I don't vote: Change my mind

[LouderVol]

I have said it several times on here so it shouldn't be a surprise, but I don't vote. on anything in our government. I have several reasons, to me they make sense but I am open to argument/debate.

1. Two party system. hate it hate it hate. neither side represents me so I am not voting into it. I have only found one American politician, ever, who actually represented me enough that I would vote for them. They were a state representative somewhere else. The rest suck, no way I am putting my name behind any of them. Third party is just as bad imo, with the added twist of sense they never have power they never have to be that "responsible".
2. Actually knowing the candidates. I usually can't get past a skin deep examination of them before I get sick of them all. I believe the FF would have wanted us to know who we were voting for, to me this is what an educated voter means, not schooling, but knowing who you are actually voting for and what they actually stand (vote) for. They all lie out their butts, so I doubt we really know them without actually having a personal relationship with them.
3. I don't think my opinions are important to influence other people. big flaw with the system imo. There are a couple things that are important enough where I feel a voice is needed, but instead we as a system waste our votes on frivolous differences. but we don't actually get to vote the issues, we vote the people in charge.
4. The system isn't designed to get the best, in fact as I have seen it seems quiet designed for the opposite, to get the worst. I have also said and firmly believe, each president is worse than the last. generally goes for all politicians. real life example of the slippery slope with a side of tribalism. I believe we are doing damage to ourselves and I won't make a choice between a bullet to the brain or the guillotine, and I definitely wont pick what others should face either.
5. Its a right I don't "need". I guess it is like the anti-gun crowd arguing we don't "need" guns, I would argue we don't "need" to vote. if the government shut down, or was drastically limited I doubt our lives change that much. pair this with some of the other points, uneducated voters, two parties, and that right has been twisted to oblivion. I am all for others voting, but me I hard pass every chance. No one should be denied the right, but to me the most effective changes this country has seen has come at the end of a gun. not saying its the way it should be, just saying what I think.
6. Republic vs Democracy. I think we as a country have too inflated view of what our vote means, and I won't take part in that. even if we were a true democracy I still wouldn't vote. But people seem so self absorbed with the vote.

I have others, but these are the most succinct thoughts I have. Not backing up with articles, or quotes. This is me. Hopefully there can be a discussion, because that is another thing our system has lost, and why I won't participate.

 

[tennvols77]

Can't blame you, although I do believe voting for local and state officials is more important and should be done.

 

[roosterjbh]

While I agree we may have a sense of inflation on the importance of our vote, didn’t Conor Lamb when in PA by like 50 votes? I know Doug Jones victory was extremely narrow.

The candidates/two party system may not represent you in your view, but votes do have consequences that will eventually trinkle down to you. From tax laws, to Supreme Court appointees, these laws will affect your life or the lives of your loved ones directly.

I may have missed it in your post, but do you vote in local elections? Where decisions may be felt more directly impactful?

 

[LouderVol]

While I agree we may have a sense of inflation on the importance of our vote, didn’t Conor Lamb when in PA by like 50 votes? I know Doug Jones victory was extremely narrow.

The candidates/two party system may not represent you in your view, but votes do have consequences that will eventually trinkle down to you. From tax laws, to Supreme Court appointees, these laws will affect your life or the lives of your loved ones directly.

I may have missed it in your post, but do you vote in local elections? Where decisions may be felt more directly impactful?

no, I don't vote locally either.

I can't name only a few laws that have ever had a direct impact on me to the point where I noticed enough to care. ACA, and the Patriot Act. both were emotionally driven initiatives to get more power into fewer hands. No vote was given, and I don't think any candidate would have done differently.

local laws I can't think of any that really impact me, maybe I am tone deaf.

as to the point of one side winning vs the other, I don't think it makes a difference which is in power. they are the same. a new politician might have a single item they change, but for the most part nothing changes. and again the changes never actually seem to better thing, so why take an active part in it?

I get the irony in "Trees", by not making a choice I still have made a choice. but this is the one I am comfortable with. If I felt my choice/vote actually mattered or was important enough I would.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Democrats suck .... republicans suck slightly less

 

[Biopsyman]

both sides are all about the money..

 

[roosterjbh]

no, I don't vote locally either.

