Voting
Posted by Dan on 28 Oct 2004 at 08:56 am | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Ok, so I’ve been smugly told that if I don’t vote “don’t even START to complain.” So I’ve been thinking about possibly voting, just to complain. I’ve been told to vote by at least four people, and they all happen to be Republican. I’m wondering if they really want me to vote so badly, would they want me to vote, even for Kerry? I think that if I vote, I will vote for Kerry just to offset these people’s votes. So I am asking you to vote in the comments section, should I vote, just so I can complain?
Oh, and btw, your vote don’t count, but please don’t even START to complain about me not voting if you don’t vote below.
ok dood. vote mainly because you can complain. if there is anything more annoying than someone who pitches a fit about the state of our economy or the war and close their gripe with, “no, i didn’t vote.” cmon…then shad up! ya know. hell, pencil your own candidate in if you must..i just wish al sharptin was still on the ticket.
he da man!
but seriously, penciling in my own candidate doesn’t do any good! that’s my point bro! My vote really doesn’t count unless I vote for Bush or Kerry. Even then, it probably doesn’t count. I just think that withholding my vote to protest the system is just as profitable as voting. Even just to start discussions with people.
Ok, so now 1 vote to vote and 1 against…mwwaahahhaaaa
you should vote. if it is just to complain, then so be it…granted either way one vote isn’t gunna swing the election this way or that…but you don’t make a statement by not voting. if you want to “protest”, then vote for whatever canidate is not predicted to win your state.
ok..look at it this way. even if you say your vote doesn’t count and not voting is your protest. what are you accomplishing? how can you try and change the system if you haven’t done your part? the only thing protesting does is get you on the 6 o’clock news bro. How is that helping the sad state of affairs we are in now as a country?
p.s. go see team america.
You have still not convinced me to vote. Do you really think it’s useful to vote, even though it’s not going to count? Even though it does nothing? This is exactly why I don’t want to vote! I think it has been bashed into our brains by MTV pdiddy, jerry falwell and everyone else that we must vote. It doesn’t matter who you vote for, just vote. But I beg to differ, it’s only worthwhile to vote if there is someone to vote for who has the possibility of winning. Stop listening to MTV, Rolling Stone and whatever else you are watching and reading. Think!
Here are my thoughts: First of all, DO NOT vote if you don’t know what you are voting for. I mean, so many people I know that are voting just want their votes to “count”, whatever that means, how can your vote count if you don’t even know what you just voted for? Starting by going to unbiased news sources to get information on the issuses that are most important to you, and see where the two candidate stand, then you can vote.
And you can always pray for the leaders of our country, even if that happenes to be the person we didn’t vote for… Hope my rumbling made some sense…
firstly..mtv and rolling stone?? puhleeez…neither one do i listen to or read. ever. you should know that.
my question is how can you claim to stand for something when you wont do anyting about it? if you don’t wanna vote yo, dont. im not trying to tell you to go out and vote or the pdiddy way “vote or die.” thats all crap. but i don’t wanna hear it when lil jaden tries to get a college loan and can’t because our economy took a dump or you can’t afford to get to work cause the price of gasoline is $10 a gallon due to a sensless war and the money hungry politicians that are in power. im gonna tell ya, “shadd up.”
p.s. i love you
Dan,
First of all I see your point, and to be perfectly honest, you answered your own question. If you in good conscience cannot vote for either candidate, then by all means do not. I agree with you 100% that our particular vote doesn’t make a huge difference (especially being in a mostly democratic state anyway)…
But I do want to add a little twist, I personally don’t think we elect a president anyway. To be perfectly honest, I believe we elect the most powerful figurehead on the planet. We do not elect a president who makes all the tuff decisions, we elect an Ivy league grad and his groupies. I personally think all the decisions are made by the entourage and the people who write the president’s speeches. Do they have some say? Yes, they are in fact “the president,” but they never make a statement without rehearsing it and getting approval from their clan.
So, Dan, the choice is yours… To vote for an entourage that runs the country, or not to vote for an entourage that runs the country. Either way, there will be an entourage at this country’s helm if you vote or not. Same for me, same for every last person who screams to vote.
I don’t know the candidate, I have never recieved a phone call from, nor spoken personally to any candidate. So I personally am going to vote for the entourage that best represents the things I believe to be true and just. I choose to vote for an entourage, you don’t have to, but there is going to be one anyway.
And by the way, if you don’t vote… Feel free to complain its never stopped any Libral or Republican from voicing their opinion about an issue they have never put their shoulder to the harness for (and I don’t be voting for, I mean touching life and making a difference).
