Don't forget to vote!

[danielf]

I normally vote when I can, but I didn't today. The main reason being that we've only moved into this borough a few months ago, and we don't really know what (if any) the local issues are, and we haven't got a clue about the candidates. I do feel slightly guilty over not voting though. Just think of all the people in the world that are deprived of proper elections.

[Enuff]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Plus if you haven't voted then you cannot really moan or complain about who ever got in because you chose not to be part of the process.If they do something you don't like you abrogated your right to complain.

I don't agree. non-voters have as much a right to complian as anyone else.

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by Enuff

I don't agree. non-voters have as much a right to complian as anyone else.

No they don't..refusing to participate in the process leaves you without a voice.Voting IS YOU HAVING YOUR SAY.It's the only way to make the politicians take any notice.If you don't vote they can still get in on the back of a reduced vote and so they can ignore non voters.It doesn't feature in their political radar.Not voting achieves absolutely nothing.

Frankly I view non voters as basically lazy because they cannot be a*sed to walk a few blocks to vote or do do any research to see if any of the candidates might have some issues worth voting for or to even spoil the ballot paper as a protest at the paucity of candidates and their poor political record.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.Edmund Burke

[Kevin T]

The only flaw in all this is believing that the majority of voters undertake a rational comparison of what the different parties have to offer.

Unfortunately the scenario is more likely to be:

a) My family's always voted for party X & that's good enough for me.

b) The candidate is from my socio-economic / ethnic group so I'll vote for them.

This leaves the discerning voter on a hiding to nothing IMO...

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

The only flaw in all this is believing that the majority of voters undertake a rational comparison of what the different parties have to offer.

Unfortunately the scenario is more likely to be:

a) My family's always voted for party X & that's good enough for me.

b) The candidate is from my socio-economic / ethnic group so I'll vote for them.

This leaves the discerning voter on a hiding to nothing IMO...

Put more bluntly, many people are too stupid to vote. Which counts in favour of dictatorships, which generally are far more efficient in 'getting things done'. Of the two, democracy gets my vote though. But perhaps I'm just being stupid.

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

The only flaw in all this is believing that the majority of voters undertake a rational comparison of what the different parties have to offer.

Unfortunately the scenario is more likely to be:

a) My family's always voted for party X & that's good enough for me.

b) The candidate is from my socio-economic / ethnic group so I'll vote for them.

This leaves the discerning voter on a hiding to nothing IMO...

You are probably right but I'd take any of the above reasons over the it's not worth voting choice.

[The Hitman]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Oh great attitude.The down trodden of generations past who had no vote at all but campaigned for it would be wondering why they bothered.

The Tibetans would love to have a vote in the running of their country ,so much so they are willing to die for the chance and then there is you who thinks it's a waste of time.

If no one voted at all we would probably end up as a fascist run country with absolutely no human rights at all.

Don't have any human rights anyway. It is a fascist communist country anyway

[Kevin T]

Originally Posted by danielf

Put more bluntly, many people are too stupid to vote. Which counts in favour of dictatorships, which generally are far more efficient in 'getting things done'. Of the two, democracy gets my vote though. But perhaps I'm just being stupid.

Originally Posted by Incognitas

You are probably right but I'd take any of the above reasons over the it's not worth voting choice.

I understand both your points of view, but the upshot of my scenario is that unless you live in a marginal constituency your vote is unlikely to make a difference in the current first past the post system...

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

I understand both your points of view, but the upshot of my scenario is that unless you live in a marginal constituency your vote is unlikely to make a difference in the current first past the post system...

Indeed. I'm not a great fan of 'fptp'. (My post was firmly tongue in cheek btw). I think proportional representation is a far better system, because more people will feel represented. Having said that, PR is not a cure to voter apathy. Countries that have PR suffer from it as much as the UK does in my experience.

[Enuff]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

No they don't..refusing to participate in the process leaves you without a voice.Voting IS YOU HAVING YOUR SAY.It's the only way to make the politicians take any notice.If you don't vote they can still get in on the back of a reduced vote and so they can ignore non voters.It doesn't feature in their political radar.Not voting achieves absolutely nothing.

