Protesting your vote

[thenuge]

OK, I'll go vote Green Party down the line! Then I "have the right" to b!tch. Come on, babe.

 

[Carno]

Well, I guess we'll just have to disagree then. You're saying that not voting takes away my Constitutional right to *****. I say it doesn't.

 

[Zilch]

Don't forget there are ways to participate aside from voting. I still think, though, that you're losing out bigtime if you don't vote, even if you just use the write-in slot.

 

[Brett327]

Well, I guess we'll just have to disagree then. You're saying that not voting takes away my Constitutional right to *****. I say it doesn't.

It doesn't take away your right, just your credibility. You seem to have a lot of animosity and disdain for our government for someone who's presumably seeking to be a military member - you know, the people who actually execute the policies of said government. Please amplify your remarks.

Brett

 

[Carno]

It doesn't take away your right, just your credibility. You seem to have a lot of animosity and disdain for our government for someone who's presumably seeking to be a military member - you know, the people who actually execute the policies of said government. Please amplify your remarks.

Brett

I understand that and I don't care. It's my choice and I choose that route. I realize that my opinion concerning this is an unpopular one however I cannot in good conscience vote for a party that I detest (which is both).

And yes I do have disdain for our politicians and our two party system. I don't feel that being in the military means that you have to like our government. However I do accept that they control my life for as long as I am serving, and I will follow my orders to the best of my ability. I didn't join the military because there was a Republican in the White House. I joined the military for a plethora of reasons and none of them included loyalty to a political party.

 

[Brett327]

I understand that and I don't care. It's my choice and I choose that route. I realize that my opinion concerning this is an unpopular one however I cannot in good conscience vote for a party that I detest (which is both).

And yes I do have disdain for our politicians and our two party system. I don't feel that being in the military means that you have to like our government. However I do accept that they control my life for as long as I am serving, and I will follow my orders to the best of my ability. I didn't join the military because there was a Republican in the White House. I joined the military for a plethora of reasons and none of them included loyalty to a political party.

In this case, I would advise you to "hate the player, but not the game." [/ridiculous urban reference]

Having said that, I'm interested, for the sake of discussion, in whether you see the two parties as essentially the same, or different in significant ways. Just trying to understand your POV.

Brett

 

[Cate]

While you make some good points, there are a lot of misconceptions in your post about how our political system works. It's a shame I'm too busy to write a thoughtful response right now. I'm such a tease.

Brett

Or maybe you're just Googling furiously, trying to find some way, any way, that you prove me wrong.

 

[Stubby]

I cannot in good conscience vote for a party that I detest (which is both).

This is exactly the opinion I was initially referring to. Okay, neither party suits you; Roger that. Guess what? ONE of those parties is going to have the majority of the power to make decisions that directly affect you.

Can you honestly say that one party or the other does not more closely represent your own personal beliefs... or at least those most important to you? If niether party supports what is important to you, is one of two more likely to destroy what is important to you?

Yes, it is your right to vote or not vote. It is your right to vote for a third party (or fourth or fifth...). Just realize what that vote (or lack thereof) will mean to you and the country.

 

[robav8r]

I understand that and I don't care. It's my choice and I choose that route. I realize that my opinion concerning this is an unpopular one however I cannot in good conscience vote for a party that I detest (which is both).

And yes I do have disdain for our politicians and our two party system. I don't feel that being in the military means that you have to like our government. However I do accept that they control my life for as long as I am serving, and I will follow my orders to the best of my ability. I didn't join the military because there was a Republican in the White House. I joined the military for a plethora of reasons and none of them included loyalty to a political party.

If you are not committed to following your orders completely (as opposed to your ability), then you might want to consider another career. Ask all the folks recently who refused to deploy to Iraq because they couldn't in "good conscience" follow their orders. As for loyalty to a political party, your loyallty is to the civilian leadership of that party, regardless of who is in control.

 

[Brett327]

This is exactly the opinion I was initially referring to. Okay, neither party suits you; Roger that. Guess what? ONE of those parties is going to have the majority of the power to make decisions that directly affect you.

Can you honestly say that one party or the other does not more closely represent your own personal beliefs... or at least those most important to you? If niether party supports what is important to you, is one of two more likely to destroy what is important to you?

Yes, it is your right to vote or not vote. It is your right to vote for a third party (or fourth or fifth...). Just realize what that vote (or lack thereof) will mean to you and the country.

For once I agree with the Chief.

Brett

 

[airgreg]

Regardless, if you don't vote, and don't exercise a right that many in this world do not have, then you forfeit your right to *****, complain, or criticize the process and subsequent results.
:icon_carn

And here I was under the assumption that another important American provision guaranteed me the right to b!tch, complain, or criticize.

You absolutely DO NOT have the right (in my opinion of course), to complain about the electoral process if you don't participate.

Voting is the minimalist's way of participating in society or the electoral process. There are a ton of things more significant that the American citizen can do to participate in our political process.

Put another way, if you don't stand on the street corner with a protest sign and shouting slogans protesting everything you disagree with, you don't have a right to complain. And if you pay your taxes, you don't have a right to compain about what the gov't does with your money. Rubbish.

Somehow we have devolved to a status where punching a hole in a paper ballot that may or may not be counted, in order to support a person or party who may or may not represent your beliefs, who might be de facto elected before you are able to vote because a national news organization might have already called the winner... this amounts to responsible civic duty? Well, at least the ballot was printed in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Furthermore, as it relates to state propositions, how about we let the "experts" decide the legal and financial implications of a proposition that any kook can get on the ballot by calling it "environmental protection" and gathering signatures from the town geniuses outside of your local Target. Seems that by participating in such charades, we might be letting our elected officials off the hook from actually making some tough decisions as they relate to good governance.

 

[flysupertomcat]

I understand that and I don't care. It's my choice and I choose that route. I realize that my opinion concerning this is an unpopular one however I cannot in good conscience vote for a party that I detest (which is both).

And yes I do have disdain for our politicians and our two party system. I don't feel that being in the military means that you have to like our government. However I do accept that they control my life for as long as I am serving, and I will follow my orders to the best of my ability. I didn't join the military because there was a Republican in the White House. I joined the military for a plethora of reasons and none of them included loyalty to a political party.

I find that pretty contradictory to have complete disdain for your Governemnt and you voluntarily take an oath that basically makes you a pawn of said Government.

 

[robav8r]

And here I was under the assumption that another important American provision guaranteed me the right to b!tch, complain, or criticize.

True - I guess my larger point here is that as professional, military officers/aviators/sailors, that we have an obligation to be better, more educated and completely supportive of the democratic process. A process that we, as the the american military pay a much higher price to defend than many others in society. Do I care personally that you don't want to vote and hate the current two part system? Absolutely not. Would I care that I'm serving with someone who displays a level of indifference towards my countries political system? maybe . . .

 

[eddie]

I find that pretty contradictory to have complete disdain for your Governemnt and you voluntarily take an oath that basically makes you a pawn of said Government.

President may be the Commander in Chief, but service is to the country, not the Government (not sure why you made it a proper noun).


To all:

If you can't stand the candidates or parties (like me...), then pick an issue you feel strongest about, but DON'T NOT VOTE. You don't surrender your "right" to protest by not voting, but you WILL (and should) be held accountable for how things turn out, regardless of weather you participate or not.

 

[Stubby]

President may be the Commander in Chief, but service is to the country, not the Government.

True enough.... but if you think your country is best served by not following the orders of the President (or any elected official duly appointed over you).... you may just end up in prison!