I am retired...from voting

[RobbieB]

I vote every election, don't try to dodge jury duty and don't think my taxes are too high.

Geeze.

[Senator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby In 2018, I read a NY Magazine article about young people who explained all the rather pathetic reasons they weren't planning to vote in the upcoming election. I wrote this open letter in response and posted it on Facebook. While the majority of you are not young, and hence the message may resonate differently for you, I still believe what I wrote then. Please vote.

Great letter, however I think most of the younger generation would rather surrender than defend freedom.

Thank you for your service, fellow Vet.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 You don't have to worry, many dead people that are voting will make up for you. Also, the voters with fake ID and illegals that cast ballots won't disappoint you either. Then we have the fake mail in ballots to relieve your concerns and also the folks that mess with the counting of ballots. You are covered.

Aja, I vote and will continue...But in reality for presidential elections only about a half dozen states or so need bother to pull out the ballot boxes. And your state (Texas) and mine (MO) need not bother, lol.

[Lewis Clark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by euro I understand that your motivation is to stir up a reaction from the board, and you are well within your rights with your position, but your post makes me sad.

+ 1

[Lewis Clark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby In 2018, I read a NY Magazine article about young people who explained all the rather pathetic reasons they weren't planning to vote in the upcoming election. I wrote this open letter in response and posted it on Facebook. While the majority of you are not young, and hence the message may resonate differently for you, I still believe what I wrote then. Please vote.

Very well said, Gumby. Thanks from a fellow SSBN sailor.

[zesty]

I keep voting even though it feels more pointless every year.


Never know if I'm making the right choice but I'll be dead in a few decades anyway.

[Car-Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB I vote every election, don't try to dodge jury duty and don't think my taxes are too high.

I vote every election, don't try to dodge jury duty but I do think my taxes are too high. (Due to wasteful spending)

[Just_Steve]

Don't vote = Don't complain.

[unclemick]

I vote, protest, sign petitions and have been known to raise hell with the City Council. Not to mention people who do not pick up their dog poop in the neighborhood.

Good clean fun. Plus they know I am opinionated and 'will not select me' when called for jury duty. Rats!

heh heh heh - going to a memorial service this week for a 95 year old Nun who protested everything AND her fellow sisters held a mock election to elect a female Pope each time a new one is/was elected.

[bushpilot]

I quit voting a little over a decade ago, and have no regrets. They can have their games, I don't play.

[Calico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister "We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands: we have a check upon two branches of the legislature, as each branch has upon the other two; the power I mean of electing at stated periods, one branch, which branch has the power of electing another. It becomes necessary to every subject then, to be in some degree a statesman: and to examine and judge for himself of the tendencies of political principles and measures." -- John Adams "Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual--or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country." -- Samuel Adams "Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption." -- James Garfield "The Americans are the first people whom Heaven has favored with an opportunity of deliberating upon and choosing the forms of government under which they should live." -- John Jay

I consider voting to be both a privilege and my duty. People in this country have risked (and in some cases lost) their lives to earn or defend the right to vote.

[nancyfrank232]

I retired from voting as well

I consider voting to be a right, not a duty

Many good people died to give me the right to vote. They died to keep it from being a duty

Mandatory voting takes society down a bad path

I’m rational so I fully exercise my right not to vote since voting is irrational

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_voting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condorcet_paradox

Most people vote out of pride, which is why they advertise their act of voting and claim it to be a something more than a right

[Koolau]

I still vote. Once in a great while, there's actually a choice or two on a ballot - not often. Realistically, this is a one party town. If you are for that party, you don't need to vote. If you are not of that party, there's no point.

Still, I vote. I absolutely am against mandatory voting, but I'm almost as passionate that I should vote, even though my vote rarely could even conceivably make a difference.

If we all give up and don't vote, NOTHING can change. If we DO vote, it's still a theoretical that something might change. YMMV

[Scuba]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau I still vote. Once in a great while, there's actually a choice or two on a ballot - not often. Realistically, this is a one party town. If you are for that party, you don't need to vote. If you are not of that party, there's no point. Still, I vote. I absolutely am against mandatory voting, but I'm almost as passionate that I should vote, even though my vote rarely could even conceivably make a difference. If we all give up and don't vote, NOTHING can change. If we DO vote, it's still a theoretical that something might change. YMMV

Well said, Koolau. Exactly how I feel.

[Amethyst]

I'm even more hawkish than this. When the old ladies send around their memes about "Members of Congress make $175,000 a year for doing nothing, while Our Seniors get by on $12,000 after a lifetime of work," I think, "If it's so easy, then why don't you run for Congress?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_Steve Don't vote = Don't complain.

[rayinpenn]

I do not like the direction some politicians would lead us - I vote to send a message.

[marko]

Being a Massachusetts voter means never having to wonder if your vote counts.

Still, I trudge on down and vote.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyd After voting for nearly 50 years, I am now retired from voting. I now believe that my single vote does not count. Why not take the the the minimal effort to cast my vote? I have other things to do. I participate by viewing political discussions on cable TV to get a sense of what my fellow Americans think about the issues and candidates. What ever my fellow Americans vote for is what I will comply with. I trust you all will not disappoint me.

Your last thoughts there are how it works. We're greatful for your support...

Whenever I'm discouraged by the political, I think of how my vote cancels out that of one uneducated hateful voter.

A second thought is that some have put their lives in jeopardy for my rights. I've met and worked with young people who give me hope. So I vote.

[dixonge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_Steve Don't vote = Don't complain.

From one of the Carlin videos I shared...

Quote:

And secondly I don’t vote because I believe if you vote, you have no right to complain. People like to twist that around, I know. they say – they say well: “If you don’t vote you have no right to complain”, but where’s the logic in that? If you vote and you elect dishonest, incompetent people, they get into office and screw everything up, well, you are responsible for what they have done. You caused the problem, you voted them in. You have no right to complain. I, on the other hand, who did not vote? – who did not vote? Who, in fact, did not even leave the house on election day, am in no way responsible for what these people have done and have every right to complain as loud as I want about the mess that you people created and that I have nothing to do with.

[Rianne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom One lady in line at the polling place explained to my wife that she just went down the list and marked "yes, no, yes, no," alternating until she got to the end.

Sounds like me on the SAT's. I did remarkably well. The lady had a 50% chance of getting it right, one way or another.

I stood on the campus quad signing up college students of U of I, C-U. Many kids didn't know they could vote locally. Thought they had to go to home city or state. Most took the time and signed up. They were appreciative that they could vote.

Informative article about countries around the world, how they vote, how often they vote. This article updated for 2019.

https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aj...019/index.html