Assuming there’s nothing stopping you from legally voting
- Laziness / lack of any urgency that it will matter or make a difference to them personally
- They’re a disinformation campaign, and taking time telling you about refusing to vote is their attempt to influence the election
I suspect that almost everyone will fall into one of those two categories
1/3 of the possible voting populace doesn’t vote because they are told it won’t make a difference, when the last presidential election came down to a few thousand votes. Bugs the hell out of me.
Even if you’re in a non “swing” state, the totals shifting in some new direction will influence it becoming a non swing state over time. It still matters. Both ways.
This was the way the crazy people got abortion banned: They picked something that was crazy out of reach, and kept working for it until it was in reach. Instead of just saying “oh well who cares, it is difficult, I will wait until someone else makes it easy.”
Exactly, the reason it happened is because we became complacent to the point where the only way to win votes for them was to win the craziest sector, they knew everyone else would just keep voting (or not voting). They campaigned constantly because people would froth at the mouth over it and they knew they were single issue voters.
If the 1/3 of the people who don’t vote showed up in this election it could actually make a huge difference, hell it could show that the parties need to rethink their entire strategies. They still won’t though, but they should.
“Making a difference” and “electing one of two unpopular candidates” don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
That’s like eating shit and lightning yourself on fire instead of just eating shit.
If the two unpopular candidates were perfectly equal then your argument might have weight, but in my book there’s one that’s horrible, and one that’s not great, but also not horrible.
Politics never has a good candidate, it’s always between two bad choices. It’s just choosing the best of the two.
I think there’s a third category, though may be a small offset of the first. Those who would like to, but don’t have the day off and can’t afford it.
They’re gonna have trouble affording smuggled oranges and tinned meat, too, when they’re in the camps with bread and water as the standard food.
I get what you’re saying and I’m not tryin to sit in judgement. But also, this one is fuckin important.
If you’re not someone who doesn’t vote and you’re simply speculating, I would suggest you delete this comment.
I will give your suggestion 100% of the careful attention and obedience that it deserves.
OP deserves someone participating in the conversation who can honestly answer the question they’ve asked. Your speculation only adds to the ignorance others already have. You are enforcing an echo chamber and being disrespectful.
Who are you supposed to vote for when you feel it doesn’t matter? Or when you feel that all candidates are insufficient?
Additionally, if we’re speaking of the US, the electoral college can and will supercede the popular vote. We literally put these people in power just to say we’re wrong and they will quickly say we’re wrong and work against the popular votes because we gave them the authority
Ah yes the classic, “i cant decide between voting for fascism or against it. Really tough choice”
Hey. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf on social media. In situations like this, I will be absolutely serious, direct, and respectful. Regardless of if you disagree with my view, I politely ask the same thing. We need to talk to each other with respect regardless of our views. Agreed?
Ok I will rephrase to be polite and respectful.
When you are presented with the option of voting for or against fascism, what makes that choice difficult?
Is the one trying to overthrow democracy the fascist or the one funding the ethnic cleansing?
The one that wants to overthrow democracy and would like to fund the ethnic cleansing at an even higher rate/amount is the fascist. The one that has encouraged Israel to go faster / do more in Gaza is the fascist. I do not like Biden’s weakness confronting Israel, but one is a cheerleader, and one is weakly pushing for caution.
The electoral college only applies to Presidential elections, but there are many more elections happening for primaries, local, and state elections, where the electoral college doesn’t apply. Your vote in these elections is arguably more important than the presidential election and there have been many cases of elections coming down to under a hundred votes.
As for candidates who are insufficient, your vote is not an endorsement of the policies of the candidate, and is an objection to other candidates. This is the flaw of our two party system, and the only optimal strategy is to vote against who you don’t want to be president. Voting for representatives who advocate for ranked voting is how this can be fixed, but requires voting in non-presidential elections to create the change, along with a whole set of other challenges.
when you feel it doesn’t matter
Nobody should give a fuck about how it fEeLs. Elections are verifiable and essential. You cry about the electoral college and yet don’t vote which gives said EC even more of an advantage.
Unfettered capitalism has masterfully created a self-serve corporatocracy that filters money straight to the political parties who, in turn, pose puppet leaders in front of the masses to grant a semblance of choice. No good will come of this “Weekend at Bernie’s” farce of an election. Under current auspices, only more greed, lies, and violence are to follow.
Sorry, disenfranchisement and apoplexy are all that remain.
No good will come of this “Weekend at Bernie’s” farce of an election.
Hard disagree.
Anybody who has actually followed what Trump has done / is doing vs what Biden has done / is doing knows there’s a clear distinction between the two. One is clearly a worse choice. It reads like you’re just intoxicated by the smelling of your own farts.
You’ve given into despair and have opted out entirely, which is exactly what the people you gripe about want you to do. Congratulations, you’ve surrendered.
You may well be correct on all counts.
A question was asked, and I answered honestly from my perspective.
I encourage you to reconsider and vote for whatever you perceive to be the least of all evils. Voting is relatively easy and doesn’t require much effort. It’s literally the least you can do. Yes, may not matter in the end, but it can still inform certain statistics that can be used to support various messages and arguments down the line. If you don’t vote at all, you guarantee you have no impact. Don’t throw away the little power you have.
I do sometimes vote, but as for the times I don’t, the ballot is one big trick question.
the ballot is one big trick question
I’d like an explanation of what you actually mean by this and why not voting is better than voting for the least bad candidate, if you regard them all as bad.
the least bad candidate
^
It’s a monarchy with extra steps. People deserve better.
It is not. You need to re-familiarize yourself with what monarchy actually is. Maybe spend a year in an actual monarchy/dictatorship country if you have so little appreciation for the democracy you currently enjoy?
So in other words, you don’t want to think or even google the candidates name and look at their website.
the ballot is one big trick question.
It really isn’t. It does require some basic engagement and research. Maybe 10-15 minutes max if you don’t care to get too in-depth. You can always skip ballot measures - they are more time-consuming, for sure.
So it doesn’t bother you there are only two choices every four years?
Of course it bothers me. Which is why I donate to and help with the campaigns for progressive candidates. But our political system is not going to change any time soon and throwing up your hands because the choices aren’t perfect is counter-productive. If you do that, you end up with LESS choice. By voting and voting consistently you open the door, even if it’s just a crack, for more progressive choices. By not voting you ensure that we continue to be stuck with two bad choices.
Real progress has been made. And the real enemy of that progress is apathy.
In some Canadian municipal elections, you can vote for school board trustees.
Before I had kids, I was too lazy to educate myself on their platforms, so I wouldn’t cast a ballot. I’d rather leave it up to people who care to make the decision.
Now that I have kids and school boards have turned into a culture war battleground, I am researching and voting.
