Do you VOTE?

[exxxoduss]

I was just reading some of the comments and just started to wonder how many of you vote... and if you are under the voting age will you vote when you get old enough.

If you do not vote... THEN SHUT THE FUCK UP. If you do not participate in our democracy then you don't deserve to talk about shit!

[preppyak]

If you do not vote... THEN SHUT THE FUCK UP. If you do not participate in our democracy then you don't deserve to talk about shit! yeah, I'd hate to have informed citizens when they finally get to voting age...:shake:

I'm 20, soon 21, so I vote. I wish I had been more active when I was young, or at least better informed about policies, etc.

I'd agree with your statement if it was someone over 18 that didn't vote...then they don't deserve to talk/complain about anything.

[FScott]

I vote

If you don't vote then you can still talk all the shit you want. BECAUSE THIS IS A DEMOCRACY YOU DUMB ASS

[fromwithin]

I dont, nor plan on voting in my lifetime. My vote means nothing, if it happens to mean something someday then I'd vote. You can bs me all you want but fact is, voting means nothing.

[aCe_]

I vote

If you don't vote then you can still talk all the shit you want. BECAUSE THIS IS A DEMOCRACY YOU DUMB ASSHaha.

I couldn't vote before. I will be voting.

[Shatter590]

i vote. and i happen to agree that if you dont, then dont complain.

[cal1082]

I dont, nor plan on voting in my lifetime. My vote means nothing, if it happens to mean something someday then I'd vote. You can bs me all you want but fact is, voting means nothing.

Out of all the things to vote for the Presidency is probably the most worthless thing as far as your vote goes (still means something). On the other hand, local, state, and congressional elections can easily be considered most important to individuals and voting in those does matter and it matters a lot.

[Trainsaw]

yep i do as often as i can

[andrewlterry]

Of course. It should be required to vote in this country. Also if you don't vote, you can't complain.

[andrewlterry]

I dont, nor plan on voting in my lifetime. My vote means nothing, if it happens to mean something someday then I'd vote. You can bs me all you want but fact is, voting means nothing.
Dumbest thing I've ever read.

[fromwithin]

Dumbest thing I've ever read.
I meant the Presidency and maybe youre the dumb one for believing that your vote actually makes a difference. Does it make oil prices go down? Does it make the deficit go away?

They'll put in who they want to put in regardless of voting. 100 years ago it might have meant something, but not with how corrupt our country is today.

[aminorthreat55]

I vote

If you don't vote then you can still talk all the shit you want. BECAUSE THIS IS A DEMOCRACY YOU DUMB ASS
Nevermind the fact that the government gets a cut out of everyones income as well. I'd like to be able to have a voice regarding how my money is being spent.

[aCe_]

Nevermind the fact that the government gets a cut out of everyones income as well. I'd like to be able to have a voice regarding how my money is being spent.Good call.

[preppyak]

If you don't vote then you can still talk all the shit you want. BECAUSE THIS IS A DEMOCRACY YOU DUMB ASS
Normally, if a person is above 18 and doesn't vote...I just laugh in their face whenever they complain about anything political.

It's the rare case when I think someone would have no right to speak, when you are complaining about a problem you could have helped prevent

[lostntheseethru]

I vote

If you don't vote then you can still talk all the shit you want. BECAUSE THIS IS A DEMOCRACY YOU DUMB ASS
either you're missing the point...or you're just looking for a reason to start something...either way, they are right. its not the idea of if you "can" talk shit its being smart about it...if you're not gonna help do something about the problems, then really you shouldnt bitch about them.

[fromwithin]

I love being the only no in this poll. Its sad that you have faith in this country.

[Shatter590]

I love being the only no in this poll. Its sad that you have faith in this country.
love it or leave it

[lostntheseethru]

I love being the only no in this poll. Its sad that you have faith in this country.
whats really sad is the idea that you wouldnt do anything to attempt to help fix it...

[fromwithin]

love it or leave it

I plan on it within five years.

[preppyak]

I meant the Presidency and maybe youre the dumb one for believing that your vote actually makes a difference. Does it make oil prices go down? Does it make the deficit go away?

In 2000, if 1000 more people in Florida hadn't been as mindless as you, this country could have taken a very different path.

Remember, their was no deficit then, actually a surplus. And gas was $1 or so.

But no, votes mean nothing...you lost a lot of respect with that comment

[fromwithin]

whats really sad is the idea that you wouldnt do anything to attempt to help fix it...

nothing will help fix how corrupt this country is. its a sign of the times. what are you trying to suggest, that casting a vote in a booth in some firehall will change everything? and one person wont do any good. even 1000 people wouldnt do any good.

[preppyak]

nothing will help fix how corrupt this country is. its a sign of the times. what are you trying to suggest, that casting a vote in a booth in some firehall will change everything? and one person wont do any good. even 1000 people wouldnt do any good.
you are an idiot...1000 people 6 years ago would have put Gore not Bush in...

Good thing you are leaving, America needs fewer cynical mindless fucks like you

[fromwithin]

In 2000, if 1000 more people in Florida hadn't been as mindless as you, this country could have taken a very different path.

Remember, their was no deficit then, actually a surplus. And gas was $1 or so.

But no, votes mean nothing...you lost a lot of respect with that comment

Of course by having a leader that claimed he invented the internet. In U.S. politics today its all about the lesser of two evils. Look at Kerry vs Bush, they both sucked, but Kerry wanted to take guns away and flee the war. I couldnt even imagine how bad things would be today if that happened. I can tell you something though if it did I wouldnt be in this country today. Canada looks better everyday.

[Shatter590]

I plan on it within five years.
make it sooner then

i have no love for the government nor the direction in which this country is headed, but it is still my home. and people who just sit back and bitch, rather than try to change something, make me sick. get the fuck out and save us all your petty bullshit. i have important work to do, and id rather do it with other people who care.

[fromwithin]

make it sooner then

i have no love for the government nor the direction in which this country is headed, but it is still my home. and people who just sit back and bitch, rather than try to change something, make me sick. get the fuck out and save us all your petty bullshit. i have important work to do, and id rather do it with other people who care.
and you think youre some kind of super patriot that is going to cure America of all its faults and evils. If you havent looked around the freedom is decreasing everyday. There's not a thing that you can do about it. But go ahead and try, dont forget to wave around your flag while youre at it.

If you want to talk about how votes work also:

The former mayor of Pittsburgh was elected to not 1, not 2, but THREE terms. Over the course of these 12 years he managed to take all of the money out of the city leaving it practically bankrupt. Like I said people knew what was going on, but they still "voted" for him. Wouldnt it make you more upset if you wanted that corruption gone and you voted against him, and not once but twice he gets back into office? I thought so.

[Shatter590]

and you think youre some kind of super patriot that is going to cure America of all its faults and evils. If you havent looked around the freedom is decreasing everyday. There's not a thing that you can do about it. But go ahead and try, dont forget to wave around your flag while youre at it.
first off, shut your mouth and listen for a second

i DO not like the way the country is headed. i do not think it will change.

but rather than complain, I go around and do things to make life better for other people. like, for example, when katrina hit, I volunteered my time with the red cross, habitat for humanity, and christian world services, and gave a good 300 hours of my life making it better for others. I work in 2 soup kitchens. i also volunteer as a youth mentor and teenage counselor.

rather than sit on my high horse and spew rhetoric, I go out and do things to make life for my community better. you know what a community is right? that place where your neighbors live? oh wait, you probably spend all your time in front of a computer bitching to take notice

go out and volunteer for the less fortunate, and then talk about how much everything sucks.

[preppyak]

and you think youre some kind of super patriot that is going to cure America of all its faults and evils. If you havent looked around the freedom is decreasing everyday. There's not a thing that you can do about it. But go ahead and try, dont forget to wave around your flag while youre at it.
Haha, yeah, that's good, automatically assume we're freedom-loving patriots waving our flags.

