I Have Zero Tolerance For People Who Don't Vote

[Jamaal510]

Even though everyone has the right to vote, voter turnout in both presidential elections and midterm elections is never anywhere near 100% of eligible voters. In fact, voter turnout in the U.S. is usually only about 50% for presidential elections, while it's around 40% for midterms.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html
Millions of people out there complain about all of the misdeeds of the right-wing, but they do not show up to the polls, thinking that their vote "won't make any difference", or some other nonsense. And so we always end up with these nail-biter elections that shouldn't even be close in the first place (such as this year's presidential election). Far too many people died so that every American can vote, but many people today seem to take this for granted. Those who don't vote are unaware of this, but they (as Rachel Maddow said in one commercial) are fulfilling someone else's plan by not voting. The millionaire plutocrats don't want high voter turnout. They know that they'll always have their loyal "puppies" swayed by wedge issues into voting for their side, and that's all who they want showing up to the polls.

[cbayer]

1. I absolutely agree.

One of the first things I ask people is if they are registered and if they plan to vote. I don't ask who they are voting for, but if they have the audacity to want to discuss politics, and particularly to complain about politics, I generally tell them that if they don't vote, we have nothing to discuss.

[still_one]

2. But but they are undecided

[NightWatcher]

3. if you are undecided at this point, please dont vote..EVER

If you cannot determine a difference between what Obama and R$ stand for and pick a side accordingly, please dont ever vote.

I dont think that people who make less than a million dollars and vote for repukes should be allowed to go out in public without an escort. These people are dangerous and if they will vote against their own best interest I question their sanity.....what? oh it's cause their preacher told them...ok.....nevermind

[LisaL]

5. I agree.

If people are un-informed, they shouldn't vote.

[Raine]

15. Totally agree, better to not vote than to vote like and idiot and for an idiot. Just stay the fuck

home and let those of us who really care about our country make the decisions for the morAns.

[PATRICK]

4. Not showing up for your country

even if it seems a "lost cause" hurts everyone besides being personally irresponsible. It diminishes all, it is right surrendered and a passive "vote" for tyranny. Marking a ballot for some real choice might be difficult, but you have to try. That act alone terrifies tyrants.

[liberal_at_heart]

6. the entire system is broken

I vote, but I don't blame those that don't. There was a thread a few days ago asking what you would do if you could scrap the entire voting system and start over. Some people had some really good ideas.

[crunch60]

21. +1

[BlueStreak]

7. I have zero tolerance for people who vote and never take the time to understand the issues.

[lunatica]

8. Non voters are unaware of the differences between candidates

They also think that everything will turn out just fine no matter who is President or Governor or Congressperson or Senator. They also don't realize that what happens in Washington, DC has an impact in their lives. If they understood all these things they would vote.

[creon]

9. I understand

There are people who are alienated from politics. They hate politics.
Some do not vote from apathy. They, simply, think that voting is futile.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

10. I had this discussion with someone recently:

He stated that he wasn't going to vote because his vote doesn't matter. When asked why he thought that way, he stated that the US is not a democracy, but a democratic republic. So I asked him why he doesn't vote for his representatives. That clearly had never occurred to him.

[Utah_liberal]

17. but it does matter.

I live in Utah, so I know my vote for Obama won't change the electoral vote, but there's so many other items on the ballot. My democratic state rep only won by 25 votes last election. It matters.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

22. Yes, and he understood that that was the point I was making ;)

[krawhitham]

11. That is why I can not stand keith olbermann

[Ya Basta]

12. I have to disagree

The freedom of others to decide not to vote, whether its because its actually a 'none-of-the-above' vote or just because they don't feel like it, is equally a fundamental right as it is to vote.

Although I can understand the frustration in knowing that if more folks got out and voted the Democratic party would win more often. Nevertheless I respect the rights of others equally. I think that is one of the hallmarks of a civilized society.

n/t

[DollarBillHines]

13. Well, some of us simply can't.

Little things such as parole, y'know.

But I do my part.

[MattSh]

14. Wow, just wow. That reminds me of...

Romney's 47% comment.

Percentages match up closely too.

And do you really think that if there was 100% turnout that the percentages voting Democratic vs. Republican would be all that much different? Whoever wins would win by approximately the same percentage. Hate to burst your bubble, but the people who do not vote would not all vote Democratic. Even if they should.

[Utah_liberal]

16. I was a non voter in my younger years.

I turned 18 just in time to vote for Reagan. I was young and dumb and didn't know any better. I never voted again until I voted for John Kerry. Yes it was my fault not voting all those years, but politics just wasn't something on my mind. Now if there was such a thing as same day registration on election day and if election day was a holiday, chances are much greater I would've voted during my early years. That's what we should do!

[crunch60]

18. I guess you were not a fan of George Carlin .....

[crunch60]

19. Choice... a very important word

[coalition_unwilling]

20. Well, I have little tolerance for a Democratic Party that constantly sells out

the working class. Over and over and over again. Were the Democratic Party actually to embrace 'full employment" (last time was . . . get ready, 1976), maybe people might feel inspired to show up at the polls.

Instead, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry both voted to invade and occupy Iraq.

Now that's something to get real excited and motivated about