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

[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?

 

[Freemason9]

I see your point, Kevin, and I am very nearly in your camp. I was going to sit out the election as well.

But then Romney veered all right-wing extremist, and he started scaring me. I'm afraid that he is so in bed with wingnuts that he will damage the Supreme Court (through Clarence Thomas-like appointments) that we won't even have the semblance of a democracy remaining.

(Hell, with an entirely Republican supreme court, they may legalize using auctions in place of elections. Corporations could use their money to bid for and buy politicians as a "free speech" variant.)

So I will vote Obama as an anti-Romney vote. I view Romney as corrupt, stupid, odd, disconnected, and completely untrustworthy.

At least Obama is just your run-of-mill corporate tool.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I see your point, Kevin, and I am very nearly in your camp. I was going to sit out the election as well.

But then Romney veered all right-wing extremist, and he started scaring me. I'm afraid that he is so in bed with wingnuts that he will damage the Supreme Court (through Clarence Thomas-like appointments) that we won't even have the semblance of a democracy remaining.

(Hell, with an entirely Republican supreme court, they may legalize using auctions in place of elections. Corporations could use their money to bid for and buy politicians as a "free speech" variant.)

So I will vote Obama as an anti-Romney vote. I view Romney as corrupt, stupid, odd, disconnected, and completely untrustworthy.

At least Obama is just your run-of-mill corporate tool.

That's all well and good, but not necessarily on topic.

 

[sealadaigh]

I see your point, Kevin, and I am very nearly in your camp. I was going to sit out the election as well.

But then Romney veered all right-wing extremist, and he started scaring me. I'm afraid that he is so in bed with wingnuts that he will damage the Supreme Court (through Clarence Thomas-like appointments) that we won't even have the semblance of a democracy remaining.

(Hell, with an entirely Republican supreme court, they may legalize using auctions in place of elections. Corporations could use their money to bid for and buy politicians as a "free speech" variant.)

So I will vote Obama as an anti-Romney vote. I view Romney as corrupt, stupid, odd, disconnected, and completely untrustworthy.

At least Obama is just your run-of-mill corporate tool.

i think the best thing for both of you to do is turn in an unmarked ballot rather than do nothing. better to let them know you're pissed rather than have them think you're lazy.

 

[Papageorgio]

An opinion is just as valid whether you vote or not.

To vote for a candidate you support, is just as valid as voting for another candidate you don't want to win. And a no vote is also a statement that you are dissatisfied with the current group.

 

[Merchant_of_Meh]

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?

To be honest, I believe your opinion does indeed count if that is your reason for not voting. Those who simply don't care about the election and thus don't vote are the ones who are not really entitled to opine on what goes on. They don't care and they've shown as much so I agree with Grampa Murked U on that.

As for you, I see this as a signal of your discontent with not only the current candidates, but the current state of politics in the country and that's quite a valid stance to take. I am of a like mind, though I'm still undecided as to whether I actually will vote this fall.

 

[Wolfsister77]

I think if you choose to educate yourself on the issues and the candidates, and decide not to vote, your opinion still counts.

If you don't vote and don't care, then continue to keep your head in the sand and your political opinion, if you have one, means nothing.

IMHO

 

[Montrovant]

I don't think voting has a thing to do with whether someone's political opinion is valid. If that were true, than before they voted for the first time their opinion would be meaningless; the act of voting doesn't convey any wisdom upon a person. Further, what if someone votes in local or state elections but just doesn't vote for president?

I consider the 'you didn't vote so your opinion doesn't count' argument just another way to try and trivialize or marginalize other people's opinions without having to truly listen to them or reason why those opinions are wrong.

 

[uscitizen]

It depends on the reason you do not vote.
If you really pull for a candidate but do not vote for some reason then you opinion is not as valid as if you do not like any candidate and do not vote for either on for that position.

Kind of like just blowing hot air vs making a choice to not vote for valid reasons.

I am writing in myself for my vote for president.
My way of saying I AM voting but do not like either candidate.

 

[Ragnar]

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. The only invalid opinion is one backed by force or fraud.

 

[Ernie S.]

