Americans only: How likely are you to vote in the November general elections ?

[GIJane]

They have whatever reason they see fit, especially the voters who don't support either candidate. Choosing not to vote sometimes means refusing to endorse either candidate. That is really what a vote is. It is an endorsement.

Point. However, pick side, hold your nose and vote. Or vote 3rd party. I stand by what I said. Don't vote? Don't bitch. And that goes for both sides. IF Comma-la wins because Pubs didn't vote, I don't want to hear THEM bitching either. THEY chose to not vote for Trump and allowed Comma-La to win. ****'em.

 

[The Mark]

I'm curious what the likelihood to vote is right now.

I assume you are keeping in mind that the denizens of a political discussion forum are not representative of American people in general.

 

[The Mark]

I've become completely disenfranchised with participating in any kind of democratic electoral process.

If the past 8 years have taught me anything, it's that the average citizen lacks the intellect to process the abundance of information necessary to make an informed decision about governance. I would happily give up my voting rights to be led by an aristocratic elite instead of suffering the humiliation of standing in the voting line next to an "equivalent" citizen who is grossly overweight, unwashed, loud, uneducated, etc. and can hardly make decisions about governing themselves, let alone the most powerful state in human history.

I personally think that the solution is not to check out of the process, it's to find a way to educate and inform the people you worry are not capable of doing it.

But perhaps that's optimistic and naive of me.

 

[Peter]

If you don't vote you can't complain about how shit the government is.

I don't care who you vote for but you really should vote if you can.

 

[Mach]

View attachment 67530209

You realize that's AI generated, a fake right? She looks pretty tough though.

This isn't a fake, for contrast:



This isn't a fake either. Yes, that's the time when Trump backed Putin over the U.S. on the world stage in Helsinki.

 

[lwf]

I don't think it demonstrates that at all. Many of the European monarchies were remarkably stable. American democracy has been at war for 231 out of the 248 years it has existed and within that time period there have been numerous civil wars and civil conflicts. Many of the first swings at democracy in 20th century Europe were catastrophic failures and the post-war examples are effectively American vassals which wouldn't be able to sustain themselves if not for the US overseeing and protecting global liberal trade.

I understand the appeals of democracy but it's just modernist chauvinism when people point at democracy as obviously being the superior system. It's not so obvious to me that is the case and I've yet to hear a coherent argument that is actually convincing.

Democracy is not inherently a superior form of government because it leads to better results. It provably doesn't. An elected leader is no better or more perfect than a leader who inherits his or her position. You can get a good leader or a bad leader in any form of government.

Democracy is a superior form of government only in that it never requires bloodshed in order to get rid of a bad leader.

 

[donhughesmusic]

Point. However, pick side, hold your nose and vote. Or vote 3rd party. I stand by what I said. Don't vote? Don't bitch. And that goes for both sides. IF Comma-la wins because Pubs didn't vote, I don't want to hear THEM bitching either. THEY chose to not vote for Trump and allowed Comma-La to win. ****'em.

That's the beauty of the First Amendment. They can bitch whether you approve or not. Sometimes not voting gives you the most freedom... the freedom to say "You guys ****ed it up, not me. Both candidates sucked."

Besides, the people who vote third party are always criticized for throwing their vote away. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[marduc]

I'm curious what the likelihood to vote is right now.

Not the best forum for this poll. Obviously those substantially invested in our politics are grossly over sampled in this venue

 

[Moon]

I'll vote in person for my local and state candidates. Jen Kiggans (R) gets my vote to represent my district in Congress.

I'm writing in "foghorn Leghorn" for President.

Same, except I’ll leave the top line blank again. The way we’re going I may never vote for President again.

 

[Moon]

I would hope if someone plans NOT to vote that they keep their opinion of things to themselves

They have no voice.

They are the tree that fell in the forest.

Paying taxes gives everyone all the Justin they need to voice their opinion. Or even if they don’t pay taxes.

 

[VySky]

Paying taxes gives everyone all the Justin they need to voice their opinion. Or even if they don’t pay taxes.

The tree, the forest and all.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Last option for me (not a US citizen).

But if I were, I'd definitely vote.

Lot's of non-citizens voted in 2020. There will be less this time around thanks to election integrity laws.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I don't even have to request a mail-in ballot. All voting in Colorado is done by mail/drop boxes. It's been that way for around ten years.

