Voting is illogical.

[Patrick]

I used to vote in every election I was eligible for, but then about 3 years ago, I stopped voting. The main reason is that I find democracy abhorent and voting is the key act for average people in a democracy. A secondary reason is that it is illogical - no election that I ever voted in or could have voted in was decided by one vote - it follows that no outcome was ever changed by my vote. Therefore, in spite of the "public service" announcements that "your vote counts", voting would be a waste of time for me.

I also wondered if there still is the FCC "fairness rule" or anything like that, whereby I could demand equal time for counter-"public service" announcements. In regard to voting, I would say something like "Do you REALLY know the issues and candidates? Have you carefully considered the issues? Would you climb into the cockpit of a 747 and take it for a spin if you weren't a trained pilot? If you don't know what you're doing, keep the hell out of the voting booth!".

 

[geni]

I try to encourage apathery on the basis that if I can perswade everyone else to stop voting my vote will decide who wins.

 

[Zep]

I used to vote in every election I was eligible for, but then about 3 years ago, I stopped voting. The main reason is that I find democracy abhorent and voting is the key act for average people in a democracy. A secondary reason is that it is illogical - no election that I ever voted in or could have voted in was decided by one vote - it follows that no outcome was ever changed by my vote. Therefore, in spite of the "public service" announcements that "your vote counts", voting would be a waste of time for me.

I also wondered if there still is the FCC "fairness rule" or anything like that, whereby I could demand equal time for counter-"public service" announcements. In regard to voting, I would say something like "Do you REALLY know the issues and candidates? Have you carefully considered the issues? Would you climb into the cockpit of a 747 and take it for a spin if you weren't a trained pilot? If you don't know what you're doing, keep the hell out of the voting booth!".

What if everyone thought that way?

 

[Flo]

I used to vote in every election I was eligible for, but then about 3 years ago, I stopped voting. The main reason is that I find democracy abhorent ......

why did you waste your time elaborating past that bit ?

 

[Bikewer]

What would you replace it with? Monarchy? Dictatorship? Anarchy? Peaceful, happy people who all love one another and work for the common good?

Don't leave us hanging.....

 

[phildonnia]

Here in California we have "Ballot Initiatives", which means that the constitution can be amended by absolutely anyone. This leads to some truly surreal situations where the fine legal minds of the courts have to divine the intent of badly written or self-contradictory laws.

Also, someone discovered at some point that more people will vote for your pet idea if you don't include a new tax to pay for it.

 

[Tmy]

I dont vote in primaries because i feel they are an affront to democracy.


I hate when people say "if you dont vote you cant complain". Why not??? And how far do you take that line. If you do vote, are you personally responsible for what your govt does. "Hey you cant complain about that terror attack. You voted for the govt that pissed them off. So its ok to target civillians."

 

[Dorian Gray]

The main reason is that I find democracy abhorent and voting is the key act for average people in a democracy.

It's not the only trait you have in common with terrorists. My guess is that you'd prefer a dictatorship, but you wouldn't be able to get past the 'dick' part.

 

[shanek]

I used to vote in every election I was eligible for, but then about 3 years ago, I stopped voting. The main reason is that I find democracy abhorent and voting is the key act for average people in a democracy. A secondary reason is that it is illogical - no election that I ever voted in or could have voted in was decided by one vote - it follows that no outcome was ever changed by my vote. Therefore, in spite of the "public service" announcements that "your vote counts", voting would be a waste of time for me.

Then you'll probably be quite interested in this article:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/hooper1.html

I also wondered if there still is the FCC "fairness rule" or anything like that, whereby I could demand equal time for counter-"public service" announcements.

Sure! Just form a 527 PAC! Oh, you'll need access to another PAC's bank accounts temporarily to set that up; but hey, everyone has that, right? And all those forms getting you set up with the IRS are a breeze; should only take a couple of months. Then you just need contributions. Sure, you're subject to fund raising limitations, but everybody has thousands of contacts willing and ready to donate to them, right? Then all you have to do is meet with the people who will produce your commercial—oh, be careful to have filled out the right paperwork before you pay them anything. Then you can purchase your airtime. Just make sure you have the mandatory disclaimers in place and the TV station knows to air your commercial in the proper format and under the proper restrictions.

See? Simple as that! Isn't freedom of speech grand?

In regard to voting, I would say something like "Do you REALLY know the issues and candidates? Have you carefully considered the issues? Would you climb into the cockpit of a 747 and take it for a spin if you weren't a trained pilot? If you don't know what you're doing, keep the hell out of the voting booth!".

I like it!

 

[shanek]

What would you replace it with? Monarchy? Dictatorship? Anarchy? Peaceful, happy people who all love one another and work for the common good?

Um...Constitutional Republic, maybe?

 

[TragicMonkey]

Re: Re: Voting is illogical.

Just make sure you have the mandatory disclaimers in place and the TV station knows to air your commercial in the proper format and under the proper restrictions.

I had my PAC formed and got all the way through to this step, but then I got stopped. Apparently the FCC rules on showing ladies' nipples trumps my 527 rights to political speech. I explained to them that the topless ladies were vital to my message to America, but Big Brother fascism just stomped all over me.

 

[shanek]

Here in California we have "Ballot Initiatives", which means that the constitution can be amended by absolutely anyone. This leads to some truly surreal situations where the fine legal minds of the courts have to divine the intent of badly written or self-contradictory laws.

Here in NC we're currently "considering" Amendment One, which will allow the state to do issue "self-financing" bonds (the economic equivalent of perpetual motion machines) without voter approval. The government is running commercial after commercial and 8-page spreads in the local newspapers full of misinformation about it. We're trying to run ads in opposition, but we're running into the restrictions I mentioned above. The government's stacked the deck in their favor.

BTW, the way they've put Amendment One on the ballot is unconstitutional. They have a brief (and misleading) description of it, when Article XIII Section 4 of the North Carolina Constitution says that the proposal itself must be put on the ballot.