It's not even worth debating this...I'm just astonished that you believe that a representative democracy is useless, good luck in whatever government you go to...they aren't a whole lot better.

Britain, oops, France, Germany, the list goes on, all the major industrialized democracies have corruption issues.

Take a course in comparative politics...it will show you that there aren't many better options. In fact, America, in how it's set-up legislatively, would be the hardest country to make go from democracy to anything authoritarian...if for nothing else the bureacracy alone, coupled with it's usual inability to agree on votes due to party loyalty not being forced

[Johnny_G]

Voting today is really choosing the lesser of two evils. Anyone who still thinks we in the United States are blessed with tremendous freedom is idiodic and uninformed.

[lostntheseethru]

first off, shut your mouth and listen for a second

i DO not like the way the country is headed. i do not think it will change.

but rather than complain, I go around and do things to make life better for other people. like, for example, when katrina hit, I volunteered my time with the red cross, habitat for humanity, and christian world services, and gave a good 300 hours of my life making it better for others. I work in 2 soup kitchens. i also volunteer as a youth mentor and teenage counselor.

rather than sit on my high horse and spew rhetoric, I go out and do things to make life for my community better. you know what a community is right? that place where your neighbors live? oh wait, you probably spend all your time in front of a computer bitching to take notice

go out and volunteer for the less fortunate, and then talk about how much everything sucks.
i think i love you...:)hahaha

but no seriously, you did just make my day with that post. it is exactly what i was meaning. i wish i was a lot more like you.

[preppyak]

i DO not like the way the country is headed. i do not think it will change.

but rather than complain, I go around and do things to make life better for other people. like, for example, when katrina hit, I volunteered my time with the red cross, habitat for humanity, and christian world services, and gave a good 300 hours of my life making it better for others. I work in 2 soup kitchens. i also volunteer as a youth mentor and teenage counselor.

rather than sit on my high horse and spew rhetoric, I go out and do things to make life for my community better. you know what a community is right? that place where your neighbors live? oh wait, you probably spend all your time in front of a computer bitching to take notice

go out and volunteer for the less fortunate, and then talk about how much everything sucks.
I agree with that first part...and it does make me worry. But when I hear people my age say their vote doesn't count, that's when I know we are fucked...because their won't be a counterculture to it if our generation doesn't vote.

[Johnny_G]

Haha, yeah, that's good, automatically assume we're freedom-loving patriots waving our flags.

It's not even worth debating this...I'm just astonished that you believe that a representative democracy is useless, good luck in whatever government you go to...they aren't a whole lot better.

Britain, oops, France, Germany, the list goes on, all the major industrialized democracies have corruption issues.

Take a course in comparative politics...it will show you that there aren't many better options. In fact, America, in how it's set-up legislatively, would be the hardest country to make go from democracy to anything authoritarian...if for nothing else the bureacracy alone, coupled with it's usual inability to agree on votes due to party loyalty not being forced

That's true, but saying we have the same corruption issues as other countries isn't an excuse for accepting our tainted gov't.

[preppyak]

Voting today is really choosing the lesser of two evils. Anyone who still thinks we in the United States are blessed with tremendous freedom is idiodic and uninformed.
I think the fact that the elections have become so based on character assasination and not on actual issues is the reason why the elections are the "lesser of two evils".

And, comparitively speaking to say, any former Soviet nation, or perhaps any latin American country, yeah, we still have a great deal of freedom.

[lostntheseethru]

I agree with that first part...and it does make me worry. But when I hear people my age say their vote doesn't count, that's when I know we are fucked...because their won't be a counterculture to it if our generation doesn't vote.
yea. its really scary to think of what the furture will be like, cuz everyone is giving up and everyone has decided we're fucked.

