Voting is useless... WHAT?!

[MakeupByMe]

Don't hate me, lol... I do not vote. Well, I have never voted b4 & I dont complain. Honestly, the only thing I complain about is the major drama I got goin on in my personal life - which is ridiculous enough. I have thought about it, but i can't honestly say i Like one candidate over the other. I kinda don't like either one in certain ways, but whatever... There r people who tell me "You should Vote" - maybe... But right now its probably not gonna happen.

 

[reesesilverstar]

I would love to know why the electoral college isn't done away with. I thought a democracy was "One man, One vote." I've been hearing alot of talk about America having a "Representative Democracy" but that in itself doesn't make sense...

It kind of allows me to understand why some ppl are led to believe that their voices won't be heard...

 

[obarlao]

Well, in my opinion it depends on what kind of voting your talking about.  In a primary or caucus or in a vote for state and/or city officials such as mayor, Governor etc. it is very usefull.  Yet, as far a like a presidential vote goes it is useless while at the same time it isn't.  The reasoning behind that is the president is chosen by the votes from the electoral college and not the popular vote.  Each state is allotted a certain amount of votes in the electoral college.  Some states obviously have more electoral votes then others.  so for example when President Lincoln was elected, he received less than 30% of the popular vote but received enough votes from the electoral college.  Usually the people that cast the electoral college votes will vote for whoever wins the popular vote in their state. but they are under no obligation to do so.  Like for example, this year Barak Obama could get 100% of the popular vote in Delaware but the all Delaware delegates in the electoral college could cast a vote for Mitt Romney if they felt so inclined.  So that is why it could be considered useless.  But like I said usually the delegates in the electoral college will vote for the popular vote in their state so that why it could be considered usefull.  I don't vote unless i am able to listen to the debates as i am a swing voter.  But if I am able to watch the debates I will vote for who I consider to be the best option to help the country.

 

[Nismogirl]

Voting, is not useless. The electoral college was implemented in order to represent the population of a given state back before people could travel to the election sites. Remember, it took days to travel any distance at all when this system was implemented. The electoral votes are winner take all, so in one stance the general election popular vote does not matter, think Al Gore in 2000. What does matter is the popular vote in each state. As a rule of thumb, the Electoral College will award the winner of your state's popular vote all of the states electoral votes. The winner of the most electoral votes wins the general election.

The use of the electoral college is a debatable issue. On one hand, it makes dissenting votes in a non-swing state meaningless. For instance, if your state is a heavily democratic state, your vote for a republican (while it counts) really has no impact on the election. On the other hand, it prevents grossly populated states from having total control of the election. Urban areas tend to vote democratic and the majority of people in the united states live in metropolitan areas. If the popular vote was all that counted, California, New York, Illinois and Georgia would have a huge influence on the election while entire states like Iowa or Alaska (which are lightly populated) would not have any significance at all. It gives with one hand and takes away with the other.



Ron Paul 2012.
 

 

[alice blue]

What I don't get is the undecided voter. I understand people not caring, or not being engaged 

enough to vote. But to not know what side you'll take until someone says or promises something?

WTH? I know what I believe, and my mind is not easily changed. I know this should be legal, and

that shouldn't, and that is just plain wrong, and why do they get to get out of doing what I can't 

get out of doing. I know which party agrees with me, even if the elected officials aren't walking 

the walk because they can't walk with all that lobbying money in their pants...

 

[MissLindaJean]

I agree with what Nismogirl posted on the electoral college. It's a double edged sword. I also believe that people who don't vote, shouldn't complain. I don't understand why people aren't more involved as politicians are making decisions that directly influence our lives! Please, at least educate yourselves and be able to tell me who the President is! I also feel if more citizens were educated/informed and willing to call these politicians/government out, things might be a little different. I don't vote for a specific party, but run pretty liberal in social issues and fairly conservative in regards to fiscal responsibility. So I like to look more at the individual candidates.

 

[Nismogirl]

I say the same thing- Don't vote, don't complain. Politics affects almost every aspect of your life. Why wouldnt someone be involved? Who knows. I use to be a hardcore conservative, but i've opened my eyes, stopped listening to the media, & did my own research. I lean right on social issues/fiscal. res. I would define myself as a Constitutionalist, & I agree with you, MissLindaJean, DO YOU OWN RESEARCH! Lol

 

[Political goth]

I think voting is definitely crucial to a democracy, so I really don't understand complaining about the way things are and not voting (this being if you're of voting age and chose to opt out), and there is a lot going on right now that requires people in an election year to decipher what information they are given, and see past the bs as they really research the candidates' platforms on issues. In my studies of international politics I learned about how voting has brought around real change very recently in Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil in the last decade, so I do think it's important. I had a history teacher in 9th grade whose words really stuck with me "If you have the audacity to speak up against a wrong, you better back it up and have the courage to attempt fixing it"

(this is my explanation with as little bias as possible, deep down my philosophy is really that we should all just think for ourselves and not buy into mob psychology).