# I live in the US, but I don't vote. Never have, never will. Ask Me Anything if you want. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059 "2016-11-08T13:49:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/221 "2016-11-09T06:59:21Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Did he? > > _REALLY?_ > > Can you do me a favor and read post #1? If you already read it, then please _ **re** _-read it. Start with the thread title. > > After that, please come back here, and I invite a continued discussion. Thanks in advance for doing that. Happy to. Maybe you should do the same. Here, I’ll even quote it for you: > [@](#): > > I was going to make this in Elections, but then I thought “Yeah, but there will be a majority who will probably not like this (my viewpoint and the fact that I think and feel this way), so I figure I’ll let everyone have the chance to speak freely, even if it’s just to bash me.” Let’s look at that last part again: > [@](#): > > I figure I’ll let everyone have the chance to speak freely, even if it’s just to bash me." Now let’s look at the forum he posted it in: > [@](#): > > The BBQ Pit So he literally said that he was open to people bashing him & posted it in the one place where people could bash him without consequences. So how exactly am I wrong in interpreting it as I did? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/222 "2016-11-09T07:08:25Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > And this is partly why. Is this not a good reason against it? I mean, I’m not too thrilled with what I’m seeing here and it’s hard to imagine that if I had voted one extra vote, that it would have stopped or changed it. Well, you had a hard time imagining Trump would win too. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/223 "2016-11-09T07:14:14Z")
It is more than a little ironic that many of the accusations against Trump (his name calling, meanness, bullying, denigrating demeanor, being the Ugly American…) have been expressed often in this thread, directed at **Idle Thoughts** , by the same people who voted against Trump and made those same accusations at Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/224 "2016-11-09T07:25:45Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > It is more than a little ironic that many of the accusations against Trump (his name calling, meanness, bullying, denigrating demeanor, being the Ugly American…) have been expressed often in this thread, directed at **Idle Thoughts** , by the same people who voted against Trump and made those same accusations at Trump. Yeah, but this is the BBQ pit. Nobody should vote for a politician who acts like he’s in the BBQ Pit all the time. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/225 "2016-11-09T07:33:08Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > It is more than a little ironic that many of the accusations against Trump (his name calling, meanness, bullying, denigrating demeanor, being the Ugly American…) have been expressed often in this thread, directed at **Idle Thoughts** , by the same people who voted against Trump and made those same accusations at Trump. A) this is the pit and B) the attacks on the OP are based on his behavior not his gender, race or religion. If a person publicly announces that he can’t bother to be informed enough to vote because his life’s ambition is to read Facebook and eat Hot Pockets I think he’s opened himself up for some well earned scorn. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/226 "2016-11-09T07:35:32Z")
> [@Debillw3](#): > > Happy to. Maybe you should do the same. > > \ > > So he literally said that he was open to people bashing him & posted it in the one place where people could bash him without consequences. > > So how exactly am I wrong in interpreting it as I did? Thanks again. Yes, the excerpts you selected were part of post #1. You are not fully and entirely wrong, but you miss key parts of the title and post. Here it is in full, **red emphasis** mine: First, the thread title: **I live in the US, but I don’t vote. Never have, never will. Ask Me Anything if you want.** It doesn’t say heap burning coals on my head. Here’s his post, again, **red emphasis** mine: > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I was going to make this in Elections, but then I thought “Yeah, but there will be a majority who will probably not like this (my viewpoint and the fact that I think and feel this way), so I figure I’ll let everyone have the chance to speak freely, even if it’s just to bash me.” > > Anyway, my sole reason is, I simply don’t care who is president. > Voting is a right. That’ why it’s called the “Right to vote”. So, by that same token, I have the right not to vote as well. The way I see it, I am free and allowed to give up my right to vote if I so choose. > > I have never voted before. I’m not even registered. I can’t foresee a time when I will vote. I just have a huge indifference when it comes to all things and every thing political. I have no caring in any of it whatsoever. > > **If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. The point of this is to let people ask questions and explore the mind/opinion/viewpoints of someone who is so indifferent to politics that they don’t bother having their say and to try to understand my reasoning…** > …However, if you just want to insult me or pile on due to thinking I’m one of the most evil people that exists due to the fact that I don’t care to vote, well…that’s fine too, but it probably won’t receive a reply. So, the predominance of the post and thread title is to invite questions and not scorn, and to invite an understanding of his point of view. But he did yes also say to bring it on, so bring it if you guys want to. And you have and you are. Okay. And oh BTW see post #223. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/227 "2016-11-09T07:37:43Z")
