Ignorance is... Hilarious!

[dragonfire9000]

While at work last night I heard coming from the waitress station, "So, who'd you vote for? Oh, I didn't have time. What do you mean you didn't have time?! Oh, it's no big deal, I'll just vote next year."

So don't worry Republicans, we'll get 'em next year.

[JackOfSwords]

It saddens me whenever I hear someone give a lame excuse for not voting.  Right now, they're still trying to figure out who won a Senate race here in my state because only a few hundred votes separate the candidates out of over 2 million votes cast.  And, of course, everyone can still remember the 2000 presidential election.  The most awesome power and responsibility any U.S. citizen is given as a gift soley by being born here, or by hard work and diligent study of our government system (immigrants), and people choose to throw it away?  Those folk who choose not to vote because "they didn't have time" should be forced to go live in a dictatorship for a few years for some perspective.

[Meldread]

This is why I wish there was a federal law mandating early voting in every state a week before elections, and election day becoming a holiday.  No more excuses.

[Kiaring]

There are three kinds of people in America.

Democrats.

Republicans.

And people who were pissed they couldn't show House M. D. tuesday night.

Living in Brazil, I can offer you some perspective of what elections are like in place where they are mandatory, and voting days are holidays -


 People see voting as a 'chore'. They go vote because it's an obligation (you incur several bureaucratic troubles for not voting).

 People often forget who they voted for in the least 'important' (city council, representative) levels; Many people make their 'decision' on the way to the voting booth as they're approached by partisans of one candidate or another.

 People hardly feel that voting is 'the spirit of democracy'. It's more of a chore, that precedes a free day they wouldn't otherwise have.


In my opinion, keeping voting voluntary pushes those who truly feel they have something to say towards voting. People who are just too comfortable, or too complacent, I'd rather have them stay at home - there is a long-standing trend of people who are 'forced' to go vote to vote for 'whomever', trying, in a way, just to get rid of their chore. This makes for poor voting, and worse relationship with the person you elected (sometimes non-existent) which is the only thing that can keep them accountable once they are in office.

[PanamaLane]

I'm all for getting everyone who agrees with me out to vote. As for the people who don't, that's someone elses responsibilty. <_<

[Letsplayforfun]

Once i though ignorance was hilarious.

Then i thought it was sad, but though luck.

Then i realized it was dangerous.

Now i'm a teacher.

[Meldread]

Kiaring,

I agree voting should never be mandatory.  I don't think I was clear, though.  In the United States some states allow early voting and some don't.  Each state has various different rules for early voting, some of which are rather cumbersome.

In the election I am sure you heard about how in some places people had to stand in line for hours.  I was suggesting a mandate from the federal government to create a universal system for early voting a week before the election begins in all fifty states.  Then to make it even easier, create a federal holiday so that those who wish to vote but have not already get the opportunity.

In many cases here in the United States I believe that people don't vote because they simply can't afford to stand in line for hours.  Some people think of this as a type of "poll tax."  This is an issue that is going to have to be addressed in the next four years because it has become a serious problem in the last few election cycles.

[Kiaring]

I read the word 'mandating' and immediately thought of mandatory voting. My bad.

[Meldread]

Ha.  Yeah, I thought so.  I read my post after reading yours, and I realized the way I used the word was confusing.  Sorry about that.

[xxWhisperingWindsxx]

Let me add another perspective here ....

I'm -not- a registered voter, and it is by choice.  Being a woman and not registered to vote, I've heard all sorts of comments and criticisms over the years about that.  I've long since lost count of the number of times I've been told it's my duty to vote.  That so many women suffered for the right for women to vote, that it's absolutely my duty as a woman and a US citizen.  

No, it is -not- my duty.  It is my right.  Those brave women fought all those years ago to give me the right to vote.  It is my choice what to do with that right.  That is the beauty of living in the US.  Freedom of choice.

So why do I choose not to vote?  It's actually quite simple ...

IMO most politicians are liars.  Some better than others.  Anything they say during their campaign is designed to do nothing more than persuade you to elect them.  It may or may not have any bearing on what they'll actually do once they get into office.  Not to mention the fact that there's several other bodies of government any given thing has to pass through.  So a candidate can promise the moon if they like, the chance of delivering that moon are slim to none.

And, quite frankly, I have little to no interest in anything vaguely political.  Therefore, I don't or am not going to take the time to educate myself on it or anything surrounding it.    IMO an uneducated voter is far worse than someone choosing not to vote.  That's how things get passed and people get elected that we later look back on trying to figure out how to undo what's been done.   So I refrain.  I'll not add an uneducated vote to a system that already has trouble.

It's a bit of a trade-off though.  By choosing not to vote, I give up my right to bitch and complain too loudly about the state of things.   Which generally speaking I don't.  And the things I do bitch about almost never come up in a way that I would be able to vote on them anyway.

Someone once told me that I could make a bigger "statement" by registering to vote and then abstaining.  This is probably true.  And someday I may just change my mind about registering and/or voting.  But for now ... I'd rather remain unregistered.

[dragonfire9000]

Erm... I was sort of hoping this would be taken as amusing and mood-lightening, and not start another discussion on politics. It's largely decided now and I would hope we can go back to our now-changed lives, eh? As for the senatorial race, I think I live in the same state. Five hundred-vote margin.