-Mike
Ok so it doesn’t look like the first time went through so I’m posting again, sorry if it ends up landing twice…
Dan, I agree with you to a certain extent. I have never recieved a phone call from, or sat down to a fireside chat with any of the candidates. I don’t know them, nor do they represent my views very well. This is the nation of “rights” so by all means, feel free to vote on the particular cases you choose. If in good conscience you cannot support either candidate, then by all means don’t.
But I beg your attention to consider a different twist on things. I really don’t think we elect a “president” of sorts like of old. This nation was built on strong leaders, Washington…Licoln… But now we elect the worlds most powerful figure head. Presidents are merely a puppet for the entourage of Ivy Leaguers that are hiding beind the curtain. Not one will ever consider putting their thoughts on the line unless it was scripted by their most trustworthy speech writer.
So, when I vote, I will not be voting for a president. I will be voting for the entourage that will be making the decisions for the president. No single person can represent the entire United States well… But sometimes picking the Party you find yourself arguing for just might be the route to go.
My views will never be represtened 100% in the government (as I have no intrest in politics, nor am I rich enough ever to win). But I don’t think its that bad of an idea to pick a party that best represents the direction you would like to see the US head in, instead of not giving your input at all.
Do I think one vote matters? Not in a state that is already determined before the polls come in. Notice Michigan is never listed as a swing state. But, at least I have some peace of mind that I did what I can do, and if I’m not happy with that than I’ll come up with a new game plan.
-Mike
Hi Dan,
Your fellow Dan and Van Morrison friend from Wisconsin here.
I agree. Don’t vote if you don’t know why or what you’re voting for.
I think your vote makes a difference, especially this year with the war in Iraq. I don’t think it’s exaggerating to say that lives hang in the balance because the two men’s approach is so different. I hope you don’t mind, but instead of me telling you what I think you should do, I’m going to tell what I’m going to do, as a Christian, and why. Maybe it will help you (and Lewisfam) frame some of the issues. I wrote it because I am troubled by hearing how many Christians are considering voting for Kerry or not voting at all, basing their view, as you said, on what they’re fed through MTV, Rolling Stone or some other misinformed definition of what it means to “anti-war”:
I am voting for George Bush and the Republicans:
1. Because I am a peaceful man. Bush is out to win the war on terror. He is out to produce democracy and liberty in the nations that produce terrorists. That will bring peace. Appeasement will not bring peace. Leaving Iraq will not bring peace. The terrorists will not go away by themselves. They will not stop hating us. Even if we abandon Israel. They will not stop killing people either here or there. We can not negotiate this peace. We can only win. Ecclesiastes says there is a time for war. This is one of those times. If we do nothing, terrorists will continue to kill people — women, elders and children. They will disrupt peaceful governments hurting the causes of peace and justice, exacerbting poverty, ignorance, hunger and every other social ill.
2. Because I am a compassionate man. I am a conservative because conservatism works. Taxation and government giveaways do not solve people’s problems or cure poverty. Jobs bring people out of poverty. Conservative economics produces jobs. Taxation takes money out of people’s pockets — fewer dollars for job-generating investment, fewer dollars to give to charitable organizations. Private giving is more effective because they are not strained through an inefficient bureaucracy where it takes at least $3 to deliver $1 in services. If you want more people to be compassionate and to help the poor, don’t tax them. Talk to them. Teach them. “Pray for laborors.” Jesus taught personal responsiblity, not government programs. He taught community. Not bureaucracy. The Democrats are not more compassionate. Their goal is to create and maintain two major constituencies to help them obtain and maintain power — the bureacracy that administers government programs and those who are dependent on them, especially African-Americans. Before the ’60s it was the Democrats who oppressed Blacks. Since the ’60s, they’ve enslaved them with handouts and have accomplished nothing in improving their lives.
3. Because I am pro-life. The Democrats are in thrall to the feminist advocacy groups and the abortion industry. A vote for a Democrat is a vote for abortion, plain and simple. If you are pro-life and believe that a fetus is a human being, you cannot in good conscience, consciously vote for a Democrat. I can respect those who also are against the death penalty, but the difference there is obvious — the victim of abortion is innocent, the victim of the death penalty is guilty. As for those who say a woman should control her own body, I do not want to control her body. But the decision a woman has to make is whether that is a human being inside the womb. If it is, then she has some honest thinking to do. Abortions in the case of rape, incest are rare. But even in those cases, does one tragedy justify the commission of another?