Frankly I view non voters as basically lazy because they cannot be a*sed to walk a few blocks to vote or do do any research to see if any of the candidates might have some issues worth voting for or to even spoil the ballot paper as a protest at the paucity of candidates and their poor political record.

What nonesense. Voters prolong the agony that the British people are in now and always have done, and it will be the voters who are to blame for the state this country is in today.

Can't you see that you are playing their game?. They brainwash us simple dumb sheep into thinking they can make a difference, and actually change things for the better. I've never seen any real changes, just repeat after repeat of the same old crap. it reminds me of that crazy film Groundhog Day, where he keeps waking up every morning to find himself stuck in the same day.

So please, don't try passing the blame for a mistake you made, onto the people who chose not to vote.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.Edmund Burke

And by voting for any of the scum, you actually believe that you're doing something? I understand the reason for spoiling your vote. I did the same. But sadly, when I think about it, even that won't change a thing

[seaofpepsicola]

So if you don't vote you cannot have a say, that you do not have a voice?...strange I thought it was the other way around. .you don't really have a say or a voice when you do vote it has always been the government telling you what to do - have they listened to your voice about the toll tax..petrol rises..even this so called 10p tax was reversed only because they wanted to influence you and keep their power.

When you compare the number of votes in each place in this country...compare that to the true amount of people in this country and the numbers are very weak...even if everyone voted you are just voting in a "POWER" it is not voting for a say in things as that never happens...the government control but everyone feels oh well I did vote, but think about it no matter who gets in they are controlled from people behind the scenes.

We are already living in a dictorial state...and it shows...so those that voted who have had a say...look to what happens when the people try to influence things, the government shuns the public opinion and dives straight into doing what they want all the time irrespective of your past vote that only mattered to get the controling powers that be into the positions they want, that is all you are voting for really, just having a say which party controls you.

[chickendippers]

Originally Posted by Damien

Could not be in my area for election day as I am back at Uni. Didn't look into postal voting in time.

Hehe I voted twice. Once postally for home and in person for my term-time address.

I can tell you who I didn't vote for; the councillor living on my street who seems to have a personal vendetta against the 3 student houses.

[Angua]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

The only flaw in all this is believing that the majority of voters undertake a rational comparison of what the different parties have to offer.

Unfortunately the scenario is more likely to be:

a) My family's always voted for party X & that's good enough for me.

b) The candidate is from my socio-economic / ethnic group so I'll vote for them.

This leaves the discerning voter on a hiding to nothing IMO...

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

I understand both your points of view, but the upshot of my scenario is that unless you live in a marginal constituency your vote is unlikely to make a difference in the current first past the post system...

Exactly! Locally we had several seats went uncontested simply because no matter what any alternative party to the Tories may do locally they have neither the funds nor manpower to effectively challenge the status quo.

[Enuff]

Labour seem to have suffered, they are in 3rd place, Con/Lib/Lab. What do you think will happen now? I'll tell you... They'll change their policies to suit the masses, and the masses will believe it! Then, as normal, once they get in power, they'll turn around, stick the finger up to us and do exactly the opposite to what they promised, and they will forget the very people who put them where they are, until they need us all to vote them in again. Why do they only seem to listen when they need our votes?

People can vote for whoever the want but what people don't realise is they are voting for the same government, the same mess, the same bunch of money grabbing, power crazy, two faced, lieing, cheating, selfish hypocrites!. (Did I leave anything out of that last bit?).

[Kevin T]

Originally Posted by Enuff

Labour seem to have suffered, they are in 3rd place, Con/Lib/Lab. What do you think will happen now? I'll tell you... They'll change their policies to suit the masses, and the masses will believe it! Then, as normal, once they get in power, they'll turn around, stick the finger up to us and do exactly the opposite to what they promised, and they will forget the very people who put them where they are, until they need us all to vote them in again. Why do they only seem to listen when they need our votes?

People can vote for whoever the want but what people don't realise is they are voting for the same government, the same mess, the same bunch of money grabbing, power crazy, two faced, lieing, cheating, selfish hypocrites!. (Did I leave anything out of that last bit?).

Self serving?