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Anyone else not voting?

Reptillian

Reptillian

Hamburgler Extraordinaire
I'm not voting in next weeks election. I forgot to change my polling place when I moved across the state and state law requires me to register to vote 11 days before the election. It's also too late for me to request an absentee ballot and get it in on time. So in lieu of driving ten hours (across state and back) to vote, I've opted to just not vote. Republicans always win my state in presidential elections anyway, so my vote wouldn't really matter. I'd make the journey if I thought I'd have any impact, or that it would make a difference.

Anyone else not voting? Why not?

Apparently I'm in good company...this guy isn't sure if he wants to vote either. ;)
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
Those "undecideds" are something else. As if they must only choose between Obama and Romney. Rock and a hard place. I skimmed through them all and while there was one that mentioned that they might refer to themselves as a Libertarian there was absolutely no mention of possibly voting for someone other than a Dem or Pub. :rolleyes:
 
Reptillian

Reptillian

Hamburgler Extraordinaire
Draka said:
Those "undecideds" are something else. As if they must only choose between Obama and Romney. Rock and a hard place. I skimmed through them all and while there was one that mentioned that they might refer to themselves as a Libertarian there was absolutely no mention of possibly voting for someone other than a Dem or Pub. :rolleyes:
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That evangelical guy is pretty representative of a lot of the people I know unfortunately. They are a bunch of characters for sure. :D
 
Shuddhasattva

Shuddhasattva

Well-Known Member
I didn't care enough to get an absentee ballot. I don't like voting anyway as to me it signals validation of a completely invalid system.
 
Reptillian

Reptillian

Hamburgler Extraordinaire
Shuddhasattva said:
I didn't care enough to get an absentee ballot. I don't like voting anyway as to me it signals validation of a completely invalid system.
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In what way do you think the system is invalid? Do you disapprove of the way things are done election-wise?
 
Quintessence

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
How is not voting any less of a "validation" of the system than voting? I don't get that. Bowing out of the process altogether doesn't strike me as an absence of validating the existing system. It's a validation by virtue of silence and inaction. If you want to change (invalidate) the system, you either work within the system to do so (and that means *gasp* voting or running for office yourself) or work outside of the system to do so by starting a revolt. :shrug:
 
Shuddhasattva

Shuddhasattva

Well-Known Member
Quintessence said:
How is not voting any less of a "validation" of the system than voting? I don't get that. Bowing out of the process altogether doesn't strike me as an absence of validating the existing system. It's a validation by virtue of silence and inaction. If you want to change (invalidate) the system, you either work within the system to do so (and that means *gasp* voting or running for office yourself) or work outside of the system to do so by starting a revolt. :shrug:
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That's exactly the sort of dichotomizing mentality I choose to boycott.
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
Shuddhasattva said:
Liberal, conservative. Dem, republican. Work within the system, rebel from outside. :shrug:
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But those aren't the only options. Why does everyone want to just go to Democrats and Republicans? Until people can realize that there are more than those options available to us then nothing will get done. Sitting things out does nothing. Letting voices and votes be heard for OTHER options is what will eventually do anything.
 
Quintessence

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Shuddhasattva said:
Liberal, conservative. Dem, republican. Work within the system, rebel from outside. :shrug:
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I find it interesting you read that into what I said, I guess, since that sort of thing was not intended to be implied. I just feel that if you do not seek to change "the system," silence and inaction is functionally equivalent to validation of that system. Inaction accomplishes nothing and allows "the system" to persist. I find not voting because it is perceived to be feeding into "the system" to be a strange reason for not voting.

Though perhaps not as strange as some others I have heard. "I don't vote because I'd just pick whatever name looks coolest on the ballot." :D
 
Shuddhasattva

Shuddhasattva

Well-Known Member
Draka said:
But those aren't the only options. Why does everyone want to just go to Democrats and Republicans? Until people can realize that there are more than those options available to us then nothing will get done. Sitting things out does nothing. Letting voices and votes be heard for OTHER options is what will eventually do anything.
Click to expand...

Sorry, that just seems naïve to me.
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
Shuddhasattva said:
Sorry, that just seems naïve to me.
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And sitting back and not doing anything does what exactly? How is it rebelling? If one really wanted to change the system, really wanted to change things and the constant cycle of the same old same old over and over, then why not support the rise of more parties and more candidates to bring more options to the table for people to choose from? Not voting for anyone doesn't do anything at all. Voting for a third party candidate and supporting one of them may seem naive to you, but it is at least a voice, it at least is saying something. Not voting is saying nothing at all.
 
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