2008 why vote

[epxroot]

To have the notion that your vote doesn't count is ridiculous.

Look at the recent Dem race. In a lot of places votes came down to the very nitty gritty.

And for all you know the Presidential election could come down to the same thing.




Be a part of history! Don't prove those a-holes in the government right by not voting. By not voting you are only proving a stereotype that stoners and young people don't vote.

2000, and 2004 are perfect examples of why people have lost confidence in the voting process. Plus why do we keep voting in people who don't give a rats ass about us? Change will never come through the voting system we have now. It will take something more.

[epxroot]

Don't let anyone put you under any duress about voting. It's a choice, not a duty. Just because i live in a country doesn't mean i support the government who runs it. Just because i drive on the roads, doesn't mean i support the taxes to do so. It's tacit consent. If people are born under a government they didn't vote for then they are expected to respect and obey all laws established by that government. Is this freedom and equality? I would argue not. Everyone is born free. The history of governments have been forcefully or fraudulantly obtained to gain power over the people, not to enforce the wishes of the people. Historically, there was a divide between the rulers and ruled, where as today the politicians would claim different. Under a mainly 2 party system, it can often become a situation of voting in the 'lesser of evils,' many people feel this way, you are not alone.

'If you dont like america - GIT OUT'
Yes, because that's a reasonable and affordable choice for everyone.

You are no less of a citizen for not voting because you are alive and your existence is beneficial in itself. Not voting doesn't make me or anyone immoral, if i choose to exercise my anarchist principles than that is my choice and it only strengthens my own autonomy. Conservatives relate anarchy to chaos, saying such a situation would lead to a life which is nasty brutish and short and would lead to a war of all against all. The government likes to paint a lovely benevolent picture of them providing safety and security, they claim those that oppose are threats. In reality we can't go back to a state of nature. I don't need a government to live my life happily, i only need freedom and lack of government intereference and oppression. I leave you with this quote:

'To be governed is to be watched over, inspected, spied on, directed, legislated, regimented, closed in, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, assessed, evaluated, censored, commanded; all by creatures that have neither the right, nor wisdom, nor virtue...
To be governed means that at every move, operation or transaction one is noted, registered, entered in a census, taxed, stamped... reformed, set right, corrected. Government means to be subjected to tribute, trained, ransomed, exploited, monopolized, extorted, pressured, mystified, robbed; all in the name of public utility and the general good. Then, at the first sign of resistance or word of complaint, one is repressed, fined... imprisoned, shot, machine gunned, judged, sentenced, deported... and to cap it all, ridiculed, mocked outraged and dishonoured. That is government, that is justice, that is morailty!' - P.J Proudhon

Completely agree! :thumbsup:

[40oz]

To have the notion that your vote doesn't count is ridiculous.

Ok you have a point, but not a very strong one. I had a political science professor that mathematically calculated how much a single vote counts for, and he came up with something like .003%. so you're vote counts for something, barely, but really it comes down to the delegates, not the individual.



If voting makes you feel like you are making a difference, then by all means go out and vote and be proud. I, on the other hand, am sick of this 2 party system in which presidential candidates are decided by a group of big wig elites. To me it is a big deception. It's like convincing a group of children that you will let them have a vote for what activity they can play at recess, any activity they want. Then you tell them, "but you can only choose between kickball and 4 square." and those are the two choices every single day. So the kids arn't really voting for what they want, only what the teacher will let them vote for. I'm the kid who walks out of the class to go play outside on my own while the rest of the class sits around wondering why recess isn't fun anymore.

Be a part of history! Don't prove those a-holes in the government right by not voting. By not voting you are only proving a stereotype that stoners and young people don't vote.

Stereotypes are for idiots, so I don't care if it proves anything to idiots.

[thcbongman]

Look at the recent Dem race. In a lot of places votes came down to the very nitty gritty.

And for all you know the Presidential election could come down to the same thing.

