I will not be voting.

[Homerboy]

I don't like any single candidate. I don't like the party system. I don't believe anything any single one of them spews.

Try to convince me all you want. They don't deserve my time or energy.

"My back is spineless. My belly is yellow. I am the American non-voter."

 

[PeshakJang]

Don't worry, I'll vote twice for you.

 

[Craig234]

No, based on your views, it is a bit understandable for you not to vote.

I think your views are wrong, that you do not appreciate the parties' differences.

But if you haven't had that corrected reading this forum, a post is unlikely to fix it.

You might read a book like the old Schlesinger book for those who said 'JFK and Nixon are the same', or Paul Krugman's 'The Conscience of a Liberal'.

But thanks for at least not falling for manipulative propaganda and voting for a bad side over it. That is actively hurting our country, handing government to the rich.

 

[her209]

If you don't vote, then you don't get to complain.

 

[Homerboy]

But thanks for at least not falling for manipulative propaganda and voting for a bad side over it. That is actively hurting our country, handing government to the rich.

Funny you mention that.
When I was younger sometimes I didn't vote in XYZ election due to the fact that, for whatver reason during that election, I wasn't up to speed on the candidates and/or their policies and positions. I felt (and often verbalized) an ignorant vote was worse than a non-vote, and I still feel that way today.

Sadly, it's becoming more and more evident that no matter what you read or hear about their positions and stances, it ends up being bullshit when they hit their elected office. I'm not saying they are LYING about stuff while on the campaign trail (though it could be true) but your stance changes one special interest groups, lobbyists, and other 3rd parties start leaning on you.

In general, I hate the whole fuckign system.

 

[Homerboy]

If you don't vote, then you don't get to complain.

HA!
Funny you mention THAT too. As I previsously stated, when I said "ignorant vote was worse than a non-vote" I would also preface that by saying "and I will not complain as I don't have the right"

Though I can cast judgment

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

If you don't vote, then you don't get to complain.

If you pay taxes, you can complain.

 

[SP33Demon]

Vote Whig and get rid of this two party system crap.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I agree with your first paragraph completely OP. In my view, anyone who's a member of ANY party has their head up their ass and is likely to be wrong more often than they're right. I also believe firmly that anyone seeking to be in politics should NEVER be allowed in politics.

That being said, I vote in every election because if I don't nothing can possibly get better. Nothing HAS gotten better even with me voting, but I can guarantee it will continue if we don't participate. It's like the old lottery ads - you can't win if you don't play.

 

[nageov3t]

I'm probably not going to bother either.

every race on the ballot is either unopposed or widely in favor of the democrats, who I'd be voting for anyways.

I don't think my district has voted for a republican candidate since Ike.

 

[PeshakJang]

If you don't vote, then you don't get to complain.

So if nobody votes, P&N will cease to exist.

 

[soulcougher73]

I don't like any single candidate. I don't like the party system. I don't believe anything any single one of them spews.

Try to convince me all you want. They don't deserve my time or energy.

"My back is spineless. My belly is yellow. I am the American non-voter."

Exactly how i feel. Until the system gets fixed its not worth my time voting in someone form the same coin.

 

[PrinceofWands]

To all those choosing not to vote, remember there are ONLY three ways to achieve change:

Your VOTE
Your MONEY
Your FIREPOWER

If you surrender the first you need to pick one of the other two, or you need to patently accept anything that happens.

 

[Craig234]

Funny you mention that.
When I was younger sometimes I didn't vote in XYZ election due to the fact that, for whatver reason during that election, I wasn't up to speed on the candidates and/or their policies and positions. I felt (and often verbalized) an ignorant vote was worse than a non-vote, and I still feel that way today.

Sadly, it's becoming more and more evident that no matter what you read or hear about their positions and stances, it ends up being bullshit when they hit their elected office. I'm not saying they are LYING about stuff while on the campaign trail (though it could be true) but your stance changes one special interest groups, lobbyists, and other 3rd parties start leaning on you.

In general, I hate the whole fuckign system.

Actually, I think they follow campaign promises a lot closer than we could expect, though there are some whoppers (Bush 2000 had a number that 'sounded good' to comfort wavering centrists and were abandoned). But there are clear differences we know about them.

But I agree on voting uninformed being bad, you are countering informed people. I tend not to vote in a lot of school board and judicial races, not being informed there.

Most of the clues a lot of voters have are from their names implying gender or race, so I encourage them all to change their names to Pat Smith.

Hope you check the books, at least the Krugman book.

 

[Craig234]

I agree with your first paragraph completely OP. In my view, anyone who's a member of ANY party has their head up their ass and is likely to be wrong more often than they're right. I also believe firmly that anyone seeking to be in politics should NEVER be allowed in politics.

That being said, I vote in every election because if I don't nothing can possibly get better. Nothing HAS gotten better even with me voting, but I can guarantee it will continue if we don't participate. It's like the old lottery ads - you can't win if you don't play.

