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What do you think about the decision to NOT VOTE for president?

NAOS

NAOS

Well-Known Member
I'm just wondering what you all think about the decision to NOT VOTE for president. Do you see any value in this decision? Why or why not? If so, then what are those values?
 
I voted in 2008. For president I wrote in my daughter's name. For VP, I wrote in my other daughter's name.

I would say you need to exercise your right to vote, just don't choose to vote for what they have stuck us with.
 
I don't support our political system and haven't voted since 2004 but I think I just get lumped in with this generation of kids who can't be bothered with it
 
Not voting has no value in my opinion. As Scat said you do not hav to vote for Romney or Obama but vote for someone.


Edit: Posted while rocking out to AC/DC. THUNDER!...THUNDER!....
 
I will vote once there is a candidate that publicly supports legalization of marijuana
 
fishonjazz said:
I will vote once there is a candidate that publicly supports legalization of marijuana
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"If I can't toke, I won't vote."

Nice. Except not.

I think the old concept of not having the right to complain about elected officials if you didn't vote for one applies here.
 
Darkwing Duck said:
"If I can't toke, I won't vote."

Nice. Except not.

I think the old concept of not having the right to complain about elected officials if you didn't vote for one applies here.
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With the Electoral College system and being a resident of Utah, I disagree.
 
When I see people in other countries risking their life for the opportunity to cast a vote, it makes me wonder about people who can't be bothered to do it in this country. Even if it's a write in for a protest vote, it's still a vote. Get your asses off the couch and vote.
 
YB85 said:
When I see people in other countries risking their life for the opportunity to cast a vote, it makes me wonder about people who can't be bothered to do it in this country. Even if it's a write in for a protest vote, it's still a vote. Get your asses off the couch and vote.
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It's entirely possible to go to the voting poll and vote for several politicians in several races and still abstain from voting for those politicians you don't believe in. In other words, your maligning the idea of not voting by suggesting that those people are lazy couch potatoes is .... well ...
 
Darkwing Duck said:
"If I can't toke, I won't vote."

Nice. Except not.

I think the old concept of not having the right to complain about elected officials if you didn't vote for one applies here.
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Obviously this concept you've cited here wouldn't apply in undemocratic contexts, but can you imagine a scenario where it wouldn't apply within a democratic context?
 
NAOS said:
Obviously this concept you've cited here wouldn't apply in undemocratic contexts, but can you imagine a scenario where it wouldn't apply within a democratic context?
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Not really. Apathy is being joing by angry dissension as reasons not to vote, but this country in particular has not only instilled the right to vote, but along moral lines, the duty to vote. Now, there are going to be, what, 8 candidates on the ballot or something for POTUS, not even including that write-in line underneath.
 
NAOS said:
It's entirely possible to go to the voting poll and vote for several politicians in several races and still abstain from voting for those politicians you don't believe in. In other words, your maligning the idea of not voting by suggesting that those people are lazy couch potatoes is .... well ...
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And that's still voting. I malign the idea of taking the approach that "My vote doesn't matter" or "voting has no value". Cast a blank ballot, write in Scat Jr., vote for an obscure party. Just vote.
 
YB85 said:
And that's still voting. I malign the idea of taking the approach that "My vote doesn't matter" or "voting has no value". Cast a blank ballot, write in Scat Jr., vote for an obscure party. Just vote.
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gotcha. I can get with that.
 
Darkwing Duck said:
Not really. Apathy is being joing by angry dissension as reasons not to vote, but this country in particular has not only instilled the right to vote, but along moral lines, the duty to vote. Now, there are going to be, what, 8 candidates on the ballot or something for POTUS, not even including that write-in line underneath.
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I'm not sure I understand everything in this post, but I'd like to preserve some room for the idea of meaningfully abstaining.
 
How could there any value in not voting? This isn't like refusing to buy Pepsi Cola or McDonalds.

There is no amount of non-participation that will make the process or the product any better - in fact it would probably result in the opposite.

Not voting is just playing into the hands of the power brokers in this country.
 
The purposeful decision not to vote (as opposed to just not getting around to it or other forms of laziness) is functionally a vote of no confidence for our current form of government. At a minimum, if you do that I think you waive your right to paint other people as unpatriotic or unamerican in any fashion. After all, you just protested democracy as we know it.

This election season I'm voting; although largely turning out for Richard Carmona in a surprisingly close Senate race in Arizona. The Presidential numbers don't matter because a) Arizona is a lock for Romney and b) Obama's re-election at this point is all but a lock given recent polling numbers in Ohio. As a result I'm probably going to vote for Jill Stein for FEC purposes and also to brag to the Madame that I'm a bigger feminist than her, which will rankle her every single time I mention it. Which will be everyday.
 
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