Comments on: Vote http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote Alex King, Denver Web Developer Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:45:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Geof F. Morris http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52739 Geof F. Morris Wed, 08 Nov 2006 01:10:57 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52739 Jeremy: I rather doubt that any of us voters have ever placed a vote for a candidate in whom we had 100% confidence. I can't think of family members in whom I'd have 100% confidence to vote as I'd act. But as it goes, if you're going to be represented by someone, better to be represented by the one you chose than the one you didn't. If none of the candidates for an office matters to you, choose not to vote in that race. Chances are that every general election is going to have something you'll want to vote on at some level. Jeremy: I rather doubt that any of us voters have ever placed a vote for a candidate in whom we had 100% confidence. I can’t think of family members in whom I’d have 100% confidence to vote as I’d act. But as it goes, if you’re going to be represented by someone, better to be represented by the one you chose than the one you didn’t.

If none of the candidates for an office matters to you, choose not to vote in that race. Chances are that every general election is going to have something you’ll want to vote on at some level.

]]> By: Sunil R http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52737 Sunil R Wed, 08 Nov 2006 00:09:09 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52737 Jeremy, Not at all. If, however, I fail to vote, I don't feel I have the right to complain about policies which might vote might well have prevented. Even if a politician doesn't perfectly represent my view, it is worth voting - if I don't, then an alternative politician with views even less aligned to my own may well be elected, and I will have done nothing to try and influence the event. Anyhow, with respect to the current election, it's all a rather moot point - I'm in Britain, not America! Jeremy,

Not at all. If, however, I fail to vote, I don’t feel I have the right to complain about policies which might vote might well have prevented. Even if a politician doesn’t perfectly represent my view, it is worth voting – if I don’t, then an alternative politician with views even less aligned to my own may well be elected, and I will have done nothing to try and influence the event.

Anyhow, with respect to the current election, it’s all a rather moot point – I’m in Britain, not America!

]]> By: Bill http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52734 Bill Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:35:04 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52734 You can be part of the problem or part of the solution, clearly you've made your choice. Pretty weak. You can be part of the problem or part of the solution, clearly you’ve made your choice. Pretty weak.

]]> By: Jeremy http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52733 Jeremy Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:52:58 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52733 Oh, I see. It isn't about the actual actions of the politicians, but about making yourself feel better. Gotcha. Oh, I see. It isn’t about the actual actions of the politicians, but about making yourself feel better.

Gotcha.

]]> By: Sunil R http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52731 Sunil R Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:15:42 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52731 Excuse a Brit for sticking his nose in... ... but I agree with Alex on this one. I'm only old enough to have voted in one General Election (and a local one, too), but I still turned out and cast my vote for the Liberal Democrats. Are they a perfect option for me? No. Are they better than the two main parties (Conservative and Labour) in my opinion? Yes - despite the fact that it would take a heck of a swing for them to win the election or even force a draw. You might look at it as a wasted vote - but I don't feel that's valid. Perhaps in the US, where to two main parties have such a stranglehold on affairs, that might be the case. Overall, I feel that even voting for the "least bad" candidate is better than not voting at all. That way, if they lose, you can at least criticise the winner from the position of "I didn't vote for you". If they win and then do things you disapprove of, you can always console yourself with "well, I think the other guy would've been worse"... Just my £0.02 worth! Excuse a Brit for sticking his nose in…

… but I agree with Alex on this one. I’m only old enough to have voted in one General Election (and a local one, too), but I still turned out and cast my vote for the Liberal Democrats.

Are they a perfect option for me? No. Are they better than the two main parties (Conservative and Labour) in my opinion? Yes – despite the fact that it would take a heck of a swing for them to win the election or even force a draw. You might look at it as a wasted vote – but I don’t feel that’s valid. Perhaps in the US, where to two main parties have such a stranglehold on affairs, that might be the case.

Overall, I feel that even voting for the “least bad” candidate is better than not voting at all. That way, if they lose, you can at least criticise the winner from the position of “I didn’t vote for you”. If they win and then do things you disapprove of, you can always console yourself with “well, I think the other guy would’ve been worse”…

Just my £0.02 worth!

]]> By: Jeremy http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52729 Jeremy Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:35:25 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52729 I'll make sure to bitch extra loud - just for you, Alex. :-P I’ll make sure to bitch extra loud – just for you, Alex. :-P

]]> By: Alex http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52726 Alex Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:58:05 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52726 Sorry Jeremy, that position just isn't one I can find an ounce of respect for. Sorry Jeremy, that position just isn’t one I can find an ounce of respect for.

]]> By: Jeremy http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52725 Jeremy Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:25:54 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52725 Sorry, that's B.S. Just because I don't want to contribute to appointing a representative to run my life (and your life) does NOT meant that I'm disallowed from bitching. Unless the 1st Amendment is also up for the vote and nobody told me (and even then, I don't care). Our choices are lame, the politicians too similar. the influence of the average voter heavily dilluted and the issues obfuscated. I'm not saying you shouldn't vote, but I don't blame anybody who doesn't. Sorry, that’s B.S. Just because I don’t want to contribute to appointing a representative to run my life (and your life) does NOT meant that I’m disallowed from bitching. Unless the 1st Amendment is also up for the vote and nobody told me (and even then, I don’t care).

Our choices are lame, the politicians too similar. the influence of the average voter heavily dilluted and the issues obfuscated. I’m not saying you shouldn’t vote, but I don’t blame anybody who doesn’t.

]]> By: Geof F. Morris http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52723 Geof F. Morris Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:33:14 +0000 http://alexking.org/blog/2006/11/07/vote#comment-52723 I'm about to head off to my precinct [which is deliciously close to my house ... nice!]. It's rainy here in Madison this morning, so I'm hoping that will hold down the early-voting crowd. I’m about to head off to my precinct [which is deliciously close to my house ... nice!]. It’s rainy here in Madison this morning, so I’m hoping that will hold down the early-voting crowd.

]]>