Update: I am NOT voting Obama or Dem; I'm simply NOT VOTING IN 2012

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Isn't the number of people who don't vote the real statistic of those protesting?

Not at all. There are any number of non-political reasons why someone might not vote, but if you go and vote and make it a protest vote, then it is quite obvious that you reject both of the official parties.

Besides, once enough people don't bother to vote through indifference, and thereby threaten the legitimacy of the whole process, the rulers will just pass a law forcing people to vote -- as they did in Australia.
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That's just it though. Indifference is the most powerful form of protest. It says that this system is not even worthy of paying attention to in the least. The fact that they would turn around and force people to vote only reinforces this fact. If you vote third party then they could care less, but if enough people don't vote then that threatens their legitimacy as you said.

 

[numan]

That's just it though. Indifference is the most powerful form of protest. It says that this system is not even worthy of paying attention to in the least. The fact that they would turn around and force people to vote only reinforces this fact. If you vote third party then they could care less, but if enough people don't vote then that threatens their legitimacy as you said.

Nonsense! Indifference just turns you into slaves more quickly.

Voting for a "third party" is not a true protest vote.

The essence of a real protest vote is that it must be absurd -- like writing in "Queen Elizabeth II" for President.

A vote like that can never be construed as support for the present system.
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[Kevin_Kennedy]

That's just it though. Indifference is the most powerful form of protest. It says that this system is not even worthy of paying attention to in the least. The fact that they would turn around and force people to vote only reinforces this fact. If you vote third party then they could care less, but if enough people don't vote then that threatens their legitimacy as you said.

Nonsense! Indifference just turns you into slaves more quickly.

Voting for a "third party" is not a true protest vote.

The essence of a real protest vote is that it must be absurd -- like writing in "Queen Elizabeth II" for President.

A vote like that can never be construed as support for the present system.
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Yet you've already pointed out that the government would eventually force people to vote if enough of of them didn't. People voting for Mickey Mouse or whoever don't worry them at all.