# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:18pm 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/771059/101 "2016-11-08T17:18:44Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > If it was voting, I would not do it. Because I don’t care enough about politics to vote. It’s not about politics. That’s a cop-out. It’s about quality of life in our country. You can’t possibly be saying that you don’t care what sort of society you live in, don’t care about racial persecution, etc. Voting is about incremental change in the way we live and interact with the world. _It matters who is in office and who is making the laws of this country and your state._ It affects every single one of us, and compassion, if nothing else, should compel you to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:19pm 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/771059/102 "2016-11-08T17:19:05Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > It is absolutely true that the US presidential election will not come down to his one vote. But it is also true that when millions and millions of voters behave the same as the OP, that that has a real impact. What’s the impact? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:23pm 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/771059/103 "2016-11-08T17:23:22Z")
The ultimate expression of first world privilege. You can afford the affectation of indifference. (If it wasn’t an affectation, there’d be no need to brag on it!) “All that’s required, for the triumph of evil, is for good people to do nothing.” You’ve done your part! Pat yourself on the back! Oh, wait, you already did that too! ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:27pm 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/771059/104 "2016-11-08T17:27:23Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > How about political issues related to those things that you like – for example, regulation of the internet or regulation of free speech in media? We already have internet usage that is fairly uncensored and mostly free speech in the media. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:27pm 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/771059/105 "2016-11-08T17:27:39Z")
IT… Aren’t you the same dude that posts hundreds of different polls for people to vote on at a longer-necked message board? Just pretend this is another one of those but with higher stakes. ---
**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 8, 2016, 5:34pm 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/771059/106 "2016-11-08T17:34:39Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > If you’re against things a candidate says, you need to stand up and be heard. > > If you’re against deporting US citizens. > If you’re against waterboarding and increasing torture on US enemies. > If you’re against sexually assaulting women. > If you’re against building walls instead of bridges. > If you’re against Putin, Kim Jung-un, thugs and despots and tyrants hacking US assets. > If you’re against Islamophobia. > If you’re against Xenophobia. > If you’re against misogynous rhetoric and behavior. > If you’re against racially inflammatory comments directed at a Federal judge. > If you’re against disrespecting gold star families. > If you’re against “my African-American” comments. > If you’re against “bombing the shit out of them” > There is certainly a reason to vote somewhere on that list. If you believe all of this, you are deluded. BTW, all the Gold Star Family members I know are voting Trump. And many African American people are, too. Muslims too. **Idle Thoughts** is among the many many many people who don’t vote. He’s telling us why, so kudos to him for taking a public stance and defending it. Maybe a good approach is to learn why people don’t vote and, if we don’t like that they don’t vote, strive to change that. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > So your mind is closed. That’s a shame – I think one’s mind should always be open to the possibility of being wrong about something. A vast majority of us are close-minded about certain things, including voting. We have to be, at some point, because it makes life simpler for us. We don’t have to rethink everything, every time. FTR, I voted. Always have, always will. And I did think especially long and hard on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:34pm 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/771059/107 "2016-11-08T17:34:41Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > What’s the impact? Looking at the last several “major” elections, this is what you see: 2000 54.2% voter turnout Bush 2004 60.4% voter turnout 2008 62.3% voter turnout Obama 2012 57.5% voter turnout [cite](http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/2012-voter-turnout/) There you go. When millions and millions of people don’t do something, it matters. You can see huge percentage point swings in just the last 4 cycles. Look at that 2000 number. Who’d we get? Bush. G-Dub. A lot of dice started tumbling from that one. If apathy ever makes you want to stay home, think of 2000 folks. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:35pm 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/771059/108 "2016-11-08T17:35:50Z")
When people say “I don’t care about ‘politics’” I wonder what “politics” means to them. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:36pm 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/771059/109 "2016-11-08T17:36:48Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > And many African American people are, too. Muslims too. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Recent poll of AA’s in Pennsylvania had Trump sitting at about 1%. One. One percent. > **[Poll: 1 Percent of African-Americans in Pa. Are Voting for Trump](https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/10/27/poll-african-americans-trump/)** > > A new poll puts Hillary Clinton ahead of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, 46 to 39 percent. She’s up 90 to 1 among black voters. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:41pm 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/771059/110 "2016-11-08T17:41:23Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > If you believe all of this, you are deluded. BTW, all the Gold Star Family members I know are voting Trump. And many African American people are, too. Muslims too. > … 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? ---
