Why Not Just Stay Home And Don't Vote?

Never voted in my life, don't want to encourage them Good thread, makes you wonder (altho it will never happen) what would they do if absolutely nobody at all voted

reply to post by Ghost375


No sarcasm, show me any evidence I'm wrong.

I don't doubt there are conspiracies and a great many manipulations but this is not one of the places they exist.

If you were to tell me the popular vote was faked or padded I might buy it. The electoral college is scrutinized for too closely for it to be the place where they hide the sleight of hand. It could be the distraction, but it isn't the trick.

Originally posted by Jinglelord
The actions of the electoral college are completely transparent and only at one time in history have they gone against popular vote. It was such an insignificant president I don't even recall which one now.

Only one time? Then who won the popular vote in 2000? Why then did they have all the recounts? Hell, even the 2004 election could stand to be Diebold... I mean questioned.
Not that it matters as the bought and paid for SCOTUS will just ensure that their benefactors will be "justified" with their choice.

This whole business about some great conspiracy where we have no say is hogwash. In the modern world the electoral college is obliged to vote per the popular vote. If they ever stray I will eat my hat.

No, no they're not obliged to, well not in 24 of the 50 states. I recommend teriyaki sauce for that hat.
For clarification here's the post I made yesterday with direct links to the government's own FAQ regarding the Electoral College.

Originally posted by dethduck
We do not vote for our president. The whole thing is indeed a scam.
We all know that the president is chosen by the electoral college, yet did you know that there is no constitutional or federal law requiring electors to vote according to the popular vote?

www.archives.gov...

There are however state laws requiring their electoral representatives to vote according to the popular vote...
...
...in only 26 states that is. The rest can vote however they please, though are expected to vote their party lines.

www.archives.gov...

Now ask yourself this, even for those states with state law requirements to adhere to the popular vote, how many people in those states are aware of that and how much oversight do you think there actually is?
There is nothing, absolutely nothing that prevents any election from being bought and paid for by corporate lobbyists and party politics.

We, The People, are incidental.
Never kid yourself that you have any say.

There is no oversight not officiated by themselves. No transparency outside of what their mainstream media reports. If after the last few elections, particularly Bush's, your not questioning polling numbers and their validity then you never will.

I vote because of all the dead soldiers, men and women, who gave their lives so I might have the opportunity to do so.

Not voting would be the same as spitting on their graves.

reply to post by dethduck


Ok so correct me if I'm wrong but the 2000 results were a function of Electoral College votes by state and population rather than an Elector ignoring the vote for his state.

So yes you are voting for how your states Electoral votes will be cast and not directly for the President. But I don't see how that nullifies your vote?

So again, in recent times, when has the Electoral college ignored the vote of the results from their state? You will not find more than one instance and it wasn't recent.

I do think the system is stupid by the way. I just don't think it is as bad as it is made out to be.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


My vote in America to choose government representation is a charade of the highest order. This pageant the media parades before the world to help keep the bogus 'American Dream' alive and kicking, assuring a steady stream of slave labor seeking their slice of the pie. TPTB, they are a darn clever bunch.

Hey OP: Why Not Go Out And Vote?

I realized every dollar I spend is a vote. Spend effectively and let your voice be heard where it hits THEM: in the pocketbook. I stopped buying Exxon after they pissed it all over the Prince William Sound years ago. BP will never see a cent from us either. When I go to Wal-Mort I go for a specific need only; automatically grabbing a shopping cart is where I use to go wrong. It's those low, low prices that fooled me. I'd wind up bring home a cart full of Made In China guilt, dumping $124.99 that I didn't even have and wondering why. Screw that.

Same thing goes for small business that gives poor service. I don't go back to mechanics that screw me. Same for restaurants or diners that are over-priced, have lousy food or surly service. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy. This I learned from a Colorado cowboy, and he was right: "It ain't what you make, it's how you spend it."

Make your dollar votes count!

Originally posted by Jinglelord
reply to post by dethduck

 

Ok so correct me if I'm wrong but the 2000 results were a function of Electoral College votes by state and population rather than an Elector ignoring the vote for his state.

So yes you are voting for how your states Electoral votes will be cast and not directly for the President. But I don't see how that nullifies your vote?

So again, in recent times, when has the Electoral college ignored the vote of the results from their state? You will not find more than one instance and it wasn't recent.

I do think the system is stupid by the way. I just don't think it is as bad as it is made out to be.

Correct. The electoral college was put in so that they have the option of going against the popular vote if they feel the need too. It is one more check and balance that Hamilton put in as a safety net. I don't really think it's the best system either but it works fairly well.

Originally posted by LargeFries
reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter

 

I realized every dollar I spend is a vote. Spend effectively and let your voice be heard where it hits THEM: in the pocketbook. I stopped buying Exxon after they pissed it all over the Prince William Sound years ago. BP will never see a cent from us either. When I go to Wal-Mort I go for a specific need only; automatically grabbing a shopping cart is where I use to go wrong. It's those low, low prices that fooled me. I'd wind up bring home a cart full of Made In China guilt, dumping $124.99 that I didn't even have and wondering why. Screw that.

Same thing goes for small business that gives poor service. I don't go back to mechanics that screw me. Same for restaurants or diners that are over-priced, have lousy food or surly service. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy. This I learned from a Colorado cowboy, and he was right: "It ain't what you make, it's how you spend it."

Make your dollar votes count!

