Op/Ed: VOTE.....VOTE......VOTE!!!

firstly, for those who agree that the two party system needs a change, check out this thread i wrote up last week:

automatic runoff voting

second, i agree one hundred percent with grover....VOTE VOTE VOTE!

if you dont, you dont have a right to an opinion IMHO.

It's Tuesday morning and the wife and I just returned from our drive to our rural polling place at the old school house. We were voters 5 & 6. Here in Texas, the governor's race is the race that everyone is watching. We are hoping for a change but doubt if it with happen.

Voting is a real priviledge, we don't pass on it...

Originally posted by dgtempe
I DEMAND A CHANGE. How can I possibly demand a change and not get out and vote for that change?

Good for you, dg!!!

Thank you.

Yes! Thanks to Grover and to everyone who votes! (I already did)

It's true, it may not make a difference. My vote may not be counted. And I'm actually betting that no matter how many people vote, fraud will prevail and the control of the House and Senate will not change. But I can't NOT vote. It may be important for the future and I'll not give up.

Well I just got back from voting...I usually do it first thing but it has been raining and I am on a motorcycle so I let is lighten up some.

It was interesting...I was told voter turnout had been heavy in our district which is good. I knew George Allen had an independent running against him but I felt it was more important to get Bushes parrot out of office so I voted for the democrat. What I did not know is that Bob Goodlette (R) was running unopposed by the Democrats BUT that he had 2 independents running against him (I never even heard hint of that in the news) so I had the pleasure of voting independent.

We need to hold the media accountable and if there are independents running make sure they get equal air time.

I respect the opinions and choices of every person who has posted (or will post) in this thread, as well as the opinions and choices of those who adhere to or participate in any political party or movement in this country, regardless of ethical or political stances on a wide variety of issues. There is no one with a position or opinion that I do not respect (and even care for,) whether I agree with their positions on various issues or not.

That said, I do not believe I should be afforded less respect or less validation simply because I have made the choice I have; namely, not to vote. I am exercising my right not to vote. I am choosing - rightly or wrongly (and I am open minded and humble enough not to presume this decision must be definitively right or wrong, but rather that it is the decision I find least incongruent with my beliefs and sensibilities) - to express my disagreement and discontentment with the system by which administrators and leaders are chosen and by which we are governed and led, by not participating in that system.

I have seen others express similar sentiments before, only to be refuted with replies such as, "If you don't like the way we do things here, there are plenty of other countries to choose from," "Choose the lesser of two evils," or "How would you prefer we choose our leaders, then?" I don't have a better alternative to the current way we do things. I don't have a system in mind that I would prefer. I don't presume to know better or to be wiser than those who crafted the system we presently subsist within/under. There isn't a country or state on the planet of which I'm aware that does things in a way I would be more comfortable with (far from it) than I am with the way we do things here.

I contend, however, that contrary to the popular belief claiming otherwise, the lack of a better alternative in mind should not wholly invalidate one's feeling and/or opinion that they cannot in good conscience take part in a process or system with which they fundamentally disagree. Furthermore, I contend that the right to an opinion of those who govern us should not be contingent upon having voted for them or their opponents. I do not believe in choosing the lesser of two evils. I believe in choosing something one can truly live with. I, personally, wouldn't be able to live with knowing I gave my vote to any of the options presently arrayed before me. Sadly, this has been the case for many years.

I respect the opinions and passions of those who would vehemently disagree with this stance, and ask only that my own opinion and passion not be made subject to invalidation or contempt merely because I have deep, conscientious, ethical, and personal reservations about taking part in a system with which I personally (and without judging others in the process) disagree. People are free to disagree with me, and as stated above, they will still retain my respect in so doing. We all are only human, and can only make the best decisions we are equipped to, in accordance with our conscience.

This having been said, I too urge others to follow their consciences. If this means voting, then I urge you to do so. If it means not voting, then I urge you to refrain from doing so. Whatever we do, we must all try to make the best choices we can with respect to our collective future, and do what we can to appease our conscience.

I voted for change. I suspect things will for the better.



If you didn't yet, maybe this will motivate you.




Let's show them who's boss.

[edit on 11/7/2006 by Hal9000]

Originally posted by roadgravel
It's Tuesday morning and the wife and I just returned from our drive to our rural polling place at the old school house. We were voters 5 & 6. Here in Texas, the governor's race is the race that everyone is watching. We are hoping for a change but doubt if it with happen.

Voting is a real priviledge, we don't pass on it...

Good for you roadgravel. I wish I was voting in TX. Kinky all the way. Let's shake it up!

Good post!

Everyone needs to vote but remeber this....We have been taking two sides to a political biopoly that clearly needs checks and balances for the two sides in power.
The only way to add checks and balances is to put A THIRD party in power. If you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten. We have always gotten two party's that only have the same answer for every fault "They did it not us." If you vote for them you'll be killed by terrorist..If you vote for them the war will never end! These are be a few things we are blinded by. So open your eyes and look and see there are others who DO NOT have a (R) or (D) beside their names and take a chance cause the brillant thing is if you don't like them then VOTE their rear-end outta office the next go around! (Hold our political officials accountable for OUR needs not the needs of big government or corporations.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
In my opinion, if you don't vote you lose your right to bitch about what's going on

Totally agreed. Regardless of your political viewpoints, EVERYONE should vote. I share an office with someone who is ideologically my opposite and will most likely vote the opposite as I. I still encourage him to vote simply because it is one of the things that makes this country great. I have to totally agree with the opening post. I am very guilty of getting inflamed with people on this site and getting into arguments in the threads, but the opening post to this thread really describes the situation accurately - we all love our country our families and want whats best (at least what each of us thinks is best :duh for all of us. The methodology on how to accomplish this is what we need to compromise on.

