Don't vote! But if you do.....

Please inform yourself on the candidates and the issues. Here is a good place to start:

Don't vote!

If you have any links to help folks in the US inform themselves about the issues, please post them here.

Less than four weeks till the mid term elections.

Voter education should be a priority for any party. It's a shame that so much of what we hear in political campaigns, especially the TV ads, is mudslinging which does nothing to enlighten, but rather obscures the important issues that voters should really consider.

Here in New Mexico, the House race between Attorney General Patricia Madrid and incumbent Heather Wilson has been almost completely devoid of substance as each assassinates the character of the other. Wilson has a pretty good track record in Congress, but her being a Republican has left her wide open for mindless attacks against her being in the same party as the president and then, Wilson counters with the issues which she has voted in opposition to Bush's position. None of this does a damn thing to tell anyone anything of importance about either one.

So, it really is up to the voter to research the issues and to become familiar with the records of all candidates and make the best call based on that research. I'm of the mind that politicians should not be able to campaign on television at all. The ads to do nothing to inform voters and give advantage to candidates who have nothing more going for them except deep pockets.

The link provided by mrwupy is not the only resource for educating voters. I'm a Second Amendment advocate and whether or not a candidate supports the Second Amendment is important to me, although that is not the only important thing.

To inform myself regarding whether or not a candidate supports the Constitution of the United States, especially the Second Amendment, I rely on the National Rifle Association, of which I am a Benefactor Member.

Whatever your pet issue is, there is probably an organization out there who tracks the candidates so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel when doing the research. It also doesn't hurt to send a letter or an email to ask candidates just where they stand on the issues.

The worst thing that any voter can do is to vote on the basis of emotion or the pitiful sound bites that we are bombarded with incessantly during the campaign season.

So, get out there and start asking question. Google the candidates and get the answers you need to make informed choices.

www.nrapvf.org...

www.nraila.org...

www.nra.org...

[edit on 2006/10/10 by GradyPhilpott]

To carry out our responsibility and duty as American citizens whilst voting, we must, must, MUST be informed and educated as to the issues, and candidates. To be otherwise is put the whole process in danger.

By danger I refer to voting in candidates who say one thing and do another. Or referendums that begin to slowly erode our freedoms while supposedly protecting us from ourselves.

To paraphrase, Vote in haste, repent at leisure...please, please, please, before pulling that lever, or punching that chad; let us all resolve to inform ourselves and others as to the issues and the candidates.

I don't see a point to voting anyway. So I won't vote and never have voted. I mean I realize it's suppose to choose some issues over others, but honestly, it hardly affects anything.

Iaguana. Seriously, you need to rethink that particular thought process...

Civic responsibility, duty to ones country, one's neighbors, to yourself (if nothing else), requires it of you. If you don't participate in the exercise of democracy, or at least our form of it, you are very reason the process has the issues it has. You might want to give that some thought.

Here are some more links for anyone interested. I used to find it frustrating when going to vote and seeing a lot that I was not informed on. I think the next thing worse to not voting is being uninformed.

Here is a site with all the candidates running for office. You can select your state by selecting the “Go to Elections: 50 States” tab, then click on your state.

www.uselections.com...

You can find what will be on your ballot on this site by entering your address and zip code. It will list all the local candidates and issues.

smartvoter.org...

BTW, I always thought the Don’t Vote site was misleading. They really should change the name of it.

Hal9000. Great links. Anyone taking the time to view those will be better informed come election day.

Please people, look at the issues and candidates up for election, make your choices as an informed voter.

Get out and vote, get your freinds and family out to vote...help that little old man or woman across the street to get out to vote.

Having put my money where my mouth is...come election day in November, I am driving several people to the polls, who otherwise would not be able to get there, or at least not easily.

This may be one of the most important elections of my lifetime, next to the next Presidential election. Vote...vote...vote.

Vote - get everyone you know to vote. exercise your right to vote. vote with conviction. vote for things you believe in. vote for candidates you believe in. it's your right. It's your duty. it's your country. It gives you a voice. By all means vote. vote with pride. and be amazed at those that choose not to be counted by not voting - the ultimate in hypocricy. it's better they keep their heads in the sand by NOT voting. but they SHOULD vote as well. we WANT them to vote. good luck all - and God bless....

Amen, brother (?). Please people...the absolute worst thing you can do is not vote. If you don't know what to vote for, it is so easy to get informed on both the candidates and the various state and municiple issues. If you are reading this post you have the wherewithal to get informed and exersize your right and do your duty. Vote. I don't care for who, just have your voice heard.

The best way to keep politicians honest is to have 100% voter turnout for elections.
Corrupt political machines stay in power when they convince you that your vote doesn't matter. Then they can easily win by havig their cronies vote in large numbers.

