Survey: Why people did not vote (as a protest)...

8. Only voted on the proposals, left POTUS blank.

That. And, "Had sufficient ethical qualms with all available candidates to feel uncomfortable supporting any of them personally."

You know,
Even people who don't like the candidates should know that there is more to voting than the president.

There are...
Senators
Representatives
State Senators
State Reps
County officials
City officials
State and local initiatives.

There were a page and a half of selections on my local ballot this year.
Lots of new faces.
Lots of libertarian candidates too.

It's not just the president that you are voting for.

Its also the people who will be participating in local, then state, then federal elections.

A libertarian candidate that made local office this year may be the Senator you vote on three or four elections from now.

The ballot initiative you vote on right now could mean the difference in a getting new school where it is badly needed or avoiding a big, wasteful, pork belly pet project for a politician you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

It's not just about the puppet behind the podium. It's about the ongoing evolution of government over time.

Didn't anybody hear about this in third grade or do they not teach that any more?


I think we should bring back those old "Schoolhouse Rock" cartoons to re-educate the American people on the basics.

I guess it would probably be labeled as too fundamentalist to actually KNOW how government is intended to work.

reply to post by Ghost375


We can add that one.

I was just kinda adding them as people responded. I think I started with only the first 4.

I chose not to vote because I know at a very basic level the entire system is rigged (which is slowly coming out now). It doesn't matter who you vote for, the machine is going to make you vote for who it wants you to vote for. Regardless, with the electoral college, the popular vote is all but irrelevant. The truth is, you have no choice. That right has been taken away from you. So why even bother?

I voted for Romney because he is a good man and would have made an awesome president.

reply to post by kawika


I'm kinda in the number 6 category.

I voted but, I chose the greatest evil so my vote for president didn't count for anything.

My state always goes blue anyway because the big cities cancel out the votes of the rest of the state.

The only bigger fool than the D and R voter is the one that does not vote at all.

People have no right to complain.

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


I respect your opinion, however I disagree.

If I feel no one represents me or my beliefs and desires for the country I love and live in and its people, then I will not vote for them. I vote for ballot measures. The argument that people who don't vote don't have the right to complain is one I have never agreed with personally. If I didn't vote because I washed my hands of the entire system because the options offered to me were not people I could lend my energy and support to on principle, then I am not responsible for the mess created by those who did vote. It would make more sense in my mind to suggest that those who did vote have no rationale to complain. I wouldn't ever argue that however, because I believe everyone always has the right to an opinion and to express it.

Informed, principled abstention is not the same as apathy.

Peace.

Originally posted by AceWombat04
reply to post by EarthCitizen07

 

I respect your opinion, however I disagree.

If I feel no one represents me or my beliefs and desires for the country I love and live in and its people, then I will not vote for them. I vote for ballot measures. The argument that people who don't vote don't have the right to complain is one I have never agreed with personally. If I didn't vote because I washed my hands of the entire system because the options offered to me were not people I could lend my energy and support to on principle, then I am not responsible for the mess created by those who did vote. It would make more sense in my mind to suggest that those who did vote have no rationale to complain. I wouldn't ever argue that however, because I believe everyone always has the right to an opinion and to express it.

Informed, principled abstention is not the same as apathy.
Peace.

Have you done any research on your own to check out political parties and what they stand for, or do you relly on the media to tell you? Normally only republicans and democrats get all the attention. There are plenty of parties to choose from and you can also vote for an independant. It is foolish to waste a vote by not voting out of protest. Hell I would even write "santa clause" under "other candidates" before not voting. How many times have you voted in the past?

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


Yes, I thoroughly research every candidate on every ballot available for me to vote on. That would be why I said informed, principled abstention. None of them jive with my personal beliefs or intentions.

When I vote for someone, I believe I am lending them my moral and literal support and energy in some small sense. There has not been one candidate, so far in my life time, that I feel fully comfortable with giving that support and energy. Even those with whom I largely agreed have supported some agenda or action with which I ethically disagreed profoundly enough to not feel comfortable voting for them. I refuse to vote for what I consider the lesser of several evils. It is a personal matter of principle. Writing in a candidate? Sure, I could do that. There are plenty of people I'd write in before voting for any of the actual candidates. But I feel it would serve no substantive purpose other than a rejection of the other candidates... which my lack of a vote already serves sufficiently in my opinion.

I still go to my polling place and vote on ballot initiatives, propositions, etc. I vote. But I have not supported a candidate to date.

I respect everyone's choices and votes, and would appreciate receiving the same respect and tolerance for my beliefs as well regardless of whether they share them. That is, of course your prerogative. Just as not voting for a candidate is mine.

Peace.

reply to post by AceWombat04


The strive for perfection is futile. Somehow I don't believe you have done enough research of your own and are trying to cop-out with fancy talk. It is hard to believe you dislike/hate something like 50 candidates and 10 or more registered parties.

I can't force you to participate in our corrupt democracy and try to make a positive difference. Just ask yourself(if you care at all) why democrats and republicans get 99% of the vote each time and how many times third party candidates or independants get mentioned by the media. Who gets all the campaign distribution funds and how they have managed to literally CHOKE each and every election.

You are correct. I don't respect ignorance and apathy! Sue me.

reply to post by badgerprints


Although I disagree with the libertarian platform it was nice to see them on every ballot for a change. Gary Johnson got cheated just as bad as Ron Paul imo. And GJ made his feelings known on national media.

Hopefully things will change but people have to seek it rather than play the apathy, nihilist card.

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


I don't hate the candidates, I simply don't feel comfortable lending them my support. I've answered your question with honesty and good intent. You have chosen to say you don't believe the response I offered and to call me ignorant. That is your prerogative and I have no interest in trying to change your mind. Nor do I bear you any ill will or enmity for your feelings. I respect your opinion. That's all I can say I guess.

Peace.

There is no reason to vote. The president is chosen long before the elections. In fact the next few presidents are already chosen. The elections are so the dumbed up population think they have some control over what happens in this country. Just think, the only way the public has any indication of who is winning the "election" is through the mainstream media. That a RED RED flag right there.