I see your point, Kevin, and I am very nearly in your camp. I was going to sit out the election as well.

But then Romney veered all right-wing extremist, and he started scaring me. I'm afraid that he is so in bed with wingnuts that he will damage the Supreme Court (through Clarence Thomas-like appointments) that we won't even have the semblance of a democracy remaining.

(Hell, with an entirely Republican supreme court, they may legalize using auctions in place of elections. Corporations could use their money to bid for and buy politicians as a "free speech" variant.)

So I will vote Obama as an anti-Romney vote. I view Romney as corrupt, stupid, odd, disconnected, and completely untrustworthy.

At least Obama is just your run-of-mill corporate tool.

Are you insane? Auctions, really?

So I will vote for Romney as an anti-socialism vote. I view obama as corrupt, stupid, odd, disconnected, and completely untrustworthy.

 

[Politico]

It's a trick question worded to allow for an argument no matter the answer. Only an idiot would say you aren't allowed to have an opinion. But if you don't bother to vote I just don't care what it is.

 

[Unkotare]

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?

Yes.

 

[Care4all]

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 don't think it invalidates your voice....I wanted Hillary for President, couldn't vote for Obama because I couldn't stand the way his team and followers treated Hillary and I couldn't stand how the DNC TOOK Hillary delegates/john edwards delegates and gave them to Obama in a back room deal, and McCain was just Bush light to me....so in good conscience...I just could not cast a vote for president at the time. Voting for the lesser of 2 evils, is sometimes just simply supporting evil....

Though A write in name would be more of a statement!

 

[The Rabbi]

You can choose not to vote. But don't bitch when things dont turn out like you want.

 

[Douger]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKguI0NFek]George Carlin - Voting - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Douger]

Why is the USA in trouble

From the experience of an airport ticket agent. Must read!
This is priceless funny stuff.

An airport ticket agent tells some examples of 'why' the United States is in trouble:

1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)

2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts .....''
Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa .''
His response -- click.

3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.
He replied, 'don't lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!'' (OMG)

4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ''Is it possible to see England from Canada ?''
I said, ''No.''
She said, ''But they look so close on the map.'' (OMG, again!)

5. An aide for a cabinet member(Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas . I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.''(Aghhhh)

6. An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.
I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.

7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ''Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?'' I said, 'No, why do you ask?'
He replied, ''Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!''
After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , Ca. is FAT ( Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage.

8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ''Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii ?''

9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright from Ala who asked, ''How do I know which plane to get on?''
I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ''I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have that number on them.''

10. Senator Dianne Feinstein called and said, ''I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?''
I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane.
She said, ''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''

11. Mary Landrieu , La. Senator called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. 'Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those.''
I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I told her this she said, ''Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!''

12. A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations, ''I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .''
I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ''Are you sure that's the name of the town?''
'Yes, what flights do you have?'' replied the man.
After some searching, I came back with, ''I'm sorry, sir, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a rhino anywhere."
''The man retorted, ''Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!''
So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, ''You don't mean Buffalo , do you?''
The reply? ''Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.''

Now you know why the Government is in the shape that it's in!

Could anyone be this DUMB?

YES, THEY WALK AMONG US, ARE IN POLITICS,
AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREED.

 

[Cowman]

I used to think so.

But, really I think it's just a way to try and invalidate a choice someone has and try to force their hand in choosing a person they really don't want to vote for.

When facing two choices that you don't like, you shouldn't be expected to vote for one of them in order to validate your political opinions.

Maybe you should write in a choice instead? Though, honestly simple logic would show that a write in has absolutely no chance and is basically equivalent of just not voting.

I'm fine with people not voting. I want people INVOLVED in the process. I want people to fight to pick their candidates. But if in the end that candidate and the other is not someone they want to see as President, I think it's cool if they simply just don't vote for them.

Your refusal to choose between two(or three) candidates is an equally important choice as voting for them.

 

[Cowman]

You can choose not to vote. But don't bitch when things dont turn out like you want.

Sorry but somebody who is bitching about a president and who voted for the other guy is no different from a person bitching about a president who voted for neither of the guys.

 

[editec]

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

No.