Really? (w/ FL & MI - excludes caucuses)
Obama, Clinton.
TOTAL 13,104,492 13,243,919

[thcbongman]

whether you think your vote counts or not, you have an obligation (a moral one) to vote in every election you're allowed to vote in.

if you don't, then just sit there on your 'pot' and keep your mouth shut!

you can also make your voice be heard in other ways, for instance by supporting NORML and MPP, and takeing part in 420 march's and stuff like that

want to start a million stoner march on washington next 4\20?
sound like a good idea? you can count me in!

just remember, bitching about the way things are while you sit on your ass doing nothing is a complete waste of time, it's just verbal diarhea!

As long as you live in America, you have to speak up, regardless if you vote or not and you have the right do nothing about.

I went to a stoner march, they always one every 4th of July. While it cool and full of chill people, the legalization movement is a joke. They're better off if they don't protest. At least they won't make the movement any more stereotypical than it already is.

[psychocat]

I love how the idea that an election is anything other than a request to the average citizen to decide who they would like to be screwed by this time around..

I also find it odd that America only has two choices since America seems so pro choice , I could be missing something but shouldn't there be more choices ?

BTW The last time I voted it was for these folk

Official Monster Raving Loony Party - Homepage

They are a genuine 100% kosher political party.

[painretreat]

Right now, I feel the same way. Come Nov. I WILL have a choice and I will exercise it. Even if I feel it is picking the lesser of 2 evils. I was one of the lucky that got to vote for Robert Kennedy when they lowered the voting age, so I could and have since! See where my vote got him! So, with luck I'll pick another lucky one!

This thread made me laugh my ass off, good job all!

In all seriousness, I vote because I feel it gives me bitching rights! Plus, the president is not the most important thing I vote for or against! There are many more important things on a ballot. At least in my state!

What I do not understand is why they put a lot of Judges, school elected officials and that type of stuff on the ballot and give you what the candidate says of themself and you have to decide from that? I think the judges are important, as much as the supreme court. And we don't get a choice with them, which I would like, because we at least get to know more about them! I feel it is important who choses school ciriculum (or however u spell it) and who would send me to jail if I decide to take the law into my own hands. As, there have been times, I prefer Texas streetside justice! Like when the guy next door would not even get a fence for his killer doberman and then goats. The goats distroyed 2 of the 3 fences I put between me and it and then my little dog lost an eye. No one gave a shit. They would not pay. And it was my precious little baby with what the vet's (as I tried hard to save the eye, many specialist's) said, It was the most vicious attack of all. The dog bite's the head and shakes until it breaks the others neck. I was lucky she lived. More concerned from that, they had unexplained deaths of goats and reported the dog had attacked a goat. Yet did nothing. And they had a 2 yr. old that plays in their yard! I feared that kid would be next!! I have seen dead kids with munched heads and mother's waiting hoping you can save them with scrambled brains for life! Responsible ownership is why we have to license things. But fishing, well, if you have fished in CA, they stock one day and the lake is empty the next. I doubt anyone follows those laws anyway, I can't catch my limit. But, I pay for them to get there! And that is how we get some of our freedom, pay for it thorugh taxes, license's and most of all voting!

[painretreat]

Forgot, since it has been 4 years since I've seen the real ballot. We have write in. the Green party and the Independent Party, as I recall. Could be wrong!

[dragonrider]

I also find it odd that America only has two choices since America seems so pro choice , I could be missing something but shouldn't there be more choices ?

There actually are more than two parties in the US and almost always more than two choices in an election, but generally only the candidates from the two major parties are viable for President. Other parties sometimes get senators or congressmen elected, but I don't think there has ever been a minor party president. There is nothing in the Consittution that says it has to be this way, but as a practical matter that's how it works out. Becasue we don't have a structure that supports coalition type governments, it just ends up being that if you don't vote for one of the two major party candidates, you are generally just throwing your vote away or making a "protest" vote. Often a third semi-viable candidate will end up acting as a "spoiler" for the other candidate that is closest in policy. So in 1992, Ross Perot ran and ended up siphoning off votes from George Bush the senior. Many Perot voters probably would have picked Bush as a second choice, but by casting their vote for Perot, they didn't get their first or second choice. Same thing happend when Nader ran on the Green ticket and ended up pulling votes from Al Gore in 2000.

[psychocat]

YouTube - Charles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Charles Durning for president ..