[Shatter590]

i think i love you...:)hahaha

but no seriously, you did just make my day with that post. it is exactly what i was meaning. i wish i was a lot more like you.
well, i was unepmloyed for most of last year, so volunteering was the best use of my time. plus it was one of the most rewarding experiences I ever had, it changed my outlook on life and the world completely. i think everyone should.

i love you too, megg

[Johnny_G]

I think the fact that the elections have become so based on character assasination and not on actual issues is the reason why the elections are the "lesser of two evils".

And, comparitively speaking to say, any former Soviet nation, or perhaps any latin American country, yeah, we still have a great deal of freedom.

Again, your justifying our freedoms by comparing with obvious examples. Of course we have more freedom than the Soviets or Cubans or Iranians. Its still not a viable excuse for our shrinking freedoms as Americans.

[preppyak]

That's true, but saying we have the same corruption issues as other countries isn't an excuse for accepting our tainted gov't.
I agree, and that's why I think our generation seeing that will hopefully guide us to trying to find a politician that isn't so worthless.

It's the opinion that "my voice doesn't matter" that has allowed those freedoms to be taken away. If our freedoms go, and we don't like it, then fuck the incumbent, vote them out of office.

I'm suprised that we don't have a faster turnover in elections, in terms of new people being elected into Congress considering all the complaints I hear about the government

[Shatter590]

yea. its really scary to think of what the furture will be like, cuz everyone is giving up and everyone has decided we're fucked.
we need to examine our world with a healthy dose of cynicism, it helps put things in perspective. but people can;t just be cynical without at least trying.

[Shatter590]

I agree, and that's why I think our generation seeing that will hopefully guide us to trying to find a politician that isn't so worthless.

It's the opinion that "my voice doesn't matter" that has allowed those freedoms to be taken away. If our freedoms go, and we don't like it, then fuck the incumbent, vote them out of office.

I'm suprised that we don't have a faster turnover in elections, in terms of new people being elected into Congress considering all the complaints I hear about the government
owe that one to the "devil you know" argument.

[preppyak]

Again, your justifying our freedoms by comparing with obvious examples. Of course we have more freedom than the Soviets or Cubans or Iranians. Its still not a viable excuse for our shrinking freedoms as Americans.
Right, and I know exactly what you mean.

I'm using it as a method for eliminating the over-cynicism that would cause someone to say, I don't want to vote. We can't be at the point where their is no viable politicians to at least in part correct that.

Basically, I have the exact opposite view of Fromwithin, instead of looking at the corruption and assuming it can't be fixed, I look at it as a sign that it needs to change from outside the Beltway, through voting, protesting, whatever it takes. I know two years ago I had a very different view of this same thing, but I've actually developed more optimism recently

[Shatter590]

Basically, I have the exact opposite view of Fromwithin, instead of looking at the corruption and assuming it can't be fixed, I look at it as a sign that it needs to change from outside the Beltway, through voting, protesting, whatever it takes. I know two years ago I had a very different view of this same thing, but I've actually developed more optimism recently

i had your viewpoint 2 years ago. but after attending countless protests and being all of the political activist, i decided my time would be better spent helping my community. and i honestly get more out of it than i ever did screaming change at the top of my lungs.

[fromwithin]

first off, shut your mouth and listen for a second

i DO not like the way the country is headed. i do not think it will change.

but rather than complain, I go around and do things to make life better for other people. like, for example, when katrina hit, I volunteered my time with the red cross, habitat for humanity, and christian world services, and gave a good 300 hours of my life making it better for others. I work in 2 soup kitchens. i also volunteer as a youth mentor and teenage counselor.

rather than sit on my high horse and spew rhetoric, I go out and do things to make life for my community better. you know what a community is right? that place where your neighbors live? oh wait, you probably spend all your time in front of a computer bitching to take notice

go out and volunteer for the less fortunate, and then talk about how much everything sucks.