Okay guys, this is the Pit, I get, so keep hurling your shit at him, if that is what you are wont to do. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/228 "2016-11-09T07:56:04Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Okay guys, this is the Pit, I get, so keep hurling your shit at him, if that is what you are wont to do. We don’t need your permission douche. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/229 "2016-11-09T08:02:46Z")
> [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](#): > > Let’s see: you said that if you don’t work or sacrifice then you don’t appreciate. I called bullshit, used myself as an example and pointed out that your logic has been used to deny the underprivileged assistance forever. > > You came back with no response to what I said except to say I must have been a short bus victim of poor schooling (granted you were talking your country’s system not mine - fair enough) and that I couldn’t parse. > > I replied with a re-statement of the position that led to your above comments and mocked the system that produced you. > > Point out the strawman sludgefuck. > > Precisely what I expected. Does this mean you aren’t proud of me?:(? The strawman, dummy, is conflating some with all and then attacking the wrong thing. Are you legitimately retarded? Do they not teach English where you live? And sludgefuck? What’s next “yo mama” jokes? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/230 "2016-11-09T08:04:07Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > It is more than a little ironic that many of the accusations against Trump (his name calling, meanness, bullying, denigrating demeanor, being the Ugly American…) have been expressed often in this thread, directed at **Idle Thoughts** , by the same people who voted against Trump and made those same accusations at Trump. You expect intellectual honesty from this crew? ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/231 "2016-11-09T08:10:03Z")
What we can expect from the Republican sweep, if Clinton indeed loses, as looks likely: Repeal of the ACA, which means my son and I and many other people will probably not be able to get affordable insurance. Dismantling of the EPA and all environmental regulation. The Standing Rock Sioux will not be able to protect their access to clean water and their sacred places and burial grounds. Fracking will occur in all sorts of places regardless of its effects on local environments. Climate change will only get worse more quickly. Roe v. Wade will be overturned, and Planned Parenthood will have greatly reduced capacity to provide any sort of medical care for low income people, including birth control, so there are likely to be a lot more abortions, just not safe, legal ones. More teenage and out-of-wedlock pregnancies resulting in the birth of more children to people who can’t provide for them properly. I have some small hope that our corporate oligarch overlords will realize that continuing to allow our infrastructure to crumble and our higher education to become more unaffordable will eventually cause them some pain, but I’m not sanguine about that. If you don’t care about any of this, fine. That’s your right. I just wish there weren’t so many like you. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/232 "2016-11-09T08:15:24Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > So… > > Who wants to _JOIN_ me in not caring about politics for the next four years? …this right here is pretty fucking pathetic. Republicans control the house and the senate, and Trump is about to become President of the United States. Trump has said he is going to throw out Obamacare. Trump has said he is going to arrest Hillary. Trump has said he will appoint Supreme Court Justices that will overthrow Woe vs Wade. And because you are an ignorant dipshit who probably doesn’t know what Woe vs Wade is I’ll provide you a link. > **[Roe v. Wade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade)** > > Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protected a right to have an abortion. The decision struck down many abortion laws, and caused an ongoing abortion debate in the United States about whether, or to what extent, abortion should be legal, who should decide the legality of abortion, and what the role of moral and religious views in the political sphere should be. T The c... For all its fabled “checks and balances” your country has elected the most unstable, most unsuitable person to run the most powerful country in the world and given him the power to actually make real change. Markets around the world have