Are You Voting? Are You Registered?

[Fierce Critter]

Right you "hired" her... for whatever reason.... and while you did nothing to stop her... she is obligated to you ie: I voted for Grandholm last election... and she sucked donkey, she let me (a person that hired her) down... so I have the right to be upset...

If I didn't "hire" her OR try to "hire" someone else... I am simply "Damned" and can say nothing about it...

I still disagree.

Because to know a candidate's past record sucks and it being a pretty easy understanding that he/she will suck upon re-election it is, in my opinion, foolish to give him/her a point in their direction. In effect, the opposite of what my dad said - you're possibly giving him/her a "mandate" over the opposing party - when NEITHER party deserves it.

Again, they need to add the write-in or "none of the above", though I still think it's absurd to tell me or anyone else that they need an official slection of that sort to entitle them to complaining.

The only real answer is, actually, what TA said. And it's something I am considering, unless and until they add a "none of the above" vote.

I'll chalk this one up to agree to disagree. And look at who's running Green party.

By the way, my father, a borderline socialist (he'll tell you so himself) would take the "none of the above" vote further. If the majority vote that way, new candidates have to be chosen and a new election would have to be held.

Messy, but in my opinion, a better solution than "lesser of 2 evils".

[pharoh]

In this case FC, it's the lessor of two evils (god I hate saying that), but in either event you are still showing you care cause your taking the time to try to make a difference.

Today I am catching up on the proposals this year, and definately down with proposal 2!

I will most likely vote Granholme, but still not happy the choices myself, but I have to agree with Phee 100%

[phee]

In this case FC, it's the lessor of two evils (god I hate saying that), but in either event you are still showing you care cause your taking the time to try to make a difference.

Today I am catching up on the proposals this year, and definately down with proposal 2!

I will most likely vote Granholme, but still not happy the choices myself, but I have to agree with Phee 100%

Thanks mate...

BTW... I know that I should know this by heart, but does anybody know the hours that the poles are open on Tuesday???

[pharoh]

Don't know myself actually.....go to michigan.gov and see if it's posted....(to lazy to go myself )

[phee]

Looked it up... in my area anyway 7am-8pm

[pharoh]

Damn went to the site and I can't find it :(

[phee]

Damn went to the site and I can't find it :(

I looked at Ypsi...

[pharoh]

I found the place to look if you don't know where your going or what time: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mivote/voterSearch.aspx

[phee]

That is very helpful sir!!!

[pharoh]

That is very helpful sir!!!

Danke

Now there is no excuse for people not to vote

[phee]

Danke

Now there is no excuse for people not to vote

It's amazing how many people protest things by "not voting" when so many people on the planet have/would give there lives to live in a place where voting is allowed and (at least theoretically) matters.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

The comment "If you don't vote you voted for whoever won." (which isnt something i created, its an age-old statement) Isnt i dont think meant to be taken quite so litterally.

Obviously in a strictly literal sense you DIDN'T vote at all. I think the asumption is that of course its sort of a play on fuzzy logic , and not meant to be a 100% litteral comment. But the end result is the same as if you voted for the winner. (unless there was a total dead heat and your one vote would have decided the winner... which isn't the case in any large election)

The "action" of not voting basically allows whoever wins to win and whoever lost to lose without that non-voter's input. If you don't vote you let other people decide the issue. Its a fairly simple leap to say 'if you don't vote , you voted for whoever won."

Which by extension is one of the ideas that brings us to the (understandable)"if you didn't vote you cant bitch about the outcome" thinking.

Its more of a warning than a logical statement. Its a common thread throughout most any larger body of "get out the vote" work.

Just as a general comment: The act of voting , just that blindly is not much use to anyone. Random idiots voting was, and is, a longstanding concern about the democratic process.

The broader idea is the asumptioin that you'll involve yourself or at least educate yourself on the issues enough to make an informed decision and THEN vote. Just going and hanging a chad or pulling a lever randomly based on no political understanding is virtually the same ... maybe even worse, than not voting at all.

[pharoh]

In all honesty this is my first year voting. I used to have the same mentality as some others in my age group. My vote doesn't count, or it's all rigged anyways, and so on and so forth. Something has kinda drawn me to it this year. And I am a firm believer that if you don't vote your bitching to me about whatever the topic my be doesn't count cause your to lazy or whatever to take the time to try to make a difference.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Good for you man!!!

As for me...

I'll be rocking the Vote with old people....

I have access to a mini van for the day and I'm driving around my area taking the the older people in my area to the polls.

I dont care who or what you vote for

JUST VOTE

[phee]

Good for you man!!!

As for me...

I'll be rocking the Vote with old people....

I have access to a mini van for the day and I'm driving around my area taking the the older people in my area to the polls.

I dont care who or what you vote for

JUST VOTE

That rocks Mark!

[Fierce Critter]

I was gonna let this lie. But since it carried on with more participants, I'll step back in and continue to play devil's advocate.

Telling someone that they HAVE to vote for candidates who suck is, imo, against the concept of "freedom" in this country.

I wanted to refer back to the concept of "hiring" someone for the position.