4. Because I respect a man who has experienced repentance. George Bush used to be a drunk and he freely admits it. He realized he was wrong and he changed. He has not had a drink since. He is a new man. That makes him humble and understanding of his own frailties and those of others. John Kerry has had no such “pivot point” in his life. He finds it difficult to articulate his faith. In fact, his whole life has been one calculated, opportunistic step after another, from his schooling to his service in Vietnam to his political career and even, it appears, to the selection of his wives. Asked to talk about his wife at the third debate, the first words about her were about her money.
Is Bush perfect? No. Does he have to be perfect? No. Are these bad times for some people? Yes. Have we just endured one of the most catastrophic periods in our coutnry’s history? Yes. All in all, with free elections occurring in the Middle East, an economy that has bounced back from catastrophe (anyone remember the dot.com failures and Sept. 11?) and terrorists on the run (have there been anymore attacks here?), I think we’re doing OK.
Anyway, take care brother.
– Dan Benson
http://fixedandconsidering.typepad.com/
Dan,
Found your blog through, Ochuk. I go to church with him. Here’s another way to look at things. Just because your vote doesn’t get someone elected doesn’t mean your vote doesn’t count. In Minnesota, we’ve always sided heavily with the Democratic candidate for president. But this year it’s suddenly become a battleground state. We have John Kerry, GW, and the VPs visiting literally every week.
If it’s close, your vote certainly counts (Florida last year?). But in a no contest state your vote still counts. By voting for a heavy underdog you could potentially cause a battleground in the future (which is progress). Voting for a heavy favorite means you help keep that guy in command so he doesn’t have to spend time battling in that area.
Make any sense?
voting is such a personal decision. If you don’t feel the conviction to give one more point to the republican OR democrat rep, then don’t . It doesn’t mean that you don’t have a right to complain. It doesn’t mean that you fail as a christian. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t making the responsible choice. I’m asssuming you have good reasons behind your indecision, and that is all you need to have. For me, my vote is for the lesser of two evils, Kerry. But then, I took way too many women’s studies classes and am far too educated about how hard women have worked to even have a vote, to not take part. It all comes down to where your heart is. I just don’t trust Bush and I think he uses Jesus like a Jacket. I don’t think that is a trait I need in my country’s President. BUT that is simply my opinion.
My opinion is that you’ve already done more to affect our nation’s trajectory by causing people to think about whether or not we should even vote through the writing of this post than could be achieved through voting for president.
If you feel that you should not vote but that it would negate your ability to participate in conversation with others about the next President, then remind yourself of that statement I just made. Or if that’s not enough, I would encourage you to stand outside your local voting station for an hour or two with a sign that says “I’m not voting for president”, and be willing to discuss your reasons with people who would like to talk. (As calmly as possible, preferably.) Again, that would probably have more effect than voting because it would influence people around you who would then influence others; a subtle recognition of the ethos sometimes has more effect than we realize.
If you decide to do this, I’d be willing to stand next to you with a sign that says “I see the value in what he’s doing, but decided to vote for president anyway.”
Thanks for the comments everyone and luvies to all of you. I woke up crabbie this morning becaues my 5 month old is sick and has been up the past two nights, so my tone may not have been the most well thought out. Anyway, I wanted to clear up one thing. A couple people have said “well, don’t vote if you don’t know what you are voting for…” which is actually the opposite reason that I don’t want to vote. I do know the issues and have thought about them at great length, but can’t find a candidate that I feel comfortable with. I congratulate all who have decided who they are voting for, and want you to feel free to voice your opinion on that, but I just want the same as you, even though I’m deciding not to vote for President. Oh and did I mention that I am voting for the issues and everything else?
Thanks so much for the conversation
Travis-
Your first paragraph was very well stated. Bravo.
If you are not voting because neither candidate hits the mark I completely understand. The conclusion I have reached is to think Global but act local. You may be left thinking that your vote wont make the changes you want (either because it is just one vote, or that neither candidate fall in line with want you want!) but posative change is still possible. My conviction is that local action is the key to change. While making the right vote during an national election is important and has big concequences, we must not let it cause paralysis in taking responsibility to be agents of change ourselves. I have just realised how crap that sounds but I guess I wanted to encourage you all that the ability to bring about posative change is not all in the hands of the big guys even though it can feel that way most of the time.
If this sounds way out please forgive me, I’m British
I always said that I was voting, just not for President.
where can i find statistics of the amount of people who vote dont know what they are voting for? i think it’s horrible that we have people voting out there who are not politically educated