Why vote?

[Im Neero]

Can anyone give me one good reason to go vote?

To weed out some of the obvious responses, I won't accept "duty" or "responsibility" without further justification. I've noticed that people tend to use the word "duty" only when there is no good reason for you to do something that they want you to.

Also, I won't accept the "if you don't vote you have no right to complain" argument unless you can convince me that it's true. Don't simply say it, tell me why, because I was never issued a "right to complain" card, nor can I find it in the Constitution mentioned as being contingent to voting.

I'm not trying to be a troll or anything, I just can't think of a single good reason to vote tomorrow, and you guys are all pretty sharp. Any ideas?

[analog_kidd]

I don't think you have a "Duty" to vote, but I do think that if you vote, you have a duty to make an informed decision. I can't stand it when people go to the polls and have no idea who they are voting for or what the issues are. They just go in and mark random boxes.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Short answer: If you can seriously look around at all that Obama has said or done, and actually ask that question, skip voting... and just go shoot yourself.

Seriously.

[dunndw]

If you can't be bothered to take part in the election process of your country...go find one that doesn't hold elections and see how you like it there.

It is your right as an American citizen to take part in the election of your elected officials. You also have the right to sit on your rear and let other people choose for you.

When they choose poorly...you have to live with their decisions...kind of like depending on the police for your only source of security.

[Im Neero]

Short answer: If you can seriously look around at all that Obama has said or done, and actually ask that question, skip voting... and just go shoot yourself.

Seriously.

Do you actually think Obama stands a chance of winning in Tennessee? Honestly? Have you been watching the polls?

Edited November 4, 2008 by Im Neero
sigh, nevermind

[Im Neero]

If you can't be bothered to take part in the election process of your country...go find one that doesn't hold elections and see how you like it there.

It is your right as an American citizen to take part in the election of your elected officials. You also have the right to sit on your rear and let other people choose for you.

When they choose poorly...you have to live with their decisions...kind of like depending on the police for your only source of security.

Not voting is nothing like relying on the police to provide security. I also don't see why I would leave this country:confused:, I like it here alright.

Sure it's my right, and yours too. Its also your right to burn the American Flag and protest Marine Recruiters in Berklee. I'm not saying voting is the same as either of those, but just that merely having the right to do something is not a reason to actually do it.

[Guest Bronker]

Can anyone give me one good reason to go vote?

To weed out some of the obvious responses, I won't accept "duty" or "responsibility" without further justification. I've noticed that people tend to use the word "duty" only when there is no good reason for you to do something that they want you to.

Also, I won't accept the "if you don't vote you have no right to complain" argument unless you can convince me that it's true. Don't simply say it, tell me why, because I was never issued a "right to complain" card, nor can I find it in the Constitution mentioned as being contingent to voting.

I'm not trying to be a troll or anything, I just can't think of a single good reason to vote tomorrow, and you guys are all pretty sharp. Any ideas?

Because hundreds of thousands of men and women since the birth of this country have given their very lives to insure that you lived in a free country that gave you the chance. Not exercising your right to vote, one way or the other, is a direct slap in the face of those that sacrificed.

Please don't take this personally, as I'm just making a generalization...but if you simply choose NOT to vote, then for the next four years, you have no right to gripe about how things get. No matter what.

And if you choose to vote, one way or the other, you owe it to yourself to make an educated, informed, independent decision. Don't you dare let CNN TELL you how to vote.

My $0.04

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Do you actually think Obama stands a chance of winning in Tennessee? Honestly? Have you been watching the polls?

Oh yea, and please kill yourself. Please.

And if more people like you, nation wide, sit there and refrain from voting... will it add up? Yes.

Here's a reason... because the men and women of our military are giving their lives on a daily basis so that you can have the luxury of voting, you ungrateful ****. So sit there tomorrow at home and make all of that a worthless cause. I'm sure there are people suffering under tyranny right now that would give anything in the world to be in your position... but hey... do what you want.

People like you are no better than the ones actively running our country into the ground. So sorry if I don't give you a warm and fuzzy reply.

[Im Neero]

I should clarify that I'm not talking about voting in general. I'm asking why a Tennessee voter should vote for president tomorrow.

[Guest nraforlife]

Gentlemen, enough of this go shoot yourself BS. The big loser in this election, if the O wins, is the country as a whole. Amazing that folks are willingly and happily voting to become slaves.

[Mike.357]

I pretty much agree with the OP. I believe I asked the same question a few weeks ago

I did vote already though. There are some county issues I was wanting to vote on. I only skipped two votes for judges as I do not know who they are and really a coin toss vote is not the best way to do things.

Not really much point in voting around here unless you want to vote republican. Luckily for me the republican candidates are ones I approved of. So they got my approval vote.

All polls I have seen in TN on the presidential election have McCain winning in a landslide. So if the polls hold true my vote matters not, though I did vote for McCain. If anything it registers as a vote of dissaproval for BO and his policies.

I would say that voting is not a civic duty, or a way to give you the right to bitch.

Voting is a way of approving or dissaproving of the incumbents or current ruling party. Go and cast an empty ballot and it is a way of showing disgust or dissaproval for those running for office. In that way we do have a responsibility to participate. Without participation those who are elected have less guidance than if there is a larger percent of voters participating.

I think you ought to go vote! No need to shoot yourself just yet.

