Voting is a self-insulting when things are not improving.

In My Humble Opinion
1

Are you going to vote in the upcoming election? Count me out!

I know that the first thing people would talk back to you when you say you are not going to cast your vote in forthcoming election, is that you can’t be ignorant and do nothing because you are one of the crowd who lives in this society. I believe to vote passively when you do not agree to the whole system is so frustrating because you know things are not going to advance and quite the opposite - as the previous elected candidates proved it through their mismanagement and corruption – they are going down the drain. According to the statistics and reports when you study the welfare, economical and security status from the past years, you will see no improvement and progress. If I should care a lot to the society I live in, but there’s no solitary benefit in return whether in finding a job, health insurance, travel and food, and when I pay a fortune to survive in this society, then how on earthy can I convince my sanity to vote? And above all, to some people who say between the bad and worse we are choosing the first one but not the latter, I should say that you are not choosing anything but helping this wrong and faulty system keep going! I think under the current circumstances to cast your vote is nothing and nothing but a sheer insult to yourself; spitting out right up your own head.
Back to practice
One paragraph essay, Reza, 18-Dec-11

2

“Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job… the president and the entire executive branch’s purpose is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. Only a handful of people know this fact, and only six of them know who actually wields power.”
–Douglas Adams

3

Yes, let’s all just give up and let the tide of fascism, communism or whatever the hell sweep over us. At least we can feel morally superior that we didn’t participate in the system. :rolleyes:

4

Exigology: A statement whose converse is its own explanation.

example: Politicians never do what my group wants so I never vote.

5

Qadgop, I am bookmarking that link. I’ve had this argument on other boards and that is the perfect response.

If we don’t have the government we want, maybe the solution is for more people to vote, not less.

6

Many truths can be found at the Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal webcomic! :cool:

7

Perfect, thank you.

8

If the Republican and Democratic candidates both suck, vote for a third party. Don’t take the ineffectual coward’s way out and lump yourself in with the masses too lazy to care.

9

I’d argue that even that is just another way of opting out. If you cast a vote for a hopeless candidate then you may as well not have voted. Voting for a third party candidate helps the mainstream candidate least like that third party.

I know it sucks that third parties don’t stand a chance in our system and end up being spoilers, but it is what it is.

10

Of course.

There is no way of opting out. Whatever you choose to do you end up with one the two major parties running the country. In neither instance will they do anything other than look after the rich and try to ensure their own re-election. And it doesn’t matter which country we are talking about.

That’s capitalism.

11

I find it interesting that the OP lists her location as “Tehran.”

12

So you vote for the party closest to your beliefs. That’s necessary but not sufficient. You should also work on the ground to change that party. Get involved locally. Become a committee person. Run for office. Register voters. Contact your representatives and tell them how you feel. Take place in peaceful protests to raise the awareness of the public.

None of this, of course, applies to Reza. Being from Iran he or she is working under a different set of circumstances.

13

Everybody should vote. It should be mandatory, and there should be an option that reads: " I am not satisfied with the choices presented to me. I choose to not cast a vote for any of the available candidates."

14

I’m 26 and haven’t voted yet. I probably never will, unless there’s a revolution and our current system is revamped.

Passive refusal to participate in systems I dislike has been a pattern throughout my life. Also I am lazy.

15

Are you so sure that a revolution would lead to something better?

If you want the system to change then you have to participate.

16

Of course, if everybody actually DID this, the third party guy would get elected…

17

Yes, but that’s not reality is it? We have to deal with the world as it is and act accordingly. Most people don’t even think about or discuss these things like we do. They just vote either D or R (if they vote at all). Then the Electoral College distorts things even more. We have to work within the system as it exists.

Of course, we can work to change that system, and we should do so. But in the meantime, withholding your vote or voting for a nonviable candidate is just a meaningless protest that either has no effect or makes things worse.

18

We’d be better off with a lottery system.

19

Sure there is: emigration, or “voting with your feet.” I’m still allowed to cast an actual ballot, but I don’t think I will. Sorry, President Obama. I think you’re doing a pretty decent job, especially considering the overwhelming obstructionism, but I’m too alienated (in multiple senses).

20

You think he’s doing a decent job, but you’re not willing to take a few minutes of your time to defend him against one of the people the Republicans are running?