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Politics Where we learn not to think less of others who don't share our views |
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#1 |
Junior Master Dwellar
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Kingdom of Atlantia
Posts: 2,979
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One person.
Is there really anything that one person can do to change "the way things are"?
Income taxes are illegal. Congresspeople get stupidly huge retirements. Electoral College. What can one person do? What can 5 people do? How can a single person change the way things are done? I was thinking about voting and I've been reading on here, and I keep finding myself thinking, "Why should I give a SHIT?" And then I answer myself: "Because if you don't vote, you don't get to bitch." Well, so what if I vote? It doesn't make one bit of difference, because even if the popular vote wins, the electoral college doesn't have to vote for that person. So why bother? What can I do do make a difference? |
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#2 |
Person who doesn't update the user title
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 12,486
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If Florida 2000 didn't show you how every vote really does count, then you need professional help.
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#3 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
Posts: 31,423
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You may feel free to bitch even if you don't vote.
That old saw's just something somebody made up to make non-voters feel guilty. Anyone is allowed to bitch. It's right there in the big Radar document. |
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#4 |
Person who doesn't update the user title
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 12,486
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[Radar]It's not my document, you fucking idiot. Where do you get off saying that? It's your document, it's his document, it's all of ours. And I will spill my blood on it fighting for it. A Libertarian will be elected in my lifetime. Windows 2K is the greatest OS ever. Did I mention I'm an MCSE?[/Radar]
IIRC, there are some countries out there where voting is mandatory. Add a "none of the above" option on ballots, and I'd support mandatory voting wholeheartedly. Last edited by elSicomoro; 01-28-2004 at 08:28 PM. |
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#5 |
-◊|≡·∙■·∙≡|◊-
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Parts unknown.
Posts: 4,081
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What's wrong with the electoral college? It was designed by the founding fathers to keep big states from eating little states and it seems to be filling the charter.
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#6 |
Intouch with his inner sheep rider.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 603
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It's mandatory to vote in Australia.
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#7 | |
no one of consequence
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,839
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Quote:
I mean, if Arkansas doesn't get as many votes, what are they going to do, secede from the Union? |
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#8 | |
I am meaty
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 1,119
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Re: One person.
Quote:
Have you written letters to your Congressperson, or started a letter-writing campaign? Have you created and publicized a website describing your views? Have you written a keenly-worded essay on the matter and submitted it for publication to various magazines/newspapers/websites? Have you created and publicized a group or club for people who share your views, and used the combined influence to spread your message? Have you done anything aside from talking about the perceived problem? Like most people who desire change, you've probably done little of the above. It's a lot of work, and it draws a lot of attention. Some people like to coast in the "it's too late for revision, but too early for a revolution" mindset, some people don't like the risk involved with drawing attention to themselves, and some people don't feel strongly enough to make the time for the effort. There's lots of excuses not to DO anything to solve a problem. What have I done? Little. I write an e-mail or letter to my Representatives when I feel strongly about something, but most of the time I just bitch about things. Right now, I don't feel strongly enough to do anything much more drastic than voting. But that's just me. And that's just now.
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Hot Pastrami! |
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#9 | |
I am meaty
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 1,119
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Quote:
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Hot Pastrami! |
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#10 | |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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Quote:
![]() ONYX- Vote early, vote often.
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The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. |
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#11 | |
a real smartass
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 1,121
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Quote:
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#12 |
Person who doesn't update the user title
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 12,486
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How so?
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#13 | |
lobber of scimitars
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phila Burbs
Posts: 20,774
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Quote:
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![]() ![]() "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis |
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#14 |
a real smartass
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 1,121
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Sixteen million people were almost evenly divided in who they wanted for President, with a margin of a few hundred. Florida's votes, which decided the vote of the nation and which are supposed to represent the will of (the people of) Florida, represented only half of the population.
I felt this more strongly perhaps because in my state, regardless of how you cast your vote, all of the votes of the state will be cast for the same contestant. We have the most lopsided ratio of Elephant and Donkey voters in the nation. Well.. actually, the power of the President is largely based upon how much support they have amongst the public. Our opinions do matter in the grand scheme of things. Bush's lack of legitimacy (lack of a clear, uncontested public vote in his favor) hurt him until September 11th 2001, when the nation decided to support the President. The same story would have happened to Gore. |
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#15 |
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,338
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I disagree. Had we been under the Gore administration, there would have been NO clear use of military force. I believe we would have gone to the UN and gotten another resolution condemning terrorism, a lot of hot air from the White House promising to ferret out and punish the evildoers (when in fact they are all already dead), a bunch of flag-waving from the public, then nothing. Just like when President Clinton launched a bunch of Tomahawk missiles at Iraq, causing little damage and (IIRC) only one death. BAH!
I for one am GLAD 9-11-01 happened under George Bush. I voted for him without reservation and will do so again. I think he's done a good job so far and compared to the Democratic ticket presented thus far, he'll do a better job again. Terrorists must know that if they attack the USA, we will come after them no matter where they hide and no matter what they blow up. They will pay with their very lives for attacking us. This strategy works, witness the former USSR...once terrorists captured an airliner. The Russian Special FOrces stormed the plane and killed them all. No negotiations, no mercy. It's unfortunate that they also killed a few of the hostages, but that's war. And terrorism is a declaration of war on a nation by a faction, IMO. Brian "gets off his soapbox for now" R
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