If it weren't for old people voting

Xylitol

Diamond Member
Aug 28, 2005
6,617
0
76
Just looking at the general public these days sickens me (just look at the % of people who turn out to the polls)
I heard on the radio that a recent study at some university showed that around 60% of the people there would give up their right to vote for a free iPod.

Where we would be now would be far worse if old people did not vote.

They may not be able to drive, but they can vote
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,830
3
0
Don't kid yourself. Old people will give up their votes for a victrola or whatever the hell they listened to music with before iPods.
 

prism

Senior member
Oct 23, 2004
995
0
0
/rant

I'd take a free iPod (make it a Sansa) to give up my right to vote, seeing as how votes don't matter any more (i.e. 2000 U.S. Presidential Election).

If they get rid of that gorramn Electoral College, I might reconsider...

/endrant
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
0
Haha, do you have a link to that survey? If it's real that's crazy. The founding fathers are probably rolling over in their grave knowing that they put their lives on the line for democracy only to have people trade it for an iPod. :laugh:
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Haha, do you have a link to that survey? If it's real that's crazy. The founding fathers are probably rolling over in their grave knowing that they put their lives on the line for democracy only to have people trade it for an iPod. :laugh:

If they had iPods back then, they would probably have traded freedom for them too.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,246
10,748
136
Considering the half-assed arguments against voting I've heard on here I'm not a bit surprised by the results of that poll.

Make any joke you want about old people voting, but the laugh is on you if you can't be bothered.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Haha, do you have a link to that survey? If it's real that's crazy. The founding fathers are probably rolling over in their grave knowing that they put their lives on the line for democracy only to have people trade it for an iPod. :laugh:
It was a NYC college. Basically the kids rationalized that their vote didn't matter because the presidential election was already decided for that state. NY is a Democrat stronghold, so the candidates won't be doing any serious running there and there's virtually nothing the students could do that would make their votes matter on the issue.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,076
136
Originally posted by: Captante
Considering the half-assed arguments against voting I've heard on here I'm not a bit surprised by the results of that poll.

Make any joke you want about old people voting, but the laugh is on you if you can't be bothered.

AARP pwns j00 non-voters.

If old people didn't vote, though, I bet we wouldn't have had GW for 8 years. ;) In all seriousness, though, voter turnout among the youth is just sad. I'm glad I vote. I wonder if the youth vote has really changed much over the years, anyone know any stats on how many more/fewer youths vote now than say - 50 years ago?
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Originally posted by: Prism
/rant

I'd take a free iPod (make it a Sansa) to give up my right to vote, seeing as how votes don't matter any more (i.e. 2000 U.S. Presidential Election).

If they get rid of that gorramn Electoral College, I might reconsider...

/endrant

That's right, get rid of the foundation of a Republic because your boy didn't win. boohoo.
 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
11,983
0
0
Originally posted by: Xylitol
Just looking at the general public these days sickens me (just look at the % of people who turn out to the polls)
I heard on the radio that a recent study at some university showed that around 60% of the people there would give up their right to vote for a free iPod.

Where we would be now would be far worse if old people did not vote.

They may not be able to drive, but they can vote


We might see the action needed to correct the social security issue if old people did not carry such weight at the polls.
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,425
2
0
I really wish that for at least one election no one would vote. Maybe then the politicians would get the message. Unfortunately, too many idiots think that they should vote no matter what.

I've never voted in my life and don't intend to. It's a waste of time from my point of view because as it stands right now, things will never change. Money and influence buys not just the election, but those candidates available to even be elected.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,076
136
Originally posted by: CPA
Originally posted by: Prism
/rant

I'd take a free iPod (make it a Sansa) to give up my right to vote, seeing as how votes don't matter any more (i.e. 2000 U.S. Presidential Election).

If they get rid of that gorramn Electoral College, I might reconsider...

/endrant

That's right, get rid of the foundation of a Republic because your boy didn't win. boohoo.

I think he was just mini-ranting, and to be frank, there are many valid arguments for the present day removal of the electoral college. Calling the electoral college the foundation of a republic is a bit much, don't you think? And really, do you honestly think it's rational to be bust his balls because "his boy" didn't win the election (seeing as "his boy" did win the popular vote which means - without any question of doubt that MORE Americans (read "the electorate that actually participates") wanted him to be President)? :roll: Thank goodness the electoral college is there so that the nation's elites can make sure the foolish common man can't directly elect the President. (exaggerated, but you get my point)
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,076
136
Originally posted by: randomlinh
You need to re-read the article a bit... they'd give up the right to vote for 2008 for anything from a free ipod to a years worth of tuition. it was 2/3 that said they would trade for tuition, 20% would do the ipod touch.

the more alarming thing is 2/3's said they'd give up their right to vote completely for $1 million

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/6892.html

That last one is rooough. The right to vote completely for $1 mil? I'm not sure what I'd do in that case. For me, that's around 60-65k per Presidential vote. Is my vote, or better yet, my abstention worth 60k? Yikes. It just might be? I think I'd have a tough time turning that down and I'm a firm believer in the democratic process and a big fan of politics.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Xylitol
Just looking at the general public these days sickens me (just look at the % of people who turn out to the polls)
I heard on the radio that a recent study at some university showed that around 60% of the people there would give up their right to vote for a free iPod.

