Please tell me again why I should keep voting...

[PlanetBev]

I have never missed an opportunity to vote since I was first eligible in 1972. Since that time, it has been made clear to me that none of the GOP gains could have been made with out the cheerful cooperation of the Democrats. From Scalia to Thomas, from the Bankruptcy bill to the ANWAR vote, none of things things could have gotten through with out the sellouts in the Democratic party. They're prefectly happy to be in the minority, just as long as they get to keep their jobs. They're like submissive dogs, kept happy by being allow to sleep with the Alpha dog. I find that annual press dinner where the Democrats joke around and make nice with the Pukes nauseating and unfunny. Why pal around with people whose only interest is destroying your party? The only thing registering to vote has gotten me is a space on the jury duty database, which I hate.

I'm going to yet another protest on Saturday, one among many that I have participated in since 1968. But this year it's different, I'm only going because I promised a friend that I would. This year I drag myself to the march, benumbed by a sense that it's a pointless exercise and a waste of time. If I was in a different country, protesting would matter, but not in America. The latest celebrity trial, the latest scandal has replaced all that is important. Football, beer, Jesus and NASCAR, all washed down with Koolaid.

Is it Tom Paine who said, "these are the times that try men's souls?"

[merh]

1. Because if you don't, they will have won!

You have to keep trying, you have to keep fighting and claiming what is yours.

It is our government, they work for us! We can make a difference if we don't give up and if we keep fighting and signing every petition. If we keep calling on our congress critters, keep writing them letters and emails, keep trying.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3281615

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3288432&mesg_id=3288432

[joeybee12]

2. Simply stated: "Because the Republicans don't want you to."

When you don't vote, they win. I know, I know, I'm frustrated, too, and it seems like it doesn't make a difference. That's why I think more of us need to get involved at a grass-roots level--we need to let the Dem leadership know we're fed up with this.

[Orsino]

3. In case the corruption in the ballot-counting process...

...gets outed and dealt with. Your vote might then make a difference in an honest recount.

As things stand, it's like the lottery. You can't win, but you can't win if you don't play.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. That's a good question since it's becoming painfully obvious that....

...the NeoCons control the output from the electronic voting machines, and they also have custody of the paper ballots used in the OCR voting machines. In short, there is simply no way to validate the results that we are being fed.

Until that changes, I don't intend to vote again.

The only thing that is going to get anyone's attention is massive civil disobediance in the form of general strikes. That hits those people in the pocket, right where it hurts.

[CrispyQ]

6. I've considered not voting, too,

for the reasons you state; it seems pointless. Even with paper ballots, once they scan & digitize it, that ballot can then be manipulated.

2006 will be interesting. How obvious will they be controlling the vote? Will it set off any alarms amongst the sheeple when the house & senate are 99% repuke? As long as the mall is open, I doubt it.


I feel like we're fighting the borg: Resistance is futile.

[Demit]

5. Because then there's no discernible difference between you and

a citizen who doesn't know anything and doesn't care. So go to the polls and write in a candidate, if you don't like the Dem running! (It's actually kind of fun to do that. Somebody takes notice of it, even if it's just the poll workers doing the tally.) Once the people running see fewer and fewer people caring, it's that much easier to run roughshod over all the citizenry.

And jury duty is just that--a citizen's duty. Is it really that onerous to want to get out of all the time? Sure, they seem to call me a lot too, but it's a one day-one trial deal here; if I have a reasonable excuse I get excused. If I serve on a jury it's actually an interesting experience to be part of it. Turn it around--if you had to face a jury wouldn't you want intelligent, thoughtful people (like you sound like you are) on your jury?

Not voting is so passive. Voting is a connection to society/community. Voting is a positive act. Please don't give up.