pochisoldi wrote:In my experience when I've spoken to people about voting, the non-voter's response is usually one of
"They are all the same"
"They won't do what they promise"
or some variation.
...
Why do I always vote? Because if you don't you get the government you asked for, and you lose the right to complain.
I used to hold the view that you have to engage in the political system, or work to overthrow it. So you've got to vote to keep engaged with the solution.
George Carlin gave a different view.
MAYBE, it’s not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here like: “THE PUBLIC”. Yeah the public sucks. There’s a nice campaign slogan for somebody: “the public sucks, f. hope”. Because if it’s really just the fault of these politicians, then where are all the other bright people of conscience? Where are all the bright, honest, intelligent Americans ready to step in and save the nation and lead the way?
I don’t vote. Two reasons I don’t vote: first of all, it’s meaningless. This country was bought and sold and paid for a long time ago.
And secondly, I don’t vote ’cause I believe if you vote, you have no right to complain. People like to twist that around. I know, they say, they say: “well if you don’t vote you have no right to complain”. But where’s the logic in that? If you vote, and you elect dishonest, incompetent people, and they get into office and screw everything up, well you are responsible for what they have done, YOU caused the problem, you voted them in, you have no right to complain. I on the other hand, who did not vote, WHO DID NOT VOTE. Who in fact did not even leave the house on election-day, am in no way responsible for what these people have done, and have every RIGHT to complain as loud as I want, about the mess YOU created, that I had nothing to do with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jnf9GILjFM