Where we would be now would be far worse if old people did not vote.

They may not be able to drive, but they can vote


We might see the action needed to correct the social security issue if old people did not carry such weight at the polls.

News flash for you. "Old people" are the ones that have been paying into this system for their entire lives. The money taken out of their paychecks over which they had no say about could have been invested and grown over their working career but instead was confiscated by government with the promise that it would be available at retirement. It will be a cold day in hell before anyone that has been contributing to this ponzi scheme against their will will agree to any reform that means they do not get back what was involuntarily taken over their working career.
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,294
148
106
Originally posted by: Xylitol
I heard on the radio that a recent study at some university showed that around 60% of the people there would give up their right to vote for a free iPod.

that's because people dont have faith in politicians. They feel like it's out of their hands and their vote doesnt count. Old people vote beause they have too much free time
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
68,855
26,648
136
Originally posted by: Linflas

News flash for you. "Old people" are the ones that have been paying into this system for their entire lives. The money taken out of their paychecks over which they had no say about could have been invested and grown over their working career but instead was confiscated by government with the promise that it would be available at retirement. It will be a cold day in hell before anyone that has been contributing to this ponzi scheme against their will will agree to any reform that means they do not get back what was involuntarily taken over their working career.

News flash: Except for the most recent of retirees, most paid no where near as mush into the SS system as they are taking out, even when including interest. The WWII generation got a sweet deal with SS.

When only old people vote it screws up the system as they tend to be short sighted and very greedy.
 

altonb1

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2002
6,433
0
71
Originally posted by: jjones
I really wish that for at least one election no one would vote. Maybe then the politicians would get the message. Unfortunately, too many idiots think that they should vote no matter what.

I've never voted in my life and don't intend to. It's a waste of time from my point of view because as it stands right now, things will never change. Money and influence buys not just the election, but those candidates available to even be elected.

Proud to be one of those idiots.

I vote in almost every election. I have missed an election here or there in the last 20 years, but I try to vote in every election. It is my constitutional DUTY to do so.

If you choose NOT to vote, how can you, in the same sentence, complain that things will never change? I'm sorry...who's the idiot? :roll:
 

TehMac

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2006
9,979
3
71
Originally posted by: CPA
Originally posted by: Prism
/rant

I'd take a free iPod (make it a Sansa) to give up my right to vote, seeing as how votes don't matter any more (i.e. 2000 U.S. Presidential Election).

If they get rid of that gorramn Electoral College, I might reconsider...

/endrant

That's right, get rid of the foundation of a Republic because your boy didn't win. boohoo.

:laugh:
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: ironwing
Originally posted by: Linflas

News flash for you. "Old people" are the ones that have been paying into this system for their entire lives. The money taken out of their paychecks over which they had no say about could have been invested and grown over their working career but instead was confiscated by government with the promise that it would be available at retirement. It will be a cold day in hell before anyone that has been contributing to this ponzi scheme against their will will agree to any reform that means they do not get back what was involuntarily taken over their working career.

News flash: Except for the most recent of retirees, most paid no where near as mush into the SS system as they are taking out, even when including interest. The WWII generation got a sweet deal with SS.

When only old people vote it screws up the system as they tend to be short sighted and very greedy.

Bullshit. My father was part of the WWII generation and he contributed to SS for his entire working life. He did not even collect 4 years worth of benefit before his death. Where did all that money he paid in go? Where did the money of every other WWII generation retiree that did not live into their 80's and 90's where they might have actually exhausted their original contributions go? The reality is the money was taken with a guarantee that when you retire it would be there for you. The only people that got a sweet deal with SS were those that were old or approaching retirement age when the system was implemented and received benefits they never contributed. It is not greedy to expect the government to live up to the commitment and obligation it assumed when it decided it needed to be in the entitlement business.
 

Scouzer

Lifer
Jun 3, 2001
10,359
6
0
We (Canada and the US) need proportional representation like Europe. This is the only way to make voting matter.

Where I live, the Progressive Conservatives will be elected every time no matter what. Therefore, there is no point whatsoever in voting.