5 ms·

My vote doesn't count, and my party colluded to keep my presidential candidate off the ballot.

givinguflac 10y ago
The difference is all the trump voters that said the exact same thing actually went out and voted. Lo and behold, their votes counted.
- WalterSear 10y ago
  I voted. Even though I knew, going into the booth, that my vote counted for nothing, thanks to the electoral college. Please stop pushing the false narrative that if only everyone voted, the kleptocracy would grind to a halt. It's culturally entrenched at this point.
  - coldpie 10y ago
    If maybe 1 or 2% of people in swing states who thought like you decided to vote instead of deciding not to vote, the outcome may have been different. You are one voice in three hundred million. So is everybody else. Please vote.
    - WalterSear 10y ago
      Utterly irrelevant. My vote won't count more either way. I have no control over swing state voters. If maybe there weren't swing states, the outcome would have been different. The system is set up this way for a reason - so that people like you can tell people like me that if they only voted, things would be fixed. Maybe they would, but, like I said, my vote doesn't count, so I can't really vote for it, can I? :)
      - morganvachon 10y ago
        You've said the same thing in three different comments in this thread, and I understand why you feel that way. Let me ask you this: Did you add your name to the petition to end the electoral college and support a more balanced and fair voting system? I did, because even though I feel strongly that every vote counts, it's a reality of the US system that some votes count more than others. There has to be a better way to run this "democracy" we were born into, and that change has to start with us; the entrenched politicians won't dare change it on their own.
        WalterSear 10y ago
        Which one? There have been a bunch. Sure, I've signed them. I also give money. And I've helped with trying to get campaign finance reform on the state ballot, which was then shut down by legislature. Entrenched politicians aren't going to change things on their own, but it's a false to assume that that means they are going to change things for anyone who can't threaten their hegemony. My state is not a swing state. My representatives are both solidly entrenched and also on the take. In terms of federal issues, my vote will never count here.
        morganvachon 10y ago
        > My representatives are both solidly entrenched and also on the take. So get the word out in your community and change that fact. If you want change, be the spark.
      - alphabettsy 10y ago
        I hear people say this all the time, seemingly forgetting that laws are made by Congress. The person who holds the office of President certainly matters, but the people doing the legislating matter just as much.
        WalterSear 10y ago
        The legislative representatives I am able to vote for are entrenched and paid off. It is unreasonable that I can only vote and hold influence over a couple of senators and representatives, if they are all supposed to be beholden to all the voters. You can't even call other senators/representatives and expect them to listen to the call. It is beyond me that, given that my vote doesn't count in the presidential election (due to electoral college rules), and my local representatives are entrenched, due to division of the representation, how things will 'sort themselves out' if I just faithfully go to the polls every time.
        alphabettsy 10y ago
        That is certainly your choice, but regardless of whether or not you believe it counts, this kind of thinking is very prevalent and a large reason for resoundingly low voter turnout. In my opinion, the wealthy and powerful would much rather have the common voter feel that they have no voice or choice. Realistically civic engagement is much more than just voting, but deciding not to participate is the surest means to not be included. It took less than 30 mins out of my day to actually vote and I think most people spend more time than that talking about or posting on social media about politics. I apologize if it seems I don't take your frustration and discouragement seriously because I truly do, I feel it too. My point in it all is that going to the polls is the least one can do. Even better is encouraging some friends to engage with you because 10 votes is surely better than one.
    - morganvachon 10y ago
      Thank you, I wish more people would realize this.
      - WalterSear 10y ago
        >If maybe 1 or 2% of people in swing states who thought like you decided to vote instead of deciding not to vote, the outcome may have been different. Could you explain what has that got to do with me, and the fact that my vote doesn't count, for the reasons I've outlined above?
burkaman 10y ago
Your vote does count if you can be bothered to use it.
- WalterSear 10y ago
  Bullshit. The outcome for my state was decided before I got to the polling place. The outcome of the election is specifically designed to value my vote as less than that of someone in a smaller, rural state. The candidates I got to vote for were selected for me, through corruption and subterfuge. I've read the emails of party officials working together to foment hatred between their own supporters out of whole cloth. So, no, even though I voted, my vote didn't count. Never counted.
  - burkaman 10y ago
    Your state was "decided" by everyone else voting. Your vote counts as much as everyone else's vote in your state. Complaining that your vote doesn't count because most people in your district or state disagree with you doesn't make sense. Yes, the two party system and electoral college should be fixed. Changing the voting system will probably involve people voting to change it.
  - coldpie 10y ago
    I understand and agree with the thoughts behind your argument. My city, Saint Paul, implemented ranked choice voting a couple years ago and I'm thrilled about it. Stay active, not bitter. But at the end of the day what matters is who gets out to vote. Your state's outcome was decided not by fate, but by people who vote. Count yourself among them.
    - WalterSear 10y ago
      >But at the end of the day what matters is who gets out to vote. I'm afraid that this sounds to me too much like the political equivalent of 'do what you love and the money will follow'; based in faith, rather than evidence.
      - 10y ago
felipemnoa 10y ago
You are 100% correct, if you do not vote, it doesn't count. No use complaining afterwards that it doesn't count.
- WalterSear 10y ago
  I fucking voted. Do I get to complain now? Ah, no. I have to abide by the result of the vote. Except that my vote counts less than others due to the electoral college, and party officials colluded to smear my voting sector and prevent the candidate I wanted to vote for from even appearing on the ballot. So, no, my vote never counted.
  - komali2 10y ago
    If you live in California your vote technically counts less for an electoral vote than someone that lives in a low-population flyover state. In terms of population to electoral votes ratio, your power is lower.
st3v3r 10y ago
No, they didn't. More members of your party voted for a different candidate. There was no concrete evidence that any action was actually taken to fix anything.
- WalterSear 10y ago
  There was plenty of evidence, from the debate questions, to the financing of state campaigns, to the removing registered voters, to the 'let's organize together to smear Bernie supporters as misogynists' email thread. None of this is hearsay. Have you forgotten Debbie Wasserman Schultz being thrown in front of the bus? Did you miss Donna Brazile denying giving debate questions to HRC, only later call it something she would "forever regret", while then, in another situation continuing to deny that she did it?
  - st3v3r 10y ago
    No, there was no concrete evidence. There were a few emails from DNC staffers that stated they would prefer Clinton. That is it. There was no actual actions taken. And OMG, someone told Clinton that there would be a question about Flint's drinking water during a debate held in Flint, Michigan. You'd have to have ESP to predict that.
    - WalterSear 10y ago
      https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/11056 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/11056 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5740 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5740 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7643 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7643 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5423 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5423 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10808 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10808
      - st3v3r 10y ago
        Again, no concrete actions coming from it. You are looking for a conspiracy where none exists. You are just like the PizzaGate people. Listen, I wanted Bernie too. I cast my primary ballot for him as well. But clearly more registered members of the Democratic Party wanted Clinton. She was more popular than Bernie among Democrats.