Heck if people could be intelligent spenders we wouldn't even need a government. Cut out the middle man and the corporations that have successfully made the people happy and received their business can run the country.

Thats how it works anyway we may as well get rid of the illusion.

The problem with this is simple: We have no self control and would happily allow ourselves to be enslaved for cheap baubles and inexpensive food.

You may be right in thinking that there's no reason to vote because the outcome has already been decided. If that's the case, then my vote doesn't count and I will have wasted my time and energy going to the polls. No biggie.

But you might be wrong, too. And if you are, you give up your voice by not voting, and instead, hand it over to someone else to make that decision for you.

I look at it this way. If you're right and I vote, I lose nothing. If you're wrong and I vote, I have added my voice.

If you're right, no matter how many people don't vote in protest of whatever nefarious scheme they think is happening, it's not going to make that much difference and no one will care. So, voter turnout is down 1% or 2%. It's not going to matter to TPTB. They don't care if you don't vote. That makes it all that much easier to manipulate the voting.

I totally disagree with not voting.

reply to post by Ethyrial Symphony

An example from the last election being: "The Fishing Party" & "The Sex Party".

Or from my native state of NY- The Rent is too damn high Party

Not voting means you can't complain about the situation here in the U.S. Either be part of the solution by voting your conscience or just continue to be part of the problem.

I'm voting Ron Paul, I'll write him in if necessary.
That's my conscience

Originally posted by gdaub23
reply to post by Jinglelord

 

but "THEY" would never let a third party independent win...they would pull what they did in Florida in 2000 that allowed Bush and mostly Cheney destroy this country...so whats the point?

edit on 14-4-2011 by gdaub23 because: (no reason given)

I so remember the Florida thing you mention - MY GOD IT WAS SOOO BLATANT
The GLARING corruption before our eyes that day made me sick

It convinced me that our votes mean nothing - never have, and never will.

I bet that's why we're forced to complete the census, so that when they fix the vote count, it tallies with the head count.

All politicians are the most deceitful, corrupt and detestable creatures to ever infect our lives ~ why would I vote for any of them.

Q: How do you tell when a politician is lying?
A: When his mouth is moving.

Always vote, every time. Even if you write in a name not in the ballot. Even if some unelected group picks the Pres. Don't give in to apathy and laziness. Do something for yourself and your country.

reply to post by doobydoll


Okay here is a question for everyone...

I read the Census determines the number of Electors in the Electoral college as well as the number of representatives.

Why is this necessary when we have to register to vote?

It seems to me that by registering to vote you will be counted as a number and thus the number of Electors and Representatives your state gets can be determined by number of registered voters. It is not though. This means that your vote counts for more if you live in a state without so many registered voters.

For example (numbers not accurate) assume you get one elector per 25 people. Census shows 100 people, 4 electors. But you only have 50% of the people registered and voting. This means you are voting for 2 people.

Now lets find a state with 25% turn out all else the same. Each of there votes counts for 4 people.

This is how one can lose the popular vote but win the electors.

Also it seems to me that if you manipulate the Census you can determine which candidate will win.

See this is how sneaky it can be. So far back no election will ever look rigged.

reply to post by lifeform11


In my honest opinion, if you don't vote, you have no right to complain about what the government does afterwards. Even if you think the party you vote for is too small, at least you can say that you didn't vote for the guys who got in... and smile

The only thing that voting does is lend your power to the government. I would argue that if nearly everyone decides not to vote and this was shown to be the case, the first steps in abolishing the current political system would be complete. When the mass majority decides to not vote then you have clearly the ultimate showing of NO CONFIDENCE.


-Regards

Originally posted by TheRemedial

The only thing that voting does is lend your power to the government. I would argue that if nearly everyone decides not to vote and this was shown to be the case, the first steps in abolishing the current political system would be complete. When the mass majority decides to not vote then you have clearly the ultimate showing of NO CONFIDENCE.


-Regards

That's a good point, and something I haven't really thought of.. but what are the chances of everyone not voting? So many people in the world are 'asleep' to the reality of things. What then would it take for a global awakening and REAL change?

reply to post by Invariance


There is not much of a chance of the people not voting. The majority believe in faith, hope and change; that the next man they put in office will be different then the last and make all their lives better without having to do anything other than vote. It is a really easy thing to do compared to say, protest, and since people are not unlike water in that they will take the path of least resistance.

I am going to write in Ron Paul. Voting is a sham anyway, so why not?

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


Well here was what I said in my OP yesterday I think...

13-4-2011 @ 01:41 PM

I am so sick of the political drama and it is only going to get worse before the next presidential election.

Point is, we all know that it is never to vote for anyone we really want in office, because those people are not politicians!

So the only thing left is to do what we have all been conditioned to do and that is to vote against who we most do not want.

Enough of the bs! There should be a new movement to get every man and woman to not vote! If not a single person went to the polls, what would happen? Would there be a draw?

You know as well as I that our vote has nothing to do with politics, it is simply placating individuals to make believe they have a voice, that their candidates are chosen by the people.

We all laugh as we watch the chosen take their new positions in all of the war torn countries who have won the chance to become a democracy, we KNOW that the politicians of their country were chosen even before the war, before the changing of the infrastructure and the upheaval of the power positions.

Yet Americans seem to think that their vote counts? Only the propaganda which creates social frenzy wins the political game.

God I wish if just once, not a single person showed up at the polls and sent a message to all of the world leaders that we know there is no candidate worthy of anyone's vote.