT]

Don't vote? Don't complain. I DO support your right to vote or not.

[Sylver]

Man, Tinder, you're slow. See here: http://www.musicgearnetwork.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008825 Just kidding, I didn't do a poll!

[Bunny Knutson]

Yes, I voted. No, I don't think my vote made any difference to anybody but me. Now, that's REAL VOTER APATHY. (You can't have "voter apathy" if you didn't vote, because you're not a voter. That would be "non-voter apathy!" :D )

[whitefang]

[quote]Originally posted by RobT: [b]Don't vote? Don't complain. I DO support your right to vote or not.[/b][/quote]This is one silly platitude that has to stop! If not given what one would consider a decent choice, WHY vote? If I'm offered two or three candidates I don't feel are worth a damn, I won't vote for ANY of them. And you can bet your ass, I WILL complain! Whitefang

[Skip_dup1]

there are these annoying way-in-advance deadlines for voting from outside the U.S.-I`m not happy with either party but it`s clear that there are assholes and REAL assholes to choose from-and WAY too many of the latter won this time. I don`t think it makes a big diff but anything I can do to keep more like Bush out of office is worth it-I`m going to install an `auto-buttkick` machine in my room for every time I don`t do it.

[offramp]

I back up whitefang on this. It's the same thing at a lunch buffet: If you're given three choices of entrees and you don't care for any of 'em, you get the salad but goddammit, managements' gonna hear about it. Selecting the lesser of two evils is not pushing for change, it's switching the suck teat of an 800-pound gorilla. Take the money out of campaigning (or at least level the playing field) and see what choices you get...you'll be knee-deep in 'em. The candidates for Libertarian, Green Party, et al., get drowned out by advertising, plain and simple. It's just like big business vs. small business; Home Depot can pummel you twice an hour on FOX, while Eagle Hardware and Garden Supplies can barely afford to take out a Sunday Paper ad. Odds are great that the folks at Eagle will remember you the next time you walk in. Vote? Sorry, not this time around. I was numbed senseless by negative campaigning built on fear and spite, plus I had a gut instinct that our state still had it's foot to the floor towards becoming a police state. If I can get pulled out of my house and thrown in jail because a neighboring county wasn't sure if I had auto insurance or not (nevermind the vast resources available and the state government minions available on my tax dime to get the facts straight), then what in God's name is gonna make me think my puny little vote means fuck to anyone? When we get some choices other than a sharp stick in the eye or a hot poker up the ass, then I'll vote.

[miroslav]

Everyone needs to vote. I think it's a cop out to say there wasn't a single candidate worth voting for. In all elections...there are numerous positions for which people are running for...Senate, House, Governor, State Seats, Town Justice, Assemblyman...etc. So...even if you may not like say...any of the candidates for Senator...there are still all the other ballots you can vote on. If anyone says that there wasn't a single person on ANY ballot that they wanted to vote for..that's just BS...and an easy excuse. You can always skip the ballots that don't have anyone pleasing...but at least show up and vote even for just one person on one ballot. Otherwise...if you didn't vote...than you have no business discussing the voting process or the results of the vote... ...but as always, everyone is free to speak...even if they have nothing meaningful to say.

[offramp]

"Otherwise...if you didn't vote...than you have no business discussing the voting process or the results of the vote..." So, if one doesn't change their own oil, they can't discuss the process of getting car repairs done at various garages? If one doesn't play professional sports, they have no business discussing the games they watch? Essentially, you're telling people they can't comment on the world around them. Observation and participation may be two different things, but they both have an effect on an individual. You're telling the people who didn't like the choices that they are invalid because they're not accepting the limited options being shoved down their throat. "...but as always, everyone is free to speak...even if they have nothing meaningful to say." The height of arrogance and pomposity, with regard to this topic. Good day, sir, and good luck.

[miroslav]

Don't twist my words to suit your argument...and don't make comparisons that are not valid. Not voting last night...and then trying to critisize and comment on the process and the outcome...is worse than being a Monday morning quarterback. First get invloved in the process... When you talk about changing car oil without ever doing it yourself...you are just a spectator. But, when you actually do it yourself...then you are involved and your discussion has some value. Sorry if that sounds arrogant...but it's too easy to sit on the sidelines and make comments about what is going on in the game...now THAT is arrogant! Good day to you too! :wave:

[midispaceho]

To vote anything other than the main parties is for most people making an uninformed choice. I simply don't have time to be a political activist and to hours of research to find out what the obscure candidates stand for. Call me lazy or apethetic, I don't really care. It is out and out wrong that the major media outlets only give coverage to the big 2 parties. It is even more wrong that the big 2 parties won't let others play. Political advertising should be 100 % abolished. There should only be televised debate open to all candidates regardless of party. The system is biased to the major parties because the media is owned by huge corporations that have "purchased" the republicans and democrats.

[Jotown]

My ex-father in law, Lemmie Fox, always said. "If you don't vote, you can't bitch". So I get to bitch. :D

[RobT]

[quote]Originally posted by whitefang: [b] [quote]Originally posted by RobT: [b]Don't vote? Don't complain. I DO support your right to vote or not.[/b][/quote]This is one silly platitude that has to stop! If not given what one would consider a decent choice, WHY vote? If I'm offered two or three candidates I don't feel are worth a damn, I won't vote for ANY of them. And you can bet your ass, I WILL complain! Whitefang[/b][/quote]I don't mean that you HAVE to vote for every single canadate or proposal. Most of us are swamped with LIFE to investigate every single issue that may be on a ballot. Vote for those things/canadates/issues that concern YOU! If nothing concerns YOU and none of the issues affect YOU then by all means YOU don't have to vote. And I support your right to do so. [b]I have family members who were lynched, run out of town and otherwise violated, beaten or killed for me to have this privilege.[/b] So don't expect me to sit around and have sympathy if YOU don't vote. Or wont take the time to investigate. Or just won't vote period. Or don't like the choices. Hey, I don't always like all the choices. When I don't like the choices I try to come up with something better. When I can't I skip that choice vote for the things I do know about or care about. Don't like the canadates then YOU run. /rant_off