The difference is all the trump voters that said the exact same thing actually went out and voted. Lo and behold, their votes counted.

WalterSear 10y ago
I voted. Even though I knew, going into the booth, that my vote counted for nothing, thanks to the electoral college. Please stop pushing the false narrative that if only everyone voted, the kleptocracy would grind to a halt. It's culturally entrenched at this point.
- coldpie 10y ago
  If maybe 1 or 2% of people in swing states who thought like you decided to vote instead of deciding not to vote, the outcome may have been different. You are one voice in three hundred million. So is everybody else. Please vote.
  - WalterSear 10y ago
    Utterly irrelevant. My vote won't count more either way. I have no control over swing state voters. If maybe there weren't swing states, the outcome would have been different. The system is set up this way for a reason - so that people like you can tell people like me that if they only voted, things would be fixed. Maybe they would, but, like I said, my vote doesn't count, so I can't really vote for it, can I? :)
    - morganvachon 10y ago
      You've said the same thing in three different comments in this thread, and I understand why you feel that way. Let me ask you this: Did you add your name to the petition to end the electoral college and support a more balanced and fair voting system? I did, because even though I feel strongly that every vote counts, it's a reality of the US system that some votes count more than others. There has to be a better way to run this "democracy" we were born into, and that change has to start with us; the entrenched politicians won't dare change it on their own.
      - WalterSear 10y ago
        Which one? There have been a bunch. Sure, I've signed them. I also give money. And I've helped with trying to get campaign finance reform on the state ballot, which was then shut down by legislature. Entrenched politicians aren't going to change things on their own, but it's a false to assume that that means they are going to change things for anyone who can't threaten their hegemony. My state is not a swing state. My representatives are both solidly entrenched and also on the take. In terms of federal issues, my vote will never count here.
        morganvachon 10y ago
        > My representatives are both solidly entrenched and also on the take. So get the word out in your community and change that fact. If you want change, be the spark.
    - alphabettsy 10y ago
      I hear people say this all the time, seemingly forgetting that laws are made by Congress. The person who holds the office of President certainly matters, but the people doing the legislating matter just as much.
      - WalterSear 10y ago
        The legislative representatives I am able to vote for are entrenched and paid off. It is unreasonable that I can only vote and hold influence over a couple of senators and representatives, if they are all supposed to be beholden to all the voters. You can't even call other senators/representatives and expect them to listen to the call. It is beyond me that, given that my vote doesn't count in the presidential election (due to electoral college rules), and my local representatives are entrenched, due to division of the representation, how things will 'sort themselves out' if I just faithfully go to the polls every time.
        alphabettsy 10y ago
        That is certainly your choice, but regardless of whether or not you believe it counts, this kind of thinking is very prevalent and a large reason for resoundingly low voter turnout. In my opinion, the wealthy and powerful would much rather have the common voter feel that they have no voice or choice. Realistically civic engagement is much more than just voting, but deciding not to participate is the surest means to not be included. It took less than 30 mins out of my day to actually vote and I think most people spend more time than that talking about or posting on social media about politics. I apologize if it seems I don't take your frustration and discouragement seriously because I truly do, I feel it too. My point in it all is that going to the polls is the least one can do. Even better is encouraging some friends to engage with you because 10 votes is surely better than one.
  - morganvachon 10y ago
    Thank you, I wish more people would realize this.
    - WalterSear 10y ago
      >If maybe 1 or 2% of people in swing states who thought like you decided to vote instead of deciding not to vote, the outcome may have been different. Could you explain what has that got to do with me, and the fact that my vote doesn't count, for the reasons I've outlined above?