The fact that you cast your vote shows that you are concerned about issues. Regardless if you win every time. That alone helps to keep them honest.

I admit it, I voted for Bush....*goes and tries to rip the space time continum to slap himself silly*

Honestly, what would send a message to our government more than voting in itself, is declaring a strike against voting and having a picket line in front of voting stations.

Imagine it, people are informed that all canidates are morons (or just corrupt underneath the plastic surgery), and they decide to join the voters strike! *sigh* Too bad it would never happen though. I would love to see any incumbant's face if that were to happen.

"Tonight at 11. Who will represent in the US Senate our district? Since no one voted, we will have to have a new election."

Think of the times they would be having throwing a hissy fit.

Its a rough idea, I know. But honestly, I am not voting in the district I am in because I don't know whats best for the area (I'm an out-of-state college student). In my head it makes more sense for me not to vote than to vote.

Although if there was a slot for given them a pink-slip, I'd probably just check them all off for fun!

Originally posted by seagull
Iaguana. Seriously, you need to rethink that particular thought process...

Civic responsibility, duty to ones country, one's neighbors, to yourself (if nothing else), requires it of you. If you don't participate in the exercise of democracy, or at least our form of it, you are very reason the process has the issues it has. You might want to give that some thought.

...Im with that dude. Show me a candidate that is actually different? .. I dispise them all (im in Ohio.. particularly ugly this year..) I will not vote, I am tierd of the corruption.

I don't vote on party lines or on ideologies, since every single candidate, almost without exception, has been bought and paid for by those that paid "political contributions" to his/her campaign fund.

The way I'll vote is to vote all of the Incumbants out, and get some fresh brains in there. This system has become so befuddled by corrupt lifetime politicians that it's making a mockery of the very system that our founding fathers put into place. It's time that the People realize this, and fix it before it's too late.

TheBorg

Actually a "voter strike" plays right into the hands of the incumbants. No vote, I would guess they would stay in office. At least until another election was called.

Rockpuck. Choosing the candidates is up to us as the voting public, it's what being involved in the process is all about. Not just November 7th, primary day too. Heck, if your so browned off about the choices, run yourself, if you're old enough. The choices are only limited if you allow them to be. Yes, it'll take work...but if you don't try, nothing'll change. Party caucases will be happening starting next year. Go, get involved, make your voices heard there, too. My local democratic party apparatchik hate me...because I ask questions like, "It's all very well and good to hate Bush, but what alternative are we, as Democrats and loyal Americans, offering to counter what the Republicans are doing." I've yet to get any sort of substansive answer. I expect that I'll be asked to leave soon. Not gonna keep me from being involved, though...I'll just be an independant instead.

It's not hard to become informed, the internet is just brimming with information. Go to the rallies...ask questions...staying away is what the rascals want. Express your anger at what is going on by voting the incumbants out...in two years if it just looks like more of the same...vote the rascals out. Changing the climate of corruption in American politics is not going to be an overnight thing. It's going to take time, its going to be frustrating, but anything worth doing in the realm of politics will never be an overnight success.

So, vote...agitate for change...check the results...vote again...keep agitating...check. For American politics to be as clean as possible; we, the people need to be directly involved.

I really don't see the conspiracy connection here - maybe this belong on PST instead. There are plenty of vote-regrettors (mostly bush-bashers) there as well.

Anyway - it seems my closest belief-affinity is with the ithers on this thread that are encouraging folks to vote. What I find particularly refreshing is that, like me, many are encouraging even enemies and idiots to vote!

I'd much rather live in a country in which I know my vote is vindicated where, after encouraging everybody to vote, 'the majority has spoken'. The only discouraging part is listening to all the sour grapes drivel (especially from 'the media') for years afterwards as the 'losers' are dragged kicking and screaming to reality.

Long story short: Get out and VOTE! And consider yourself lucky that you are even 'allowed' to vote, or not living in a country like, say, Zaire, where you vote with a gun at your head for the dictator flavor of the month or else.

Well, I think the political conspiracy comes in when we consider that those candidates that make it to the final vote are already under the thumbs of those that paid contributions to their campaign. As I stated in my last post, that's become one of the biggest problems with this system. True, electing them out will get the ones that are currently there out, but who will we be voting in? Just more of the same types of people? Or people that will change the way things are, back to a more reasonable existence?

Personally, I think they've all been bought and paid for. No matter who you vote for, they're all owned by the same people. The only point to voting, to me anyway, is to show the rest of the country that no matter what happens, those with the power never get removed from office; they hold it permanently. That, in a very small nutshell, is where I believe the conspiracy lies. Not anything too far-fetched; just something to think about.

TheBorg