I can't name only a few laws that have ever had a direct impact on me to the point where I noticed enough to care. ACA, and the Patriot Act. both were emotionally driven initiatives to get more power into fewer hands. No vote was given, and I don't think any candidate would have done differently.

local laws I can't think of any that really impact me, maybe I am tone deaf.

as to the point of one side winning vs the other, I don't think it makes a difference which is in power. they are the same. a new politician might have a single item they change, but for the most part nothing changes. and again the changes never actually seem to better thing, so why take an active part in it?

I get the irony in "Trees", by not making a choice I still have made a choice. but this is the one I am comfortable with. If I felt my choice/vote actually mattered or was important enough I would.

Do you have other issues you value? Such as environmental issues or something like net neutrality?

 

[LouderVol]

Do you have other issues you value? Such as environmental issues or something like net neutrality?

The big items to me are:

balanced budget, I don't care what they spend the money on (as much). I just really don't like that the government is putting an even bigger burden on the people than needed. shouldn't happens. neither party actually cares.

I am anti abortion. nuff said without derailing. two faced politicians on both sides.

laws/benefits applied equally. not really an issue as I see it now, but any civil rights issue the question to me is does the same standard across all demographics? If yes, then I am probably fine with whatever. if someone is getting different treatment, it should end.

 

[BigOrangeD]

Totally understand and with the reasons you posted for not voting, you probably should not. That in itself is a vote.

There are just a few things that make me continue to vote for Conservative Minded Politicians.

Abortion

Freedom Of Speech and Religion

Immigration

2nd Amendment Rights

Global Warming\Climate Change Policies (I do not believe it's a problem we can solve even if it's happening and I am not convinced that it is.)

and

Taxes

I hate the RINOs. I wish there were more Conservative Leaning Libertarian minded politicians myself.

Neither party will stop spending us into Oblivian.

Neither party supports True Liberty.

Neither party supports small government.

Neither party Supports ending war.

Neither party supports less surveillance on US Citizens.

etc.

 

[Vol_Doc]

Don't blame you a bit. The two party system is the core of the problem, really. I also hate it with a passion. Unless you live in a battleground state, your vote is essentially meaningless. Either you're in the minority and your vote won't move the needle or you're in the majority and your vote just boosts the foregone conclusion. Local elections are, for the most part, similar. I'm not moving to another state just so my vote can have meaning.

That said, I do vote, but every time I do I question why I'm wasting my time. I think the most impactful vote I've made was in the recent primary. At least in that election there were several options on the ballot. My candidate didn't win, but I felt my vote might actually mean something at the time I placed it. In the main election, I knew my candidate wasn't going to carry Kentucky. I was voting, I guess, out of a sense of duty.

 

[golfballs]

You should run for office

 

[LouderVol]

Totally understand and with the reasons you posted for not voting, you probably should not. That in itself is a vote.

There are just a few things that make me continue to vote for Conservative Minded Politicians.

Abortion

Freedom Of Speech and Religion

Immigration

2nd Amendment Rights

Global Warming\Climate Change Policies (I do not believe it's a problem we can solve even if it's happening and I am not convinced that it is.)

and

Taxes

I hate the RINOs. I wish there were more Conservative Leaning Libertarian minded politicians myself.

Neither party will stop spending us into Oblivian.

Neither party supports True Liberty.

Neither party supports small government.

Neither party Supports ending war.

Neither party supports less surveillance on US Citizens.

etc.

those are things matter to me, but they don't move the needle.

put another way, on the items you included but I didn't if a candidate supported all of your list the way I wanted, but didn't all of the three on mine, I still wouldn't vote for them.

 

[LouderVol]

Don't blame you a bit. The two party system is the core of the problem, really. I also hate it with a passion. Unless you live in a battleground state, your vote is essentially meaningless. Either you're in the minority and your vote won't move the needle or you're in the majority and your vote just boosts the foregone conclusion. Local elections are, for the most part, similar. I'm not moving to another state just so my vote can have meaning.

That said, I do vote, but every time I do I question why I'm wasting my time. I think the most impactful vote I've made was in the recent primary. At least in that election there were several options on the ballot. My candidate didn't win, but I felt my vote might actually mean something at the time I placed it. In the main election, I knew my candidate wasn't going to carry Kentucky. I was voting, I guess, out of a sense of duty.

to me the issue of my vote not mattering isn't the predetermined thing. its just that it shouldnt be two options. if there was a party/candidate that lined up with me, I would vote for them even if I was the only one.