**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 8, 2016, 5:43pm 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/771059/111 "2016-11-08T17:43:10Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I’m not going to ask you anything. If you don’t value your own opinion, no one else should either. Yup. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:43pm 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/771059/112 "2016-11-08T17:43:12Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > We already have internet usage that is fairly uncensored and mostly free speech in the media. But we [almost lost it](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act). But since current events don’t interest you either, I guess that’s news to you too. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:51pm 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/771059/113 "2016-11-08T17:51:16Z")
Why is this thread in the pit? Are you pittng yourself? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:53pm 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/771059/114 "2016-11-08T17:53:07Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. > > Recent poll of AA’s in Pennsylvania had Trump sitting at about 1%. One. One percent. > > [Poll: 1 Percent of African-Americans in Pa. Are Voting for Trump](http://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/10/27/poll-african-americans-trump/) That’s a few thousand, right? Seems like a lot! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:56pm 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/771059/115 "2016-11-08T17:56:30Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > If you’re against things a candidate says, you need to stand up and be heard. > > If you’re against deporting US citizens. > If you’re against waterboarding and increasing torture on US enemies. > If you’re against sexually assaulting women. > If you’re against building walls instead of bridges. > If you’re against Putin, Kim Jung-un, thugs and despots and tyrants hacking US assets. > If you’re against Islamophobia. > If you’re against Xenophobia. > If you’re against misogynous rhetoric and behavior. > If you’re against racially inflammatory comments directed at a Federal judge. > If you’re against disrespecting gold star families. > If you’re against “my African-American” comments. > If you’re against “bombing the shit out of them” > There is certainly a reason to vote somewhere on that list. Technically speaking, if you’re _for_ those you should vote as well. Otherwise, you might get a polite, fair and compassionate government for the next 4 years, and you don’t want that. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:58pm 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/771059/116 "2016-11-08T17:58:57Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > But we [almost lost it](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act). But since current events don’t interest you either, I guess that’s news to you too. From what I remember, SOPA was a joke and virtually everyone was heavily against it. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:00pm 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/771059/117 "2016-11-08T18:00:50Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Looking at the last several “major” elections, this is what you see: > > 2000 54.2% voter turnout Bush > 2004 60.4% voter turnout > 2008 62.3% voter turnout Obama > 2012 57.5% voter turnout > > [cite](http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/2012-voter-turnout/) > > There you go. When millions and millions of people don’t do something, it matters. You can see huge percentage point swings in just the last 4 cycles. > > Look at that 2000 number. Who’d we get? Bush. G-Dub. A lot of dice started tumbling from that one. If apathy ever makes you want to stay home, think of 2000 folks. I’m not sure what this shows, though. Turnout jumped six percentage points in 2004, and Bush was reelected. It jumped another two points, and Obama took office. It dropped five points, and Obama was reelected. Turnout doesn’t seem to tie to any consistent result. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:08pm 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/771059/118 "2016-11-08T18:08:58Z")
I’m back from **voting**. I was 5th in line. Waited maybe 3 - 4 minutes. Takes longer to go through the drive-through at McDonald’s. I took great pleasure in voting AGAINST trump. My revenge against the Orange groper for a year of seeing his face all over the friggen media. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:10pm 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/771059/119 "2016-11-08T18:10:46Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > From what I remember, SOPA was a joke and virtually everyone was heavily against it. You’re memory is quite faulty then. SOPA/PIPA had [plenty of supporters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_Congresspersons_who_support_or_oppose_SOPA/PIPA) in Congress. It was killed because of a concerted effort of voters (and popular websites), not because “everyone” was heavily against it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:12pm 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/771059/120 "2016-11-08T18:12:56Z")
If you aren’t interested, it’s better that you don’t vote. [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=5) [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=7)