There are a limited number of polling places open on election day for those who prefer to vote in person.

So they send out ballots to anyone on the voter rolls - which democrats go to court to keep from being cleaned.

What could go wrong?

I literally saw this happen a dozen years back, in line to vote and the man in front of me tells the poll worker "Mi Nombre es Chang Jing, si votar aqui?" - he was not Asian... And of course they handed him a ballot.

 

[Mycroft]

So they send out ballots to anyone on the voter rolls - which democrats go to court to keep from being cleaned.

What could go wrong?

What could go wrong...but hasn't in Colorado yet...is accepting and counting ballots days and weeks after the polls close.

Our election laws state that any ballots received after polls close on election day are not counted.

 

[GIJane]

If

That's the beauty of the First Amendment. They can bitch whether you approve or not. Sometimes not voting gives you the most freedom... the freedom to say "You guys ****ed it up, not me. Both candidates sucked."

Besides, the people who vote third party are always criticized for throwing their vote away. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I got no problem with people voting 3rd party. If you feel strongly about that vote, OR you think the 2 mainstream candidates suck, you at least made a decision. to vote.

You're right they can and will bitch, they just don't have my respect or inclination to take what they say seriously.

 

[donhughesmusic]

If

I got no problem with people voting 3rd party. If you feel strongly about that vote, OR you think the 2 mainstream candidates suck, you at least made a decision. to vote.

You're right they can and will bitch, they just don't have my respect or inclination to take what they say seriously.

Respect is overrated. Enemies will never respect you. Friends don't need explanations.

 

[Hamish Howl]

The aristocratic elite understand you 100% clearly and have already rigged the entire system into a political establishment that functions without regard to the 99.99% of the rest of the country, affectionately known as the deplorables. The only thing they ask of you is that you help them defeat any threats to their system.

Imagine thinking MAGA freaks were 99.99% of the population.

 

[devildavid]

If you go back thousands of years you still usually find the top .1% ruling the bottom 99.9%. What the top .1% need are efficient systems of control for the people. I think religion was a great system of control until science and widespread communications made it ineffective for entire populations. The illusion of democracy is good as it puts the blame of bad governance on the people and not the ruling class. It's the people's fault for voting for Trump, or it's the peoples fault for voting for Biden. Trump and Biden are just distractions and really don't have the power to affect the ruling class.

Not everyone who gets elected to political office is part of the ruling class. There are many forms of government other than the most powerful one in Washington. Ordinary citizens can and do get elect to various offices and they are not part of some imagined ruling class. Bad governance is the fault of voters who vote for bad candidates or who don’t run for office themselves. Blaming everything on some imagined ruling class is a cop out for the lazy and the cynical.

 

[Gardener]

I am not voting for either candidate.

Harris represents the World Economic Forum and Trump is a malignant narcissist, the likes of which tend to react in extreme ways to those who challenge them.

 

[Felis Leo]

I am not voting for either candidate.

Harris represents the World Economic Forum and Trump is a malignant narcissist, the likes of which tend to react in extreme ways to those who challenge them.

Then why not vote for Donald Trump?

 

[Gardener]

Then why not vote for Donald Trump?

I explained my reason for not voting for either.

 

[Felis Leo]

I explained my reason for not voting for either.

Sorry, I overlooked what you said about him. My mistake.

 

[Tender Branson]

I am not voting for either candidate.

Harris represents the World Economic Forum and Trump is a malignant narcissist, the likes of which tend to react in extreme ways to those who challenge them.

Is Chase Oliver, the Libertarian, on your state ballot ?

I think he's the sanest among all the minor candidates, if you don't want to vote for Harris/Trump ...

 

[GhostFence]

I've become completely disenfranchised with participating in any kind of democratic electoral process.

If the past 8 years have taught me anything, it's that the average citizen lacks the intellect to process the abundance of information necessary to make an informed decision about governance. I would happily give up my voting rights to be led by an aristocratic elite instead of suffering the humiliation of standing in the voting line next to an "equivalent" citizen who is grossly overweight, unwashed, loud, uneducated, etc. and can hardly make decisions about governing themselves, let alone the most powerful state in human history.

Aristocratic elites have never steered a country right. They have only ever starved, murdered or defrauded the people they rule.

 

[notquiteright]

I'm curious what the likelihood to vote is right now.

I guess it depends on how difficult the Republicants are going to make it for a registered Democrat to vote....