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Finally, someone after my own heart. I don't vote, not because I feel my vote is worthless, but because I resent the claim that there is a choice to be made. De
by anthuswilliams 16y ago
Finally, someone after my own heart. I don't vote, not because I feel my vote is worthless, but because I resent the claim that there is a choice to be made. Democrats and Republicans talk like they hate each other, but once elected they pretty much pass the same sorts of policies.
It's in these politicians' best interest for people to get out and vote because it confers a veneer of legitimacy. But if a dictator holds an election in which he is the only candidate allowed to run, I would consider it a moral obligation to boycott the election. Similarly when there are two candidates who are, for all intents and purposes, equally undesirable, I refuse to vote for either.
Of course, if I were less lazy, I would investigate independent parties. But I don't feel these parties are fairly represented. For instance, the Democratic Party commonly sues to keep the Green Party off the ballot in a number of states. If everyone ignores this injustice and votes anyway, it appears as though the election was won fair and square.
Someone else on this thread pointed out that not voting is a vote. I feel the same. People attribute the low voting rate among Americans to an apathetic citizenry, but I think it can be better attributed to a broken system. I will not evaluate two poisons to elect the most nutritious. I won't do it.