Halt! Vote! Rational Reasons for Refusing to Vote
 

Halt! Vote!

Rational Reasons for Refusing to Vote

Some politicians look good in the early going. But the more I hear them say, the more I learn about what they've done, and the more I discover what they plan to do... the worse they seem. It doesn't take long for most of them to appear downright dangerous.

They say the stupidest things and expect us to believe them. They get caught lying and act like it is somebody else's fault. They promise to do what's impossible, like spending trillions on new programs without raising taxes or cutting existing programs. They are unbelievable.

I wonder why most of them are out of the looney bin. I certainly can't agree to give them power over me, you, and the normal people.

In fact, I can't imagine any reason for giving anybody the power to rule.

My vote is my power -- and they're not getting it.
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Giving my vote power to a politician, because he claims he'll use it to serve me...is like giving my gun to a stranger in an alley, because he claims he'll use it to protect me.

Falling for such a ruse makes a person a willing participant in his or her own victimization.
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Politicians are dangerous. Anybody who wants power can't be trusted with it.

Voters are political enablers. The act of voting makes one an accomplice to the abuses of power to come. And believe me, all politicians abuse the power.

If you vote, you are almost as guilty as the politicians.

If you vote, you forfeit your right to complain or resist.

If you don't vote, you aren't part of the problem.

That's why I don't vote.

HaltVote: "non-violent"

All the time? Across the board? In all circumstances?

No. If all politicians are evil despots and lying, cheating scum, then vote for the one who you believe is 0.01% better.

It's trickle-down. If enough people feel like you do, their votes will change the tide.
The slightly more honest, slightly less liar-y (yes I made that up) person will get in.

The best analogy I can think of is McDonalds. Not only do they change their menu and their advertising from country to country (despite being so globally prevalent as to feature in national indexes) but they change according to public pressure. Why? Because that's where the money is. Serve children carrots not fries? Serve alcohol? Change frying oil so it doesn't contain beef fat? Check, check, check - different countries, different strategies. Because they are so lovely and warm and cuddly? NO. Because they want money.

Someone is always going to be in power.

In my country, my vote has rarely counted, as I tend to vote against the grain (it counted in the last General Election, but not in the Referendum for example).
But at least I can say I tried.

Because when the wolf comes to the door I want to be able to say I did at least that. A lickle cross on a bit of paper isn't exactly manning the barricades, but at least I did that.

You live under the Rule of Law, set by politicians in Government.
Simplistically politicians need votes to get into the government and have the power to set policy.

If you go the ballot and vote one way or another or even spoil your ballot, they look at you as someone who might vote for them next time if they can persuade you, they might try and adjust their position to appeal to you.

If you don't vote, why should they give a rats ass about your opinion.

You may well be faced with a choice of any number of unappealing lying scumbags, but one of them is going to get power over you, throwing up your hands and not choosing is easy, do the hard work of choosing the least worst choice and maybe next time or the time after that candidates might start to appear that have some of your interests in mind.


Theres a recent IOTD of a chance game, money or death, many people faced with the choice of risking death to participate in government have thought it worth the risk and payed the price, all you have to do is wander over to a ballot box and scribble an x.

Not voting is not participating, just lay down and let the consequences roll over you.

You are not refusing to vote, it's not compulsory.

You are failing to vote.

I like that, Beest. Very succinct.

Funny how these imports know exactly how and why it works, while native borns don't get it.

"do the hard work of choosing the least worst choice"
 

Alright, you convinced me. I'll vote for Trump.

Great!
I don't care, in this thread, who you vote for, even if it is opposed to my own choice I believe ultimately America will be be better for greater participation.

How so?

It may get the more popular candidate into office if everyone with that preference actually votes.

Even if you didn't back the winner voting still reduces the winner's victory margin so they don't think they have carte blanche to ignore the concerns of those who didn't vote for them, especially if they can run for reelection.

It is my observation that a lot of the people voting are those with a single hot button issue that get's them all fired up, and the more hard line you are on their issue the better. Since these are the people who actually vote they get the attention of politicians seeking office, so we get hard line, my way or no way, candidates who when they get into government won't work together and not much get's done.
I believe that people with more moderate views don't find these candidates appealing, so don't bother to vote, downward spiral.
If everyone voted then candidates with a balanced platform would have a broad base to appeal to and extreme candidates would be sidelined.

You would get more politicians who would do the work of governance and less posturing poseurs.

Hopefully

And so there are only two kinds of people. Wacko extremists and moderates. Left and right is spin to avoid discussing educated voters - moderates.

rhetorical
 

Am I a wacko extremist cuz I believe elected folk should viewed as, treated as, employees instead of nobility?

Am I a wacko extremist cuz I'm dissatisfied with the glorified popularity contests we call elections?

Am I a wacko extremist cuz I wanna hire the best proxies, employees, and public servants instead of electing the least crappy of a crappy bunch of mercenary parasites?

Am I a wacko extremist for wanting the formal option to say 'no' to appear on every ballot, of every election, from the federal down to the municipal?

Am I a wacko extremist for living as though I'm responsible for me?

Am I a wacko extremist for resisting being used by folks who think I should I be responsible for, or to, them?

Am I a wacko extremist for wanting the taxes I pay to be spent responsibly, minimally, and productively?

I could go on and on and on... :neutral:

I am a wacko extremist and I approve this message.