Is it wrong not to vote

[Siebert Outdoors]

Today is our voting day I have have decided not to vote because I really dont like either person or their veiws.  I dont want to claim ownership of voting for either person.  Plus a the other major issues I really dont have an opinion on either way.

I mostly just wish we could get a good politician to run.  Someone who tells me on the tv how they will benifit Missourians and not bash the opponent.  I could care less about pointing fingers.  I want quality results. Not turdism.  (you guy's word of the day I just made up)

I guess this more of a rant.

[huskertko]

GMAN, I feel your pain.  I am the same way, after hearing McCaskill/Talent ads for the last month and half for Missouri and the Kline/Morrison ones for Kansas, I am pretty much in shut down mode.  I really couldn't vote for either in good faith because all I have heard is mudslinging.    As un_American as it may be, I am sitting out this election and not casting my vote.  I very well understand that by not voting, I have no right to complain about who or what is getting done, but that is a decision that I am willing to live with.

[Chris at Tech]

I'm pretty disillusioned as well here in GA.  

I'm getting tired of hearing why I shouldn't vote for the other guy, instead of why I should vote for you.

I'm sick of politicians just trying to get re-elected instead of doing the right thing.

I'm sick of issues being dragged out close to election times just to get a certain demographic to vote.

I'm sick of the finger-pointing, filibustering, and rolling up a bunch of unrelated legislations added on to a major bill so politicians can use it as ammo later against their opponent when they can say they voted against some minor piece of the bill that will 'take money out of the schools', or some such crap.

I wish politicians would let people live their lives without trying to legislate morality...whether it be what can be seen/heard on TV/radio, smoking in restaurants, same-sex couple rights, etc.

Yeah, I'm bitter

[DEISWERTH]

This is also the first time in more that 20 yrs that I am not voting. I know it's always said, but all they do is make promises that they cannot come thru with, even though they may have good intentions. Plus the ads on TV are just getting to  be to much. All they do is put each other down, they are worse than little kids fighting! I would be upset if my kids were talking about someone like they do!! I know it's not the"American way" not to vote, but it doesn't seem to matter anymore.

[Matt Fly]

Short and sweet, VOTING IS A RIGHT AND PRIVILEDGE, exercise your rights as you see fit.

Matt.

[RODBENDER]

VOTE VOTE VOTE !!!

I know what yall are saying but this is the way i look at it . I don't like politics either so i pick out the ones i dislike the most and vote against them .

Makes me feel better for some reason .

[RiskKid.]

I agree wholeheartedly regarding our choices across the country.

However, I cannot support not voting. I spent too many years as a Boy Scoutmaster and preached to too many young boys that it is not only a right but we have a duty as a citizen to vote. I would be a pretty poor example if I didn't vote.

Here is what I have done. The new voting machines have a button to push for a write in ballot. If you select that you can then type in any name you want. I have written in my choice for every item. Trust me they were neither republicans or democrats but rather an individual who I know personally and trust. I have excercised my right and duty to vote and have legitimately voiced my dissatisfaction with the major parties.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Im not voting this year either I dont like whats on the table so I aint takin a dish! Not voting is a political statement Heny Thereau Said" If yuou subscribe to a system, you endorse the system" and in PA both parties reek. We need some good independent, non-professional pepole to start running for office ;)

[.ghoti.]

Matt Fly said it.

I would add responsibility.

DO IT!

[KU_Bassmaster.]

I am technically voting because I feel pretty strongly about one issue and I am going to vote against a candidate I have met before.  So I am punching two votes out a total of 30 or so.  

And I agree with huskertko ..... Those Talent/McCaskill commercials have been ridiculous.  Seems like neither of them deserve to win ..... maybe jail.

[flechero]

Short and sweet, VOTING IS A RIGHT AND PRIVILEDGE, exercise your rights as you see fit.

Matt.

Agreed.  And I'll add that many of the freedoms we enjoy, are because people in previous generations cared enough to vote, to leave our generation in a better place.

I mostly just wish we could get a good politician to run.

We all do...  since it's so dirty these days many great people won't even consider running.  You should at least vote for the "lesser of the evils" even if you dislike both, since you will have to live with one of them.

If you choose not to vote, you have no legitimate right to object, no matter how high your taxes go or whatever the issue.

[Siebert Outdoors]

And I agree with huskertko ..... Those Talent/McCaskill commercials have been ridiculous. Seems like neither of them deserve to win ..... maybe jail.

I have to agree with that.  

[BASS fisherman]

Voting anymore has become a race to see who can get the most digs in before election day.   As a previous poster said "so i pick out the ones i dislike the most and vote against them".  I absolutly don't think this is how voting for the right canidate should be.  You should be voting for the canidate who you think will best represent your state, and make the right decisions regarding the state in which he or she is elected to.  There is no point in voting anymore.  If I wasn't registered, I see no reason in the above posts to become a registered voter.  The reasons simply aren't convincing.  

As Muddy Man said "We need some good independent, non-professional people to start running for office".  That is the truth if I've ever heard it!