 

[BigOrangeD]

those are things matter to me, but they don't move the needle.

put another way, on the items you included but I didn't if a candidate supported all of your list the way I wanted, but didn't all of the three on mine, I still wouldn't vote for them.

My guess is you never find a candidate to support all of your views exactly. It's a best fit thing.

Usually on the bigger items that I listed above, DEMs and Repubs tend to vote as a block. Not always of course.

 

[LouderVol]

I wish we could vote the issue, not the politician. in my world with all the variety of topics at hand when we go from one argument to the next, the "sides" shouldn't stay the same. people should be flipping around willy nilly. I don't like that if are against abortions that that means you have to pair up with the Republicans when it might be the only thing they say that you agree on.

 

[hog88]

to me the issue of my vote not mattering isn't the predetermined thing. its just that it shouldnt be two options. if there was a party/candidate that lined up with me, I would vote for them even if I was the only one.

Write yourself in.

 

[LouderVol]

Usually on the bigger items that I listed above, DEMs and Repubs tend to vote as a block. Not always of course.

see below. that is my issue. we have how ever many representatives, we should have almost that many opinions. not just 2.

 

[BigOrangeD]

see below. that is my issue. we have how ever many representatives, we should have almost that many opinions. not just 2.

Nothing would ever pass since majority votes are needed. There will always be compromise. We will always get the short end of the stick.

 

[LouderVol]

Write yourself in.

Not in favor of the joe bloe write in. If someone actually ran and didn't make it to the general I might consider it, but otherwise it mocks the system and other people's votes. imo.

side note, I have thought about what a presidency under me would look like, or how I would run. I can't imagine what that life would be like though.

 

[BigOrangeD]

I wish we could vote the issue, not the politician. in my world with all the variety of topics at hand when we go from one argument to the next, the "sides" shouldn't stay the same. people should be flipping around willy nilly. I don't like that if are against abortions that that means you have to pair up with the Republicans when it might be the only thing they say that you agree on.

May work on Major Issues. Most of the voting public cannot begin to comprehend everything the government is required to vote on. It's too damn BIG.

 

[LouderVol]

Nothing would ever pass since majority votes are needed. There will always be compromise. We will always get the short end of the stick.

there could still be a majority, it just wouldn't be the same majority. if we can't get enough people to vote for it, it doesn't deserve to pass.

the unanimous votes scare me almost as much as the party divided ones.

 

[LouderVol]

May work on Major Issues. Most of the voting public cannot begin to comprehend everything the government is required to vote on. It's too damn BIG.

issues, not implementation.

Abortion yes/no? whatever the vote the gov gets to write the legislation but the people determine the directive. I would also want more than a simple majority. 60-70%

if you can't get the support, it probably shouldn't be passed, or you need to argue your side better.

 

[Vol_Doc]

to me the issue of my vote not mattering isn't the predetermined thing. its just that it shouldnt be two options. if there was a party/candidate that lined up with me, I would vote for them even if I was the only one.

I've never seen a candidate that I felt represented me 100%. Not sure such a person exists. Add to that the corruption of the two party system, and it's even worse. Candidates may run on certain policies, but when they are in office they simply fall back on the party line. You get the rare gadflies, like McCain, Paul, Sanders and such, who will buck their own party, but look how they're treated for doing so. Most just bury their heads and succumb to the tribalism of their respective party. Interestingly, if you ask most voters, they don't fully identify with either major party. They basically roll with the one they like most or, more likely, dislike least. The whole system is a joke.

 

[BigOrangeD]

there could still be a majority, it just wouldn't be the same majority. if we can't get enough people to vote for it, it doesn't deserve to pass.

the unanimous votes scare me almost as much as the party divided ones.

Agree with that. They pass too many laws as it is.

 

[BigOrangeD]

issues, not implementation.

Abortion yes/no? whatever the vote the gov gets to write the legislation but the people determine the directive. I would also want more than a simple majority. 60-70%

if you can't get the support, it probably shouldn't be passed, or you need to argue your side better.

Yeah, that might could work.