Voting: Right, or duty?

T

Tim

Well?

Don't cast your vote with your personal definition of rights and duties in mind.

A right is a legal or moral entitlement or permission.

A duty is obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position.
 

Alone

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2006
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Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.
 

Bibble

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2006
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Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.
 

LS8

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2008
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Originally posted by: AmpedSilence
Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

How many people are properly informed?

Well, if all they do is watch the Communist News Network (CNN) or Faux News (Fox News) I would say they aren't informed at all. Sadly, most people who will be voting fit into this category.
 

Alone

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2006
7,490
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Originally posted by: AmpedSilence
Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

How many people are properly informed?

About eight people in the entire country?
 

bignateyk

Lifer
Apr 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: Bibble
Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.

You should have to pass a test before every election. The test would include questions about an array of different issues facing the country, and questions about different candidates opinions on those issues (that might be hard though since the candidates flip flop all the time).

People who vote based soley on party affiliation should be shot.
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
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It's your duty to be well informed and vote, but it's your right to shirk your duty, be an ignoramus and not vote, or be an ignoramus and vote anyway.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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Voting is BOTH a right AND a duty.



Originally posted by: bignateyk
Originally posted by: Bibble
Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.

You should have to pass a test before every election. The test would include questions about an array of different issues facing the country, and questions about different candidates opinions on those issues (that might be hard though since the candidates flip flop all the time).

People who vote based soley on party affiliation should be shot.


How elitist of you...While I do believe informed voters make more intelligent choices, there can and should be no "test" of any kind other than the "test of citizenship" to be allowed to vote.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
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If my vote actually counted (I'm a fan of doing a straight across the board totals, keep it simple you know) then I would think it would be more of a duty. I don't know if I want to vote this year as my vote for the president does not count. I do not like the one candidate and the other I like more but he probably was not the best person for the ticket IMHO.
 

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
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Both. It is your duty to be an informed voter, but it is your right to exercise your ability to vote. The right can be removed (as in a convicted felon).
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
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Even though the vote of the average Joe doesn't technically count, I say there's a right to elect our leaders. This is supposed to be a Democracy after all.
 
Jul 10, 2007
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Originally posted by: bignateyk
Originally posted by: Bibble
Originally posted by: Alone
Right. It's irresponsible to vote for a candidate if you're not properly informed.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.

You should have to pass a test before every election. The test would include questions about an array of different issues facing the country, and questions about different candidates opinions on those issues (that might be hard though since the candidates flip flop all the time).

People who vote based soley on party affiliation should be shot.

agreed in theory.