I don't believe that voting is the climax of one displaying their civic responsibilities, if person 1 and person 2 are both bad for the job then voting for either of them if they are equally wrong for the job is pointless, I'm sure that Ghandi never voted for the English prime minister of India, and even if he did no one remembers that so it must not be important, but who here wouldn't consider Ghandi a great civic leader? I think we need to spend less time encouraging people to vote and more time encouraging people to participate PAST the vote, the election day is just that, a day, the term is much longer, we need more people writing our state legislators and telling them how we feel and how this country , or state, or town, should be ran.
just as a couple who plans only the wedding and not the marriage is likely to fail in their relationship, if we only plan the election and not the term then we are on the same track as our unfortunately unhappy wedded couple. here is what I suggest
1- Get an opinion
2- write your officials the way you think
3- find people that think the way you do, and talk to people who don't think the way you do as to gain multiple ideas to help firm up your beliefs
4- do more then just vote, voting is the beginning not the end.
I dunno, just my thoughts. I hope you guys have a great day.
Very good point. Just voting isn't enough...even if you don't end up making a difference by pestering officials and representatives and other such things, at least you can say you tried.
And then you've finally earned the right to complain! ^-^
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
There is one flaw to your argument, though, primarily in regards to voting itself (the rest is really good). The key that makes voting in general important is the mechanics of voting -
Voting only counts those that voted.
In other words, if Obama wins the Presidency, it's because a majority of the people that voted voted for him. What many people don't understand, however, is that Obama, Clinton, and McCain are not the only candidates out there. If you don't like them, voting for someone else is better than not voting at all. Why? Because your vote is now being counted and it's been given to someone other than the "big three," which means that's one less voice supporting them.
Don't think it matters? Look at it this way, Nader may be a joke at this point, but I don't think his goal is really to get the Presidency (at least not anymore). It's to show the people that the Dems and GOP are not the only candidates out there. And guess what? It's been working, albeit slowly. Each year, more and more people vote for Nader or some other non-major party candidate and it's become enough that the major parties are taking notice.
Voting isn't the only thing you can do, but it is one of the most direct ways the people can get the lame ducks out of office.
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge
if we didnt have an electorial college, the day I see a state that isnt red or blue will be a big day for me.
The only way that will change is if you vote (and encourage others to do so as well). The electors are chosen based on the way the people vote. If you want change, you have to help make it.
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge
well if anyone from the 3rd parties werent crazy maybe that'd work.
There's about a hundred of them, I'm sure you can find one.
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge