I beg to differ about not having the right to complain if you don't vote. Fact is, we are only shown Democrat vs. Republican. What this amounts to is most don't get to know what Independents have to say, so they choose the lesser of two evils. I refuse to vote until they bring Independents into the debates. Wasn't it Perot who took a pretty large percent when he ran against Bush and Dukakis? Since then Independents have been "ghosted". Not voting is voting. If everyone voted Independent, I would bet $1,000,000 that a jackass or elephant would win no matter what.

Yes, it is unAmerican to not vote.

There is no such thing as protesting by not voting.

Not voting is saying "everyone decide for me". THAT is unAmerican.

If you do not know enough about each canidate to vote, then fix it. If you dont like your choices, too bad for now. Do what you can to fix it by the next presidential race. If it doesnt work then, keep trying.

Voting, and doing something about the crap you find wrong is the epitome of being an American.

So, yes, sitting on your butt and doing nothing is unAmerican.

here's the way i see it. if you choose to not vote for president that is your choice and you are not un american for it. However... if you don't vote for president you really have no grounds to bitch if you don't like the person elected or his/her policies. if you don't like mccain or obama vote for a 3rd party canidate or write someone in. atleast your vote will have been counted.

If you vote for congress members and you don't like them then bitch away.

if you completely don't vote at all then you shouldn't bitch about anything that happens until the next election. you had your chance to influence the elections and you choose not to give your say.

Bottom line you are not unamerican if you don't vote you just don't have the right to bitch afterwards.

Here's how to answer both questions. What I suggest is that if you are displeased, you go to the polls and write in "No One" or "None". At least you participated, and have the right to complain.

On "un-American", the term simply means that which is not for, with, or in support of America. Socialism is un-American for example because it is against free enterprise. Do we know any candidate for president who is a socialist, that is, who wants to "spread the wealth around?"

Probably already heard this already, but if you don't vote dont compain.

Plain and simple, it's your right, use it or lose it.

What is American, or un-American?!? As we are, so we will be.

I say complain all you want. If you are one of those that think it doesn't matter who you vote in and that you are screwed either way..then complain...you have every right to. A vote isn't justification to have disagreements with your government.

If you pay taxes....you HAVE EVERY RIGHT to b***H all you want about anything the government does.

Vote or no vote.

Just my opinion.

Originally posted by mrsdudara
Another point....a lot of people died so you could stand up and have a say..

Right but I was specifically speaking in the context of the Americans that believe the voting process is corrupt aka they don't really "have a say", and there are plenty that feel this way.

The people that fought for it, and even died for it, as you are bringing up, were not fighting for a broken one. I am of course trying to play devil's advocate here. Still this isn't exclusive to some small group of people. This mentality is prevalent as far as I can tell..

[edit on 22-10-2008 by Lucid Lunacy]

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
Right but I was specifically speaking in the context of the Americans that believe the voting process is corrupt aka they don't really "have a say", and there are plenty that feel this way.

I think I understand what you are saying. A lot of poeple feel this way. The way the system is set up is very complex. In a crazy way though it makes sense. My vote does not get counted the way other votes on other issues gets counted. We have delegates. So come voting day, we all cast our votes. Then our delegates cast votes that are supposed to reflect what we in the state have decided. Those are the votes that get counted. That does not mean your vote does not get counted. They just get counted differently.

Is that what you were talking about?

Many interesting views here. I do think that not voting in America today is Un-American. However, I disagree with those who say that if a person doesn't vote that they shouldn't complain about the way the winner does things. As Americans, we can and should complain whenever we don't like the way things are run. We should also take action in conjunction with the complaints via protesting, and through elections.
Today, in most cases, there are more than just the two main parties who have candidates for president. Choose the one that more closely resembles your own believes. It shouldn't be expected that any one candidate will be perfect. If for some reason, it were down to the two main candidates, right now, they both hold opposing views, so one should be closer than the other, in the views of the individual voter.
If for some reason there were only the two major candidates and a person didn't agree at all with either, this is what I suggest: Vote for the candidate that is going to run the ship aground quickest. My reason for this is, that things don't get fixed until they're broken. You can elect someone who will drag out the hard times, or someone who till break it completely then people will start taking notice and putting importance where it belongs and things can start getting done right. Again, this scenario is only if there are no candidates that even slightly resemble your views/values.
In conclusion, not voting IS un-American, and no matter what, b*tch all you want.

edit: this doesn't account for the electoral system. I personally think that is a concept that is no longer needed.

[edit on 22-10-2008 by Wolf321]