[Im Neero]

No one ever died for my right to vote. No one ever held a gun to a service member's head and said "we're going to kill you so J can vote, you ok with that?"

Men and Women have given their lives for a lot of ideological reasons that have to do with the way our country is run, but not one has given their life for my right to vote tomorrow.

Verbal, you were in the military. Would you die so I could vote tomorrow?

[G27]

Because hundreds of thousands of men and women since the birth of this country have given their very lives to insure that you lived in a free country that gave you the chance. Not exercising your right to vote, one way or the other, is a direct slap in the face of those that sacrificed.

Please don't take this personally, as I'm just making a generalization...but if you simply choose NOT to vote, then for the next four years, you have no right to gripe about how things get. No matter what.

And if you choose to vote, one way or the other, you owe it to yourself to make an educated, informed, independent decision. Don't you dare let CNN TELL you how to vote.

My $0.04

Add my $0.02 to that, well stated...

[et45]

Good God Amighty Damn Man,go vote and stop quibbling.This country is going to go down a ****hole cause some people want "change' and others think "my vote don't matter"

[Im Neero]

Mike, I appreciate your response, and I think you see what I'm getting at. For the record, I never said that I'm not going to vote, I never said that I haven't voted already. That does not change the fact that I cannot come up with one good reason for a single person reason not to vote.

And as far as the "what if everyone else thought that way argument" goes, if that was the case I would have a great reason to vote. If no one else voted, mine might actually count, as it stands, though, whether you support Obama or McCain, your vote in Tennessee isn't going to make a difference.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Verbal, you were in the military. Would you die so I could vote tomorrow?

Yes. I took the oath to do just that... project our country from threats and safeguard it's liberties (i.e. your right to vote).

Your luxury of voting fell well within that sworn obligation. And soldiers are dying every day for that exact reason. You cannot honestly sit there, being honest with yourself or others, and state that no soldier has ever given his life for your freedoms??? They don't sign up to protect oil prices, and they sure as hell don't sign up for the pay. They do it for the love of their country and wanting to protect their country and keep it free.

[Im Neero]

Good God Amighty Damn Man,go vote and stop quibbling.This country is going to go down a ****hole cause some people want "change' and others think "my vote don't matter"

Tell me how this is not the case and I will abandon my position.

[Guest Valkyrie]

Yes. I took the oath to do just that... project our country from threats and safeguard it's liberties (i.e. your right to vote).

Your luxury of voting fell well within that sworn obligation. And soldiers are dying every day for that exact reason. You cannot honestly sit there, being honest with yourself or others, and state that no soldier has ever given his life for your freedoms??? They don't sign up to protect oil prices, and they sure as hell don't sign up for the pay. They do it for the love of their country and wanting to protect their country and keep it free.

+1

[Guest Valkyrie]

Whether you accept the reasons people are giving you as VALID reasons to vote or not is your call, but they ARE reasons to vote.

[Im Neero]

Yes. I took the oath to do just that... project our country from threats and safeguard it's liberties (i.e. your right to vote).

Your luxury of voting fell well within that sworn obligation. And soldiers are dying every day for that exact reason. You cannot honestly sit there, being honest with yourself or others, and state that no soldier has ever given his life for your freedoms???

I didn't say no soldier has given his life for "freedoms" (I still don't think anyone's ever died for mine in particular.)

It's awful nice of you to die for me, considering you told me to shoot myself just a minute ago

To clarify my position again, I'm not asking about voting in general, or the democratic process, or truth, justice, and the American way. I'm talking about voting for president in Tennessee tomorrow.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't believe you'd die just for my right to vote tomorrow. Like someone shows up, points a gun at your head and says "we're going to kill you so J can vote tomorrow."

"Just J?" you say,

"yup", they say "everyone else gets to vote."

You then ask "You just going to take away his right to vote this once?"

"Yea, and we're not even sure if he's going to vote or not anyways."

You would die for that? If so, I'm truly flattered. I don't think I'd even die for your right to free speech. Free speech in general, maybe, but definitely not just yours. Thanks for the commitment.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

And as far as the "what if everyone else thought that way argument" goes, if that was the case I would have a great reason to vote. If no one else voted, mine might actually count, as it stands, though, whether you support Obama or McCain, your vote in Tennessee isn't going to make a difference.

Then there's your (albeit pathetic, IMO) stance on the issue. One unfortunately you are in fact entitled to. You had your mind clearly made up before you created this thread, and obviously you aren't going to waiver from it. Anything further is simply what you just denied was your reasoning... trolling for an argument or reaction.

[Im Neero]

Whether you accept the reasons people are giving you as VALID reasons to vote or not is your call, but they ARE reasons to vote.

That goes without saying, but there ARE plenty of reasons not to vote. I just want to know if there is a strong position in favor of voting in an election in which the outcome is a foregone conclusion.

[analog_kidd]

If the basis of the OP question was that "McCain is a shoe-in for TN, so why should I bother", I think that there are a lot more issues than just who's going to the President.

Here in Oak Ridge, there were several issues I wanted to vote on. One of them was voting for a Republican in the state house seat where there is an incumbant

Democrat. How about that for a reason? We need to unseat Naifeh as speaker to get some pro gun laws enacted, such as restaurant carry.

[Mike.357]

there is no right to vote in a federal election

Interesting thread BTW

[Guest Valkyrie]