Teen charged with Felony for selling vote on eBay

I didn't finish my prior post, as friends dropped by early to go out. It seemed to me that the young man had trouble figuring out for whom to vote and decided to sell his vote, which is why I proposed that punishment. I might add that instead of an essay, he could have created a video, etc.

OK, now to finish what I started, I see that others have wrote along the same lines. Here is a "quote" attributed to that great muckraker, I F Stone, but I couldn't find it directly...People vote every four years, but money votes every day.

Here is a direct quote of his, "Rich people march on Washington every day", to point out the difference between corporations' daily march on Washington versus the citizen marches on Washington put on by organizations.

Americans have prided themselves on how their nation has not been corrupt like other nations. They're right; our politicians don't take "bribes" in office, they take "contributions".

IMO this young man did indeed technically sell his vote and needs a lesson in citizenship, but then our elected leaders sadly seem to be in need of a citizenship lesson, too.

they could buy my vote

if McCain came to me and said "ill give you 500k for you to vote for me"










let me think
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sold!

"We take it very seriously. Fundamentally, we believe it is wrong to sell your vote," said John Aiken, a spokesman for the office. "There are people that have died for this country for our right to vote, and to take something that lightly, to say, 'I can be bought.' From the above sourced link MyEmphasis

Hypocrites and morons...John Aiken is a joke if he thinks that American military men and women aren't "bribed" with college funding and various other salaries to enlist and "risk" their lives. Many of the people who have died in armed conflict didn't sign up for patriotism...they signed up for money.

The program — called the Army Advantage Fund — is described in the commercials as a way to buy a home or start a small business. The bonuses are scaled to the amount of time spent on active duty. For example, the Army offers $25,000 for three years. And you don't get the money until you finish your commitment.

Army Bribing Potential Recruits With $40,000 For Five Years of Active Duty...Which isn't Counted In The Yearly Allowance For Works Rendered

I wonder how many states have this law, because this smacks propaganda and BS....is it okay for corporate lobbiyists to buy new laws? Is it okay for Billionaire Presidents to wage war where the asset of their past riches is a peripheral focus(Bush and oil)?

Hypocrites....and Morons.

That said, I hereby declare that I am quite certain that the election process is a sham and nothing more than a dog and pony show.

As my leaders have led by example, I am prepared to offer my vote up for sale...

Originally posted by citizen smith
Why is it considered acceptable for a politician to 'benefit' from a lobby group and vote in their favour on a bill or amendment in parliament/senate in return, but not for a private citizen to do the same with their vote?

Because it led to the disasters like Chicago's political machine and the spoils system.

I really would prefer not to go back to an era where I have a political machine operative watching how I vote, and threatening not to let me keep my job if I don't vote for them.

And since we somehow got on the topic of college, it would take a idiot person to go to college just to get free college money when you can go for free. If your that easily bribed, its pretty sad. Also, the DNC propagandists should take note: the people who fought and died for you right to vote did so far before the GI bill or any army incentives.

[edit on 5-7-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

So if selling your vote is so bad, why not sell your entire identity instead?

Apart from causing a major hick up for officials with multiple applications for ID papers for multiple people, they'll also have to contend with multiple votes from the same identity.

We are all aware there are many people called John Smith. It's the identification numbers given to each Mr. Smith that makes any difference, so why not sell those details.

Might also go towards upsetting chip implants and other stuff.


just a thought

I'm on the electoral roll but have always abstained as a voter...regerdless of the party you vote for, the machinery that governs behind the scenes always remains the same...well, that's my philosophy anyway.

But I'll be following in this guy's footsteps and offering the highest ebay bidder the opportunity to sway my decision to vote for a particular candidate in any and all subsequent elections, be it local by-election or national governing party election...consider it a 'privatisation' of the lobby process

What I'm intending is, in my view, neither immoral nor illegal, I am merely allowing myself to be influenced by other factors aside from election-time rhetorical promises...and should I be charged with a similar crime such as mentioned in the OP, then I will cite the many cases of MPs in Parliament who have accepted favours in return for the same

...anyone remember the 'cash for honours' scandal? why was that investigation and attendant charges dropped against the high ranking Labour Party members and Peers in the House of Lords? if that is accepted as a legal precedent, then I will act accordingly, and improve my financial situation at the same time.