That analogy still doesn't work for me. Because in a true hiring position, if you have two candidates for a job that absolutely totally blow chunks - you don't hire either of them. You advertise for more applicants and keep looking until you find someone who really is qualified.

If you settle for one of two obviously inadequate candidates, you're a fool for hiring either of them.

The voting process is entirely flawed because of this snafu. So I personally do not fault anyone who doesn't care to be forced into taking part in something so important that is so flawed that could be so easily improved - by adding a "none of the above".

For now, however, I will myself be using the 3rd party vote as my "none of the above". For now, that's the best we've got, though it still sends out an incorrect message.

[phee]

I was gonna let this lie. But since it carried on with more participants, I'll step back in and continue to play devil's advocate.

Telling someone that they HAVE to vote for candidates who suck is, imo, against the concept of "freedom" in this country.

I wanted to refer back to the concept of "hiring" someone for the position.

That analogy still doesn't work for me. Because in a true hiring position, if you have two candidates for a job that absolutely totally blow chunks - you don't hire either of them. You advertise for more applicants and keep looking until you find someone who really is qualified.

If you settle for one of two obviously inadequate candidates, you're a fool for hiring either of them.

The voting process is entirely flawed because of this snafu. So I personally do not fault anyone who doesn't care to be forced into taking part in something so important that is so flawed that could be so easily improved - by adding a "none of the above".

For now, however, I will myself be using the 3rd party vote as my "none of the above". For now, that's the best we've got, though it still sends out an incorrect message.

I agree that it sucks when none of the candidates meet the expectations, believe me!

But

By not voting at all... (even voting for a third party is voting)... You have NO SAY whatsoever in politics/policies that go on. That is why the unfortunate truth of voting for the lesser of two evils is shoved in your face... Damned either way, but by voting your opinion actually matters.

[pharoh]

I agree that it sucks when none of the candidates meet the expectations, believe me!

But

By not voting at all... (even voting for a third party is voting)... You have NO SAY whatsoever in politics/policies that go on. That is why the unfortunate truth of voting for the lesser of two evils is shoved in your face... Damned either way, but by voting your opinion actually matters.

I agree, and FC...I wasn't pointing any fingers hun lol. I respect your opinion but at least by voting third party your still making an effort. Every system has some flaw in it, but what can be done to change it?

[pharoh]

Oh and by the way....any up for huntin morning doves

[torn asunder]

there are times when i don't vote because i feel i don't know enough about the subject/candidate to make an educated decision, and therefore my voting would be done in ignorance, which benefits nobody, and could be very detrimental...

[pharoh]

there are times when i don't vote because i feel i don't know enough about the subject/candidate to make an educated decision, and therefore my voting would be done in ignorance, which benefits nobody, and could be very detrimental...

Thats a good statement, but why not educate yourself on the matter? Just asking cause of what you posted :D

[Fierce Critter]

I don't know where people get the idea that by not voting, people don't have a say in things.

By not voting, you're already saying something. You're saying the process and the people suck.

The only way I see someone not having a right to say something is if they outright vote for rescinding the right to free speech.

Not voting is, in it's own way, an expression of that freedom.

Unless there is going to be some kind of scarlet letter a person has to wear that identifies them as a non-voter, it's a pretty empty threat to say someone can't complain if they don't vote.

I don't see why throwing out an empty vote for a candidate you don't give a rats' ass about (3rd party) is any more beneficial - or right-giving - than not voting because the candidates who have more of a chance suck. It's still an empty vote. It means nothing, because no true choice goes into it.

Sorry, but I don't think there's a thing anyone can say that can convince me otherwise, so I'll probably have to go back to "agree to disagree".

[Gothmama25]

Of course I'm voting. I mean anything to get some of these idiots out of office. Especially that failure granholm.

[HipsterDufus]

Of course I'm voting. I mean anything to get some of these idiots out of office. Especially that failure granholm.

So you're going to vote for democrats in the legislature and a republican for governor?

[BrassFusion]

I don't know where people get the idea that by not voting, people don't have a say in things.

By not voting, you're already saying something. You're saying the process and the people suck.

The only way I see someone not having a right to say something is if they outright vote for rescinding the right to free speech.

Not voting is, in it's own way, an expression of that freedom.

Unless there is going to be some kind of scarlet letter a person has to wear that identifies them as a non-voter, it's a pretty empty threat to say someone can't complain if they don't vote.

I don't see why throwing out an empty vote for a candidate you don't give a rats' ass about (3rd party) is any more beneficial - or right-giving - than not voting because the candidates who have more of a chance suck. It's still an empty vote. It means nothing, because no true choice goes into it.

Sorry, but I don't think there's a thing anyone can say that can convince me otherwise, so I'll probably have to go back to "agree to disagree".

When politicians look at statistics that say 75% of potential voters haven't voted, they don't think, "Oh, those people must be making a statement about how much we suck, we should find out what they want out of us and cater to their needs."

They can't cater to your needs if they don't know what your needs are. If you vote third party, even if that party doesn't win, you're still sending a message about your values, and if enough people share those values, the government will take notice.