I understand your position too, but disagree. I think it comes from a misunderstanding of party support as being as baseless as sports teams, which is harmful in politics.

But you come to a point if you understand the differences between the parties that you might agree with one much more than another, and want it to win.

It does not mean you agree with them completely, or when they're wrong, or wouldn't abandon them if they changes for the worse (or another party became better).

It just means understanding that in politics, organization wins, and you have a preference overall for one party over another, and it *needs* organization.

You retain every bit of your 'independence' on issues. You just win elections, too.

 

[Craig234]

I'm probably not going to bother either.

every race on the ballot is either unopposed or widely in favor of the democrats, who I'd be voting for anyways.

Give them landslides, they can use it.

I don't think my district has voted for a republican candidate since Ike.

The era of McCarthyism.

 

[BoberFett]

But thanks for at least not falling for manipulative propaganda and voting for a bad side over it. That is actively hurting our country, handing government to the rich.

Craig is right. Better to not vote than vote for a Democrat.

 

[JSt0rm]

I don't like any single candidate. I don't like the party system. I don't believe anything any single one of them spews.

Try to convince me all you want. They don't deserve my time or energy.

"My back is spineless. My belly is yellow. I am the American non-voter."

There isn't one local issue that you want your voice heard on? Leave all the big stuff blank but I bet there is something on the ballet you have an opinion about.

 

[airdata]

I don't like any single candidate. I don't like the party system. I don't believe anything any single one of them spews.

Try to convince me all you want. They don't deserve my time or energy.

+1

I've actually only gone out to vote once, and it was for Barack Obama. My vote didn't count for anything since he didn't win my state and I simply wasted 1-2 hours time driving to the polling location and voting.

I will vote for somebody when they come out and spend a good portion of their campaign money feeding the homeless or doing something other than buy air time for hateful advertisements that you cant take at face value without spending the time researching whether or not it's even true...

Well... I'd also vote if I lived in California so I could vote against Meg Whitman and for prop 19.

 

[bfdd]

If you don't vote, then you don't get to complain.

We get to complain about the idiots that voted those people into office though. I mean I'm not voting for Meg or Brown because imo they're both terrible, but I don't really have any other choices on the ballet so I'll just not vote there. Then when either fucks up I get to blame the idiots who chose to vote one of them in instead of not voting, picking a third party(if available) or writing someone in(if available).

 

[Zebo]

Apathy is a problem but when it's a choice between looting and theft or theft and looting it's hard to support it.

Why is that our only choice? Because Democrats are as dependent as Republicans on corporate interest groups for campaign funding and that's all you get to vote for and corporate media will lambast anyone not on board with the program.

The Democrats and Republicans have to support war and the police state if they want funding from the military/security complex. They Both have to make the health care bill into a subsidy for private insurance if they want funding from the insurance companies, whereby we will pay more instead of a well oiled machine paying only 1/3 like so many other first worlders. They have to abandon the American people for the rich bankers and thier fraud schemes if they want funding from the financial lobby. They have to sell out the American worker and enslave third world if they want corporate contributions who reap enormous profit from doing so. System is broken.

Craig and other partisans can try and paint differences but their is only one party in Washington DC, the money party.

 

[nobodyknows]

In general, I hate the whole fuckign system.

Then go vote for the challenger instead of the incumbent. If everybody did that then eventually you would think they would get the message.

 

[Thump553]

Funny you mention that.
* * *
In general, I hate the whole fuckign system.

What system do you prefer?

I've voted in every election since 1972 and am proud of it. I don't vote in certain races where I don't know the candidates or don't like either of them, and I've voted third party candidates quite a few times. I'm proud to be an American and will not voluntarily relinquish my right and duty to vote.

 

[Saint Nick]

Right with you, OP.

 

[Craig234]

Apathy is a problem but when it's a choice between looting and theft or theft and looting it's hard to support it.

Why is that our only choice? Because Democrats are as dependent as Republicans on corporate interest groups for campaign funding and that's all you get to vote for and corporate media will lambast anyone not on board with the program.

The Democrats and Republicans have to support war and the police state if they want funding from the military/security complex. They Both have to make the health care bill into a subsidy for private insurance if they want funding from the insurance companies, whereby we will pay more instead of a well oiled machine paying only 1/3 like so many other first worlders. They have to abandon the American people for the rich bankers and thier fraud schemes if they want funding from the financial lobby. System is broken.

Craig and other partisans can try and paint differences but their is only one party in Washington DC, the money party.

There's nothing 'partisan' in my comments in the wrong way you mean the word.

You're simply wrong. Progressive Democrats as a group have a far different agenda on corporatism than the others.

It's not just if they accept money interests hand out to anyone who gets power, it's what their agenda is on the issues.

You're simply ignorant about it, which results in your offensive, false attack.