[roadwarrior]

I have never missed an opportunity to vote. I feel that it is my resposibility as a citizen. I strongly support several candidates here in Tennessee and strongly oppose a few. We have two important State Constitutional ammendments on the ballot and all of our local offices are up for election. In my suburban community, we expect over 95% of registered voters to exercise their right to vote.

It is more than a privilege, it is an obligation in a free society.

[nboucher]

I do agree about the lousy quality of campaigns and most politicians. I strongly disagree that not voting is a political statement. Not voting is a vote for the status quo, but more than that, it allows whichever party has the best turnout machine to win. That is not a democracy. There is always one candidate that is the less objectionable choice, at least. Not to see any difference is just lazy thinking, imho.

I also think that it's particularly important to vote in this election as a way of honoring the men and women who are dying in Iraq so Iraqis can vote. No matter what we think of the wisdom of the war itself, we owe them that much.

[Siebert Outdoors]

All right you guys talked me into it.  I'm going to vote, I have all the previous years so why skip this one.  

Never know, my 1 vote might knock out a bigger turd that would be in office.  So I will cast my vote to keep the   out of Missouri.

[senile1]

I agree that voting is a privilege and I always vote.  However, I do understand how GMAN and others feel.  And all of us who are voting need to realize that if we keep voting for the same old parties with the same old garbage coming out of their mouths we're not changing anything.  

So how do you ever come up with a great candidate for office?

First, money and contributions need to be completely removed from politics.  Completely.  Those who say spending money on issues is a free speech issue don't understand.  Those with the most money have the most free speech.  

Second, the government should provide the same amount of money to each candidate, or each side of an issue, and only allow them to campaign for a period of no more than 6 months.  All contributions other than this money would be outlawed.  In this way, no one is tainted by money and no candidate is pressured to payback their contributors.  

This will change our political system and we will get candidates who haven't been ruined by the system.  I truly believe that most candidates for office started out with good intentions.  By the time they reach the level of running for congressional representative, senator, or even governor, they have been ruined and tainted by campaign money.  Why do you think that the vast majority of candidates are lawyers now?  They have to be experts in double-speak and slipping the B.S. by the electorate.  If you vote, it should be obvious to you that we will never have a great president, such as Abraham Lincoln, again unless we change our system of campaign contributions and paybacks.  And if all you do is vote within this corrupted system and don't seek to make it better, in a way, you're apathetic too, just like the non-voter.  

Thanks for letting me rant.    >

[Matt Fly]

Excellant point by RW which I have failed to mention.    Voting is not limited to Congressional seats and Presidential race, you have just as important role in helping decide your local government seats.

matt

[K_Mac]

I am reading this thread before I head out to vote. Like many others I feel a responsibility to vote that is stronger than my disgust with the politics and campaign rhetoric. I live on the Illinois side, but I get St. Louis local television, so I have had to listen to the Talent/McCaskell adds almost non-stop for the last several weeks. Both parties have poured millions into this election because of its national importance, and both paties should be ashamed of the way this has been handled. As KU said if you could believe what was said by the two sides, both candidates should go to jail. The Illinois campaigns have been a little less offensive , but only a little. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to vote because of disillusionment with the system.

Now I will rant for a minute: It is not our system of government that is broken, it is the system of funding campaigns. As long as special interests can spend millions to buy the favor of politicians by giving huge amounts of money (both"hard" and "soft") to campaign funds we will have this mess. The way our system is set up now, if you do not dance to the tune of special interest groups you will not have the money to be elected or stay to in office. When the stakes are so high campaign managers and party leaders will do anything to get their candidate elected. It is more about money and influence than what is right for the American people.

I feel better to have gotten that out of my system. BTW, I think I will do as Riskkid did and write-in a few names this time.

By the time I got this posted Senile has alredy made my point, but I will just add my .02

[Murray]

it is american to vote...it is more american NOT to vote. that is a right we have--the right to our own opinion.

[Catt]

There are men/women serving in Iraq/Afghanistan who are protecting my freedom and part of that freedom is the right to vote.

The least I can do is find the lesser of two evils and exercise that freedom  

[jb_from_texas]

one big step in the right direction to fix the "lessor of two evils" choice syndrome.

TERM LIMITS.

regardless i say vote.

[RiskKid.]

I think it's sad that we are compelled by the democrat and republican parties to even have this discussion.

I wish the leaders of the parties would see this thread. Regardless of our individual politics this is a group of people that is patriotic and very caring. To drive a group like this to have this discussion is in a word "disgusting". I hope the parties and the candidates begin to get this message as I'm sure we're not the only ones sick to our stomachs by the current electoral process!

I wonder what the children are thinking after watching all the TV advertising. I'll bet it's not good!

[Zel]

Yes VOTE!!! If you don't like a candidate of the two major parties, look at some of the alternate parties. And if you still don't like anyone from the list, WRITE IN someone you think will do a good job. I have personally filled out write in votes in the past when I didn't like the choices. I know the election officials don't like it because it is extra work for them, but it is part of my constitutional rights to do so. Not voting and complaining about the results is a cop out! Yes, you still have the right to complain about the politicians even if you don't vote, and I have the right to tell you I won't even bother to listen to you if you didn't exercise your right to make a difference.

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