Why don't all American citizens vote?
 

Can someone explain this to me? Don't you feel that it's an obligation to vote? Where I live, it is actually obligatory to vote, and if you do not vote on election day or even referendums, you receive a light fine. As a country that has lost it's voting priviledges in the past to due to dicatorship governments, we know how important it is to be able to cast a vote, even if it is blank.

Why don't more people vote in the U.S. ? I think it's just plain laziness?

free country

lazy and don't care.

likely to believe it's all BS anyways..

you're right. we're lazy.

Can you explain to us why the focus of so many of your threads is America?

In reality your vote really doesn't count. That's why it's a selection and not an election.






By the way I vote. Whoever is last on the ballot gets my vote.

...why encourage more negativity and lies in this country? Thats all any of these politicians do anyway!

Not all American citizens are even old enough to vote.

Yeah, and thats exactly what has gotten us where we are now. It's sad to say but I am starting to believe that most Americans are lazy, stupid, and easily controlled.

That sounds borderline hypocritcal to me.

A free country where most of the eligible voting population cares not who their leader is. A country that will shove their democrazy and freedom in your face every chance they get (like you just did) but at the same time many of its citizens share a "it doesn't matter, we're screwed either way" mentality.

Incredibly irresponsible.

And may I add one more thing.

Yes, you are a free country. That's why everyone should vote.

Lazy people

Well look them up, they are not all negative. I grew up in the American society and it interests me.

The last "American" thread I postes was not negative at all. I thought it was pretty interesting: THREAD

And what's wrong with the question I'm asking here? Don't you think it's irresponsible not to vote?

Because outside of California is foreign policy.

I certainly see where you are coming from and I used to say the same thing... but a counter to that question is, what if you really don't like anyone? Are you really being responsible by voting for somebody that you don't believe in, simply because you are "supposed to vote"?

I would rather have people voting because they want to vote and know what a candidate stands for then asked people being forced into voting for somebody they know nothing about. I personally will not vote for somebody or for something unless I know a fair bit about the situation.

Voting just to vote... that isn't right, nor is it responsible.

I very much disagree. Nobody gives a fuck if you do not vote. Voting is the only way to be heard.

You definitely have a fair point. However, if we don't encoutage people to vote, they lose interest, and are pretty much lead to believe that it doesn't matter and that voting is a total waste of time. Since American citizens really have no idea what it's like NOT to be allowed to vote, they never really understand how important their voting priviledge is.

Put a sign: Free burger with your vote! and you'll get about a 100% voting rate :1orglaugh

Voting isn't the only way to be heard. Did you hear the last election, some other guy actually won but we still have our current president. I guess they didn't hear that message :/

Free beer would work better :thumbsup

To me, that just shows how important voting REALLY is.

Well, it tells me my vote was stolen and had no value.

What you say is true, but that is not just an American thing. That is a human nature thing. People do not realize what they have until it is gone... because, well, how else would someone know?

Around the world you see the same mistakes being repeated over and over again. Generation after generation. The average person does not learn because they do not study history and they have not experienced the mistakes before.

With the current setup of using the electoral college, your vote doesn't really matter in 40 states. I'm in Illinois for instance and Obama will win the state with ease, whether he wins the state by 1 vote or 20 million votes, he gets the same electoral points.

I'd also say another reason is lack of choices. The two party system blows and we aren't given much in terms of choices. These are hand chosen candidates by each party and a regular guy doesn't stand a chance.

So shitty choices and vote not mattering are two big reasons.

and fining people would be more democratic?

hit the maternity wards and get them registered

you should sue your school district

No, I didn't say fines are the answer. People should obviously vote because they care, not because they have to.

BRILLIANT!

You are just "starting to believe"?????

YOU my friend are obviously dumb and I have revoked your "right" to vote in the U.S.A., so, go back to your daytime television and leave everyone else alone.


Tanks.

What if they don't know shit about the candidates or the issues?

People should also invest money into their community to make it a better place and to give back... not only to get tax breaks, but to further develop their community. But they don't.

:-)

Kinda lame statement. So you don't think voting should be, an equal vote for vote? I'm pretty sure I learned that our system isn't that, so I have every right to feel cheated since our people said they wanted one person but our system gave it to another.

We have the RIGHT to vote. Nowhere does it say we're OBLIGATED to vote.

Some people don't want to be a "Registered Voter" for any number of reasons.
For example - Jury Duty is a pain in your ass, and can fuck up your life pretty good if you get on a 3 month long murder trial for Federal jury duty.

Trust me, I know!
:P
That being said, if you don't vote - STFU if you don't like the outcome!
Fitz

Exactly.

Well... seriously... your teacher was either an idiot or you were sick the day they taught about the electoral College. I learned about the electoral College, how it works, why it works, and why it's set up... long before Bush ever had power.

Throughout both elections I was always shocked how many people did not understand how the system works. I guess that required government class in senior year does not get through to enough people...

And furthermore... many people flame me for this... I actually believe in the electoral College. I believe that the system gives everybody a more fair valued vote throughout the country. Without a system like the electoral College, populous states would carry almost all of the power while less populous states would basically have no power and no voice.

The city of San Diego alone could trump the state of Montana. The people of San Diego hold different values than the state of Montana. Just because Montana has a very small population, does not mean that they should not have a voice.

I think if someone really likes a candidate they are more likely to vote. If someone doesn't really care which one wins then there doesn't seem to be much of a point to vote. I've never voted before but I'm going to this year. First time I can vote for a president lol.

fuck voting!
 

http://i38.tinypic.com/2hi5g5l.jpg
mmmkay

"The land of entitlement without responsiblity"

Oh, must have been my sick day. You are going to tell me, this is "logically" fair? Oh please, when was the last time a vote wasn't equal? hey raise your hands, say ya or nah, what? Our gov changed the meaning of the word vote to mean, hey we can move electoral colleges around within the States to swing power the way we want and devalue the voting power of other areas. Or maybe how Independents can't vote and have no say in primaries? It's not a vote, none of it is, it's a way for shit areas with moral values to control the country.

No, actually I think the Electoral College is a pretty good system, even though I live somewhere that it would be of more benefit to me if it were one person, one vote.

I do think, I don't know when, some years ago it was a great system to have, maybe perfect, I don't know.

All I know, is the last election and this primaries, and now all the local bs going on at least here in Tucson. It's like, could we please just have a equal vote, hell a raise of hands at this point may be more fair.

At the same time, 40 of the states don't matter. The candidates don't campaign there and don't need to. Is it really best to have a system where only 10 states (actually more like 3 when all is said and done) decide the election? A vote in Ohio is worth infinitely more than a vote in Illinois.

some people honestly want to, but cant because of work.

i however dont think my vote counts towards influencing the electoral college :winkwink:

Because us Non-Voters are intelligent enough to understand how the Electoral College Vote works, and that 51% of people telling the other 49% what they can and cannot do is nothing even remotely near Freedom.

Really? How many people do you think work 13 hours a day for a company that does not give time off to vote?"

There is also this thing called absentee votes. You mail in your vote

Even if there was no electoral college you would still end up with close elections (ie: 51 vs 49)

What would you have them do? Re-vote until a 2/3's majority?

No, but, I don't think I (or anyone) should have to move to a state that would vote the way I would in order to make my vote count. And the 51/49 was not in reference to voting, a win is a win, it was in reference to "democracy" in general.

The electoral college was more beneficial when states had more rights and the federal government played less of a role. Now that those roles have reversed, it's just not fair. Everyone should have an equal voice considering the power the federal government has.

Sadly, because the ones who don't vote are too niave and think their vote doesn't count or they don't care.