Nov 02 2008
Right to Vote Includes Right to Stay Home
The campaign is nearly over. I’m amused by the people who say “however you want to vote, just make sure you vote.”
Look, if you’re going to be playing pin the tail on the donkey with your punch machine, stay home. Sure, you have the right to make an uninformed vote. It’s just a bad idea. If you want to take a principled stance that Mickey Mouse is a better candidate than anyone on the ballot, more power to you. If you want to vote for the candidate who has the same number of letters in his name as you, maybe watching television would be a better plan.
A lot of countries brag about their 99-percent voting rates. The U.S. is derided for barely mustering 60 percent for presidential elections. Never mind voting for other offices. However, the right to vote is also a right to not vote. You won’t be arrested for skipping the polling place. Again, be informed first.
Amen! Here’s my post on why I’m staying home, and I’m very informed about the Presidential race. I’ll add that if you do vote, vote your conscience, not the party line. I used to do that, and it got us some pretty crappy representation. I’m an independent now, and I vote for the person.
http://dailythoughts.today.com/2008/10/31/listening-to-my-inner-voice-why-i-wont-vote-this-year/
OK I never figured on people not actually knowing what they’re voting for. I’m none American and therefore I make certain assumptions ….in this case that America is educated! My take on this post is if you aren’t informed enough to vote, get with the program and get informed. Don’t just watch mudslingin and misleading comments on replublican TV or democrat TV, find out what the issues are, what the candidates stand for and act like you belong to one of the world’s most advanced nations. Yes, you have the right to vote, or not vote, but hey if you don’t bother to take the time get informed and vote, don’t bitch when things don’t go the way you want them after the election - only those who cared enough about their country to vote get that right.
It’s really sad that there are so many people who just listen to the ads on tv and vote based on what they hear. I vote absentee and when I received my booklet for California I spent an entire day reading each proposition and measure so that I could thoroughly understand each one and make and informed decision. It takes time but it’s the only way to vote. If you can’t do that you shouldn’t be voting.
http://apoetsview.today.com
http://insanfrancisco.today.com
Amen to that!
Also to Katie: There are in fact stupid, uneducated people in the world and some are Americans lol.
http://waxingpoetically.today.com
http://artfromtheoutskirts.today.com
Voting is compulsory in Australia. The fine for not doing so is something like AUD$20 if you can’t think of an excuse when they ask. People generally don’t resent it - they think of it as their obligation to commit democracy every few years.
(Of course, if any name is found to have voted more than once, the Electoral Commission goes into attack mode and thoroughly roots out what happened, as you would expect.)
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but as a woman of color, I am painfully aware that people died so I could exercise my right to vote and I am encouraging my readers to do the same.
alicia
http://todaystyle.today.com/
I am not impressed with either canidates to tell you the truth. But I will still vote on the one I feel is most qualified. But I have to say that whoever wins, I am praying for them. They have a big job ahead of them. This country is a mess right now.
Make sure you go out and vote, if you don’t know where you are suppose to go vote, do a google search and find out! Sometimes the place to vote changes so call your city just to verify you aren’t suppoe to be at a new location.
Happy Voting!
If you don’t vote, don’t complain for the next four years.