question about voting in the US

[ScottySatan]

Madison, Wisconsin looks overwhelmingly democrat. It seems like no matter how you vote, the democrat is going to win that district. Would there be any point for me t vote at all if I moved there? Does it count for a national election, how big of a margin the candidate wins by?

 

[Valjean]

Madison's a liberal island in a sea of conservatives.

 

[Revoltingest]

Madison's a liberal island in a sea of conservatives.

No way....the whole state is filled with commies.
So much, that they spill over into MN & IL too.
Michiganstan suffers the same plight.
We even address each other as "Comrade" in Ann Arbor.
Zdravstvuj!

 

[Revoltingest]

Back to the OP.
In states where the electoral college is winner take all (eg, Michigan), it is seldom ever worth voting
for the prez because the Dems have such an overwhelming advantage. Voting is merely an opinion poll.

 

[Jistheman]

I think for a democracy to work people need to get involved and vote. Otherwise it is not working.

Back to the OP.
In states where the electoral college is winner take all (eg, Michigan), it is seldom ever worth voting
for the prez because the Dems have such an overwhelming advantage. Voting is merely an opinion poll.

 

[roadtoelection]

Democracy is the best one to run a successful politics in a country.

 

[Reverend Richard]

Madison, Wisconsin looks overwhelmingly democrat. It seems like no matter how you vote, the democrat is going to win that district. Would there be any point for me t vote at all if I moved there? ....................

It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should still make the effort to vote. If you didn't bother to vote, then you don't have the right to complain about who was elected.

 

[Revoltingest]

It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should still make the effort to vote. If you didn't bother to vote, then you don't have the right to complain about who was elected.

Of course we'd have the right to complain.
Especially when the system presents us with a slate of losers, the decision to not vote is a statement.

 

[Reverend Richard]

.......... the decision to not vote is a statement.

And who heard it?

 

[Revoltingest]

And who heard it?

We all see when turnout is low. If someone wants to make that statement, then I say go for it.
Not voting also has the advantage of saving perhaps a few hours of time. (Lines here can get long.)
Besides, I'd rather see most voters just stay home. It ain't like they do a great job anyway.
Did we really need a few more Obama voters or McCain voters in 2008?
If Obama had a few more or less votes, we'd still be suffering thru his stewardship.

 

[Reverend Richard]

...........................If Obama had a few more or less votes, we'd still be suffering thru his stewardship.

That's true. I am not a big fan of Obama, and he has been a big disappointment. But as a reformed conservative myself, I see Romney as even a less desirable candidate.

So, in the end, this is less about who I am voting for and more about who I am voting against. People complain that Obama hasn't done much, and I know Obama can't run again if he is re-elected. But if Romney is elected, and his goal is to push the far right agenda (and that's who he is appealing to), he has the potential to be in for 8 years, and it makes me shudder.

 

[Revoltingest]

That's true. I am not a big fan of Obama, and he has been a big disappointment. But as a reformed conservative myself, I see Romney as even a less desirable candidate.

So, in the end, this is less about who I am voting for and more about who I am voting against. People complain that Obama hasn't done much, and I know Obama can't run again if he is re-elected. But if Romney is elected, and his goal is to push the far right agenda (and that's who he is appealing to), he has the potential to be in for 8 years, and it makes me shudder.

Since this is about voting in general, I won't get into who is worse.
I'm terrible at predicting who will win & how they'll turn out anyway.
I vote just to register my Libertarian opinion, with no expectation that we'll ever win.
But to make it easy, I use absentee ballots. Then I needn't mingle with all the earnest Pubs & Dems.

 

[Reverend Richard]

Since this is about voting in general, I won't get into who is worse.
I'm terrible at predicting who will win & how they'll turn out anyway.

I'm with you there. It seems I am always surprised by outcomes.

I vote just to register my Libertarian opinion, with no expectation that we'll ever win. But to make it easy, I use absentee ballots. Then I needn't mingle with all the earnest Pubs & Dems.

When I lived in Colorado, I used absentee ballots, too. It made things so much easier, and as you mentioned it removed the inconvenience of standing in line - sometimes for hours.

 

[Revoltingest]

When I lived in Colorado, I used absentee ballots, too. It made things so much easier, and as you mentioned it removed the inconvenience of standing in line - sometimes for hours.

I have to lie to get an absentee ballot, but I'm a big fan of lying to government.

 

[Reverend Richard]

I have to lie to get an absentee ballot, but I'm a big fan of lying to government.

I didn't have to lie to get my first absentee ballot - I would usually be traveling outside the U.S. during elections, so I was "legally" eligible. However, when I did stop traveling so much I kept receiving the absentee ballots so I just kept using that as my voting method.

 

[Harmonious]

It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should still make the effort to vote. If you didn't bother to vote, then you don't have the right to complain about who was elected.

Exactly.

 

[Reverend Richard]

exactly.

........

 

[Harmonious]

Of course we'd have the right to complain.
Especially when the system presents us with a slate of losers, the decision to not vote is a statement.

While you always have a right to complain, it isn't as effective if you didn't bother to show up.

People fought for the right to be enfranchized.

I guess one could say that they didn't like either candidate so they didn't bother, but complaing when you didn't bother to vote seems petulant. At least if you voted, you would have righteous indignation or frustration.

 

[Reverend Richard]

.......complaing when you didn't bother to vote seems petulant.

I love the word petulant. I should use that word more.

 

[Revoltingest]

While you always have a right to complain, it isn't as effective if you didn't bother to show up.

Complaining is seldom effective anyway.

People fought for the right to be enfranchized.

I stand up for the right of people to be disenfranchised.

I guess one could say that they didn't like either candidate so they didn't bother, but complaing when you didn't bother to vote seems petulant. At least if you voted, you would have righteous indignation or frustration.

I support everyone's right to carp about politics, whether the vote or not.
Although.....those who voted for Obama or McCain have slightly less credibility in my eyes.