If you vote, and the policies of those you voted for haven't been followed through, then you have a right to complain.
There are many other reasons for voting. It could be that NOT voting allow the BNP into power, for instance. A vote for any other party is a vote against them.
While I agree that the system is hugely flawed, it is the only system we have and we must play it to our advantage!
How can we make a change? I'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you if I believe in what you want to do :) (And not just because you're mah buddy :D)
Yeah I'm standing by point 4. If you vote in good confidence that the people you're voting for will actually follow through honestly in your best interests, you're naive at best. If you realise, perhaps more realistically, that this is not the case, then why are you voting? Surely it's better to not partake in the farce.
Regarding tactical voting (eg, stick it to the BNP!) I would gladly concede the point if there were a "NO VOTE" category. A vote of no confidence, if you will, and if the "no votes" got the majority result, I think it would be a far more meaningful representation of popular opinion than mere abstinence. Not sure what the most reasonable course of action would be in this case, but it would surely invalidate an election in a rather costly fashion.
Seems to me that that would compel the political parties to try a lot harder to please their supporters.
It's part and parcel of the deal. Voting isn't a choice, it's a gamble. If you win, then good for you, but, through the act of voting, you've still condoned the other options on the ballot.
It's like this: you're in a dark smoky nightclub, when this hot chick propositions you, chats you up, and you say "ooh yes! fuck me now!". You don't get to go to the police when she bends you over a bog and takes you from behind with her monstrous penis simply because you were idly hoping it'd be the other way round - you still said yes.
Voting for a single issue party such as the BNP or Green party could have the potential to make the government do something about that issue, voting for Labour or Conservative is completely pointless.
The problem with single issue voting is that you end up with government by media - whoever can afford to spend the most on informing/misinforming the public will probably swing it. See: recent gay rights votes in US.
At least with representative democracy you have decisions being made by people whose ostensible job it is to weigh up complicated issues. It might not always work out terribly well but I reckon the alternative would be worse.
The evidence that this is already the case is pretty damned overwhelming if you ask me. Governments tend to push ideology/dogma and irrational measures to pander to the media, instead of governance by evidence. But all that, of course, is a different issue :)
Ultimately, it makes sense that the population generally needs things decided for them because (as said above) they're unqualified to make the decision themselves (and for this I blame largely the media). But what about people like us, with generally meaningful and well-informed opinions? We get no representation.
I was just thinking that as I typed it, but at least in the current system we're only force-fed propaganda every four years and it's limited in extent: we don't get Very Special Messages during every ad break.
I live in a marginal seat and my MP replies to any queries with a personal letter - I doubt I've changed her stance on anything but at least I might have