already started to tank. I live on the other fucking side of the world and the decisions made by the voters of the United States of America are going to fucking affect me. > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Is this a question to me? If so: So you’re saying if I don’t vote, all of that gets repealed? Sorry, I don’t buy it. Yes. Several things that IvoryTowerDenizen mentioned are on the block. Trump has explicitly said he will do what he can to get them to be repealed. So it doesn’t matter what you “buy” or “not.” You speak from a position of ignorance. You don’t have a fucking clue. If you don’t want to vote that is fine. I don’t begrudge that. I didn’t even care that you started this thread. But to gloat about it? To embrace your ignorance? To ask us to join you? After many people have worked there arses off to not let what happened today happen? The Alt-Right have been emboldened. The marginalised are going to have to be fighting harder than ever. Yes I’m going to have to think about politics: I’m going to have to think about it a fucking lot. Even on the other side of the world. And while you are here: randomly “friending me” is pretty fucking creepy. I don’t know you. And even worse: the system won’t let me get rid of the notification so it keeps blinking, reminding me that I don’t want to be your friend. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/233 "2016-11-09T08:21:52Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > And this is partly why. Is this not a good reason against it? I mean, I’m not too thrilled with what I’m seeing here and it’s hard to imagine that if I had voted one extra vote, that it would have stopped or changed it. You are one of many who are the problem. Just go back to your mom’s basement and surf the web. The grown ups are talking. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/234 "2016-11-09T08:36:26Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > And this is partly why. Is this not a good reason against it? I mean, I’m not too thrilled with what I’m seeing here and it’s hard to imagine that if I had voted one extra vote, that it would have stopped or changed it. You’re not the only one who didn’t vote, but you have proffered yourself here as the one-man embodiment and representative of that attitude. So the anger goes out to all the non-voters, rather than just you. Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/235 "2016-11-09T08:36:59Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > We don’t need your permission douche. See post 223. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/236 "2016-11-09T08:39:50Z")
Two posts from earlier today: > [@Morgenstern](#): > > This election cycle you’ve swung on Trump’s nut sack while most of us just laughed at you. That laughter will get real loud around midnight tonight. You’ll be here, right? > [@Bullitt](#): > > At times I’ve been strongly for Trump, and at other times I’ve shaken my head at his buffoonery and wasn’t sure if I’d vote for him. In the end I did because IMHO he’s the much better option. > > So yes, if Clinton wins I will be here and take it standing up. If she becomes the President, then she becomes my President. Just like Obama was, though I never voted for him. > > If Trump wins will you be here? Morgenstern? Morgenstern? Bueller? Bueller? crickets ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/237 "2016-11-09T08:42:16Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > So… > > Who wants to _JOIN_ me in not caring about politics for the next four years? Fuck no, and FUCK anyone who even pretends to care about it. Voting is just a huge fucking fail. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/238 "2016-11-09T08:44:08Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > And this is partly why. Is this not a good reason against it? I mean, I’m not too thrilled with what I’m seeing here and it’s hard to imagine that if I had voted one extra vote, that it would have stopped or changed it. Is there any action taken by _a single person_ that would have stopped and changed it? No, there isn’t. It would take the actions of many. But none of us can decide the actions of many, we can only decide our one single action. You made a choice. It contributed to this. You don’t like the result. That makes it a bad choice. You can choose a philosophy that absolves you of responsibility, but then it absolves all other voters as well. That’s a bad philosophy for any democratic society to be based on, and I personally like democratic societies, so I reject it. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/239 "2016-11-09T08:45:57Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Fuck no, and FUCK anyone who even pretends to care about it. Voting is just a huge fucking fail. Reading comprehension much? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059/240 "2016-11-09T08:59:02Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > See post 223. Again, this is the pit and I’m not criticizing you for your gender, religion or race. I’m criticizing you for being a douche. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-live-in-the-us-but-i-dont-vote-never-have-never-will-ask-me-anything-if-you-want/771059.md?page=13)