I applaud you for your community service. The only problem is that it has nothing to do with our government. They dont look at Red Cross and say "oh shit we really messed up." That's the reason companies like that are set up, nevermind that the many many deaths could have been prevented if they wouldve built the dams like people had said. I would volunteer, except I have no income myself so I am just as bad as they are, although I have a place to live and food to eat. I can't do anything about this though, I've applied countless places and the reason I was "fired" was because the company I work for was so corrupt that they went back on something that they told me wouldnt be a problem. I couldnt get unemployment because 95% of the time theyll believe the employer and what word do I have, I'm just a punk kid in the court's eyes. I can't even get a call back from temp agencies, yet immigrants come into this country and get jobs everyday and then act like theyve been here their whole lives, yeah thats cool.

[Shatter590]

I applaud you for your community service. The only problem is that it has nothing to do with our government. They dont look at Red Cross and say "oh shit we really messed up." That's the reason companies like that are set up, nevermind that the many many deaths could have been prevented if they wouldve built the dams like people had said. I would volunteer, except I have no income myself so I am just as bad as they are, although I have a place to live and food to eat. I can't do anything about this though, I've applied countless places and the reason I was "fired" was because the company I work for was so corrupt that they went back on something that they told me wouldnt be a problem. I couldnt get unemployment because 95% of the time theyll believe the employer and what word do I have, I'm just a punk kid in the court's eyes. I can't even get a call back from temp agencies, yet immigrants come into this country and get jobs everyday and then act like theyve been here their whole lives, yeah thats cool.
well, i cant say i disagree with your views on the economy. i was out of a job for all of last year and grew very angry at the job market and the associated issues. i do feel that borders should be closed and that illegals should not be allowed citizenship.

but that doesnt mean i didt try, or keep up vigilance.

honestly, and with all due respect, your bitter attitude towards life and the world at large cannot do anything but hurt you in the long run. it took me a few months to get over mine, and once i did...well, things sort of fell into place.

[fromwithin]

well, i cant say i disagree with your views on the economy. i was out of a job for all of last year and grew very angry at the job market and the associated issues. i do feel that borders should be closed and that illegals should not be allowed citizenship.

but that doesnt mean i didt try, or keep up vigilance.

honestly, and with all due respect, your bitter attitude towards life and the world at large cannot do anything but hurt you in the long run. it took me a few months to get over mine, and once i did...well, things sort of fell into place.

i would get over it, except...

the same thing happened to me last year and I was out of a job for over 6 months. the only reason I got one was because I went back to my old job, which in turn "fired" me like I stated. so this isn't new to me. I'm disgusted cause I can do the work and I'm not an idiot but theyd give a bum the job before me just because of my record.

[Shatter590]

i would get over it, except...

the same thing happened to me last year and I was out of a job for over 6 months. the only reason I got one was because I went back to my old job, which in turn "fired" me like I stated. so this isn't new to me. I'm disgusted cause I can do the work and I'm not an idiot but theyd give a bum the job before me just because of my record.
that is just one of those unfair facts of life. what ticked me off was that id keep losing jobs to high school dropouts because they give more time or something like that.

there really is no good solid advice for job hunting, just that you keep on trying.

[aminorthreat55]

I plan on it within five years.
I won't miss you.

[Adeniz19]

I meant the Presidency and maybe youre the dumb one for believing that your vote actually makes a difference. Does it make oil prices go down? Does it make the deficit go away?

They'll put in who they want to put in regardless of voting. 100 years ago it might have meant something, but not with how corrupt our country is today.i guess you dont live in florida haha

[weezer182]

Yes

[aminorthreat55]

This should've been a public poll.

[fedhed7]

I will when I turn 18 by the end of the year.

[GRIFFARD]

I will when I am old enough.

[mrskinnyarms]

I will now that I've turned 18.
Although I hate the fact that disassociating myself from the major political parties prevents me from voting in the primaries.

C'est la vie.

[dontgrabtindy]

yes

[Neo Cassady]

i vote.

[dai the flu]

no i dont vote. never will. i try and stay as neutral as possible. does this mean i dont have opinions on certain things? no. i have opinions and i express them without feeling guilty. but when it comes to choosing one scheming money-hungry bastard over another, no i wont do it. i wont vote.