I think those who consciously abstain from voting are the ones who have the biggest right to complain about a system that by design can no longer be changed. Bu

I think those who consciously abstain from voting are the ones who have the biggest right to complain about a system that by design can no longer be changed. But the stupidity of the idea you mention, that you're not allowed to participate or complain if you don't vote, permeates US culture. It assumes that voting itself is some sort of great good, in and of itself, and ignores the fact that especially in the US, most votes simply don't count. It ignores the fact that even with the votes that do count, the representatives do not carry out the will of the people. It simply ignores the fact that a republic cannot represent the will of the people, that it devolves into a high school popularity contest, and that people are frustrated exactly because of this state, the absolute failure of the idea of a representative democracy (at least in the US). At least the people who choose not to vote can stand up and be proud that they didn't partake in the rigged theatre that passes for a republic's elections. They can be proud that they didn't waste time, resources, and money trying to vote and encourage people to vote for someone who would not carry out the will of the people, time, resources, and money that could have been better spent on actual solutions rather than promoting the illusion of a people's will. Pretending that elections matter and that by electing the right person, the people's will will be done is mere fantasy and wasting time promoting it is indeed a drain to society. So, yes, for the weak-minded idiots, if you don't vote, you're not allowed to complain. For the people that can think, not voting is the only act of power one has left in this high school popularity contest named politics (at least in the US).