Does the act of not voting invalidate one's political opinions?

[Montrovant]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

Your opinion isn't invalidated, but then you can't really complain about the election's outcome either. I generally vote for the candidate or party platform that is closest to my viewpoint. That has meant occasionally voting third party. If there isn't someone to vote for, there is usually someone to vote against. At worst, you could always ask some well meaning fool and then vote the other way.

I can understand that if, for instance, I didn't vote in the previous election, then complained about Obama being elected instead of McCain. That type of complaint would be pretty foolish. I think the premise of this thread, however, is the complaint that whichever of the candidates from the two major parties is elected, it's a bad thing.

So the complaints wouldn't be that Obama is in office instead of McCain, or that either Obama or Romney is in office after the upcoming election, but that whoever is in office sucks. The complaint is that the choices available aren't worth a vote, not that one should be elected rather than the other, and I think that is an important distinction.

 

[Unkotare]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

Of course not. Our election system is largely a manipulated sham. If anything can be said to invalidate one's political opinions, it's playing with a voting system that is worthless in its ability to represent them.

Conspiracy Forum - thataway - >

 

[Politico]

The point, however, is why does the act of not voting make you not care what somebody else's opinion is

First, I don't respect people who run their mouth but never do anything about it. And if you never act on anything then your opinion will never amount to anything that would affect me. Thus I have no reason to care.

 

[dblack]

I feel like those are the same thing, frankly. Why can't I complain about the election if my opinion isn't invalidated?

I think what most people mean when they say that "you can't complain", isn't that you don't have the right to speak out, but rather that they won't take you seriously if you do - which is certainly their prerogative. I have the same opinion regarding the opinions of people who play the "lesser-of-two-evils" game. They're far worse than those of us who don't vote at all, in my view, because they are actively distorting democracy; while non-voters are merely refusing to participate in something they see as pointless.

 

[dblack]

The point, however, is why does the act of not voting make you not care what somebody else's opinion is

First, I don't respect people who run their mouth but never do anything about it. And if you never act on anything then your opinion will never amount to anything that would affect me. Thus I have no reason to care.

If your opinion is that none of the candidates are worth a damn, not voting is "acting" on your opinion. It's as valid a statement as any vote in my view.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The point, however, is why does the act of not voting make you not care what somebody else's opinion is

First, I don't respect people who run their mouth but never do anything about it. And if you never act on anything then your opinion will never amount to anything that would affect me. Thus I have no reason to care.

I'm not sure that I'd consider voting "doing something about it." Especially since in this election voting would essentially be me doing the opposite of what I run my mouth about.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I feel like those are the same thing, frankly. Why can't I complain about the election if my opinion isn't invalidated?

I think what most people mean when they say that "you can't complain", isn't that you don't have the right to speak out, but rather that they won't take you seriously if you do - which is certainly their prerogative. I have the same opinion regarding the opinions of people who play the "lesser-of-two-evils" game. They're far worse than those of us who don't vote at all, in my view, because they are actively distorting democracy; while non-voters are merely refusing to participate in something they see as pointless.

I know, I'm just trying to get to the bottom of why they think that.

 

[Politico]

I'm not sure that I'd consider voting "doing something about it." Especially since in this election voting would essentially be me doing the opposite of what I run my mouth about.

As I said earlier. The question is worded to allow for an argument no matter the answer.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

No, of course not; your opinions have value regardless.

Rather than starting a thread you should have instead considered the source.

 

[dblack]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

No, of course not; your opinions have value regardless.

Rather than starting a thread you should have instead considered the source.

Or perhaps just disregarded it.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I'm not sure that I'd consider voting "doing something about it." Especially since in this election voting would essentially be me doing the opposite of what I run my mouth about.

As I said earlier. The question is worded to allow for an argument no matter the answer.

Well since I was asking for opinions I would've thought that was obvious. In fact, I think most topics on this board are in that same vein. The point, however, is not for an argument, but for a discussion.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

No, of course not; your opinions have value regardless.

Rather than starting a thread you should have instead considered the source.

I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

 

[thanatos144]

Not voting means you wanted the outcome no matter what it is so you have no room to complain




















This thread should not be in the clean debate forum cause it is a thread designed to cause arguments that are personal in nature.

 

[beagle9]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

I think it depends on the opinions given, where as if you want your opinion empowered, then go out and vote for the man or woman who will do this for you, but if you sit on the side lines, and yet have an opinion that can only be empowered by your vote, and this along with countless others the same, then I don't see why you would even get involved at all (opinions included). Of course it is your choice to give an opinion or not in life always, but if putting down another who is opposite your opinion, and yet you are allowing this person to have power over you and your opinion in order to squash it, and all because you don't vote, then I guess it's just that you love to debate and engage, but really care not if it is productive for you, otherwise you just love to conversate based upon the level of your ego needing nourished I guess, and this as is found in such debates or conversations that you engage in.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Not voting means you wanted the outcome no matter what it is so you have no room to complain

This thread should not be in the clean debate forum cause it is a thread designed to cause arguments that are personal in nature.

No, not voting means that the outcome is going to be horrible regardless, and that there is no way to make a principled vote.

These are some of the strangest complaints I've ever seen regarding a message board topic.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

This thread is in response to a post by Grampa Murked U.

No vote = keep your opinion to yourself imo

I decided several months ago that come November I was not going to bother to vote in the general election. I can't vote for either Obama or Romney, since they're essentially clones of one another, and while I might throw Gary Johnson a vote if there was another race, such as Senate or House, that had a candidate worth supporting he isn't good enough on his own to warrant taking the time out of my day to go vote for him.

So should my opinion be invalidated despite the fact that my decision not to vote is as principled as anybody's decision to vote, and not simply motivated by apathy?

I think it depends on the opinions given, where as if you want your opinion empowered, then go out and vote for the man or woman who will do this for you, but if you sit on the side lines, and yet have an opinion that can only be empowered by your vote, and this along with countless others the same, then I don't see why you would even get involved at all (opinions included). Of course it is your choice to give an opinion or not in life always, but if putting down another who is opposite your opinion, and yet you are allowing this person to have power over you and your opinion in order to squash it, and all because you don't vote, then I guess it's just that you love to debate and engage, but really care not if it is productive for you, otherwise you just love to conversate based upon the level of your ego needing nourished I guess, and this as is found in such debates or conversations that you engage in.

But what am I to do when there is nobody to vote for who would "empower" my opinion?

 

[dblack]

I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

It could. But most who parrot the "if you don't vote you can't complain" aren't exactly "thoughtful" folks. Which is what (I think) Clayton was getting at.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

It could. But most who parrot the "if you don't vote you can't complain" aren't exactly "thoughtful" folks. Which is what (I think) Clayton was getting at.

Well I thought I'd give it a shot in the Clean Debate Zone.

 

[Paulie]

I put more effort into the primary season where I try to get the candidate I actually WANT on the ballot in November, then most people ever will on their one trip to the polls every 4 years just to pick a D or an R.

My no vote this November is fine and I'll continue to have my opinions. Thanks.

 

[thanatos144]

I put more effort into the primary season where I try to get the candidate I actually WANT on the ballot in November, then most people ever will on their one trip to the polls every 4 years just to pick a D or an R.

My no vote this November is fine and I'll continue to have my opinions. Thanks.

So what your saying is that no matter what the outcome it is what you wanted.