The more I think about it the more I keep adding to my list of how to make for better elections on the first page.

Guys...please read it and add your two cents worth...despite what the corporations and special interests think...it is our (meaning each individual) country and unless we force the issue they will make anybody different (religion, ethnicity or wealth) second and third class citizens. I wouldn't put it past somebody to propose going back to the standard at the beginning of our country... owning property being the determiner on whether you voted or not.

Originally posted by Hal9000
I voted for change. I suspect things will for the better.

If you didn't yet, maybe this will motivate you.

Let's show them who's boss.

[edit on 11/7/2006 by Hal9000]

I also just voted.

Originally posted by Black_Fox

I also just voted.

Just got back and it feels good.

I really like that, locally, we use good ol' paper and pencil so there's physical evidence of our choices.

*raises glass* Here's to hoping that everyone's voice is heard and counted.

[edit on 11/7/06 by redmage]

Originally posted by dgtempe
I DEMAND A CHANGE. How can I possibly demand a change and not get out and vote for that change?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
It's true, it may not make a difference. My vote may not be counted. And I'm actually betting that no matter how many people vote, fraud will prevail and the control of the House and Senate will not change. But I can't NOT vote. It may be important for the future and I'll not give up.

I'm agreeing with AceWombat04 on this one.

And maybe this is just my inner rebel talking, but I, too, demand a change. I demand a change in the education of the people, of those values they hold near and dear. I demand a complete overhaul of the political system in this country. I do not believe that this is a pure democracy when capitalism has its hands so deep in politicians' pockets... thus, I do not think that a change will happen with the people that make it to the elections...

I'm fairly certain that no matter how the public decides, those who are truly in power (which, sadly, is no longer the people) will put into whatever office whomever they choose.

I do not think that a change will come via the politicians and the government. It will come from within the people. And that is where my interests lay.


See, here's the thing that I've been battling with since I turned 18, and frankly South Park said it best -- I don't see the point in voting, when the choice is between a douche and a turd.

I refuse to pick between the lesser of two evils. I simply do not see the point.



Aside from all that, I would be an 'uneducated' voter since I have no idea who's up for what. I don't listen to the radio, nor watch tv. The only ad I heard was a smear campaign at the dentist's office, and it sickened me.

[edit on 7-11-2006 by Diseria]

Originally posted by Hal9000
If you didn't yet, maybe this will motivate you.

Let's show them who's boss.

I'm sorry, but what exactly does that mean...?

The sad point in all of this is that the right in the US went wrong by being puppets of Israel and the left once in power will just play the same game. All that happens today is that different people will get to do the same job. There is a degree of justice in that but it will not lead to a different outcome from what I can tell.

Why would I vote? Your vote means nothing, the secret government runs everything and decides everything.

Originally posted by Diseria
I'm sorry, but what exactly does that mean...?

I'm glad you asked.

1. It should remind us that not everyone lives in a democracy and because we are able, it is our duty to vote.

2. This picture is from the first time Iraqis were able to vote in a real election, and it was by the sacrifice of our soldiers that they are able to do it. Even though I disagree with the war in Iraq, this was a positive thing that came out of it.

3. If this little old lady can get out and vote then anyone can.

As far as "Let's show them who's boss", I meant that we should show the politicians that they work for us, and if they don't do what we want we will vote them out of office.

[edit on 11/7/2006 by Hal9000]

Originally posted by Sageice
Why would I vote? Your vote means nothing, the secret government runs everything and decides everything.

On the other hand, your apathy and unwillingness to even try to make a positive statement speaks volumes. Even if you aren't sure that voting will change things, it still shows that you care enough to try. I am proud that I voted in this election, whether or not it changes things the way I would like to see them. At least show you care about your country enough to take five minutes and VOTE!

So many people are not voting because, in all honesty, there's only two parties to choose between and they're both the same corrupt scumbags in different clothing.

I'm in the UK but I'd feel pretty apathetic about the whole thing as well. Now, if someone wanted to lead a revolution and install real parties that are actually for the people then I'd be well up for that. If someone were to lead that revolution I'm sure you'd find that 50% would be behind them as well.

Originally posted by John Nada
So many people are not voting because, in all honesty, there's only two parties to choose between and they're both the same corrupt scumbags in different clothing.

I'm in the UK but I'd feel pretty apathetic about the whole thing as well. Now, if someone wanted to lead a revolution and install real parties that are actually for the people then I'd be well up for that. If someone were to lead that revolution I'm sure you'd find that 50% would be behind them as well.

Actually, john, your comments on the number of options voters have is not entirely correct. In most states voters have a choice between as many as five or six different candidates from the same number of different parties. The reason why so few people show up at the polls is because most of them don't care enough about the issues or the priveledge of voting, until things start going in the wrong direction, and then they are more that willing to complain about it.