burkaman 10y ago

Your vote does count if you can be bothered to use it.

WalterSear 10y ago
Bullshit. The outcome for my state was decided before I got to the polling place. The outcome of the election is specifically designed to value my vote as less than that of someone in a smaller, rural state. The candidates I got to vote for were selected for me, through corruption and subterfuge. I've read the emails of party officials working together to foment hatred between their own supporters out of whole cloth. So, no, even though I voted, my vote didn't count. Never counted.
- burkaman 10y ago
  Your state was "decided" by everyone else voting. Your vote counts as much as everyone else's vote in your state. Complaining that your vote doesn't count because most people in your district or state disagree with you doesn't make sense. Yes, the two party system and electoral college should be fixed. Changing the voting system will probably involve people voting to change it.
- coldpie 10y ago
  I understand and agree with the thoughts behind your argument. My city, Saint Paul, implemented ranked choice voting a couple years ago and I'm thrilled about it. Stay active, not bitter. But at the end of the day what matters is who gets out to vote. Your state's outcome was decided not by fate, but by people who vote. Count yourself among them.
  - WalterSear 10y ago
    >But at the end of the day what matters is who gets out to vote. I'm afraid that this sounds to me too much like the political equivalent of 'do what you love and the money will follow'; based in faith, rather than evidence.
    - 10y ago

felipemnoa 10y ago

You are 100% correct, if you do not vote, it doesn't count. No use complaining afterwards that it doesn't count.

WalterSear 10y ago
I fucking voted. Do I get to complain now? Ah, no. I have to abide by the result of the vote. Except that my vote counts less than others due to the electoral college, and party officials colluded to smear my voting sector and prevent the candidate I wanted to vote for from even appearing on the ballot. So, no, my vote never counted.
- komali2 10y ago
  If you live in California your vote technically counts less for an electoral vote than someone that lives in a low-population flyover state. In terms of population to electoral votes ratio, your power is lower.

st3v3r 10y ago

No, they didn't. More members of your party voted for a different candidate. There was no concrete evidence that any action was actually taken to fix anything.

WalterSear 10y ago
There was plenty of evidence, from the debate questions, to the financing of state campaigns, to the removing registered voters, to the 'let's organize together to smear Bernie supporters as misogynists' email thread. None of this is hearsay. Have you forgotten Debbie Wasserman Schultz being thrown in front of the bus? Did you miss Donna Brazile denying giving debate questions to HRC, only later call it something she would "forever regret", while then, in another situation continuing to deny that she did it?
- st3v3r 10y ago
  No, there was no concrete evidence. There were a few emails from DNC staffers that stated they would prefer Clinton. That is it. There was no actual actions taken. And OMG, someone told Clinton that there would be a question about Flint's drinking water during a debate held in Flint, Michigan. You'd have to have ESP to predict that.
  - WalterSear 10y ago
    https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/11056 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/11056 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5740 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5740 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7643 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7643 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5423 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5423 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10808 https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10808
    - st3v3r 10y ago
      Again, no concrete actions coming from it. You are looking for a conspiracy where none exists. You are just like the PizzaGate people. Listen, I wanted Bernie too. I cast my primary ballot for him as well. But clearly more registered members of the Democratic Party wanted Clinton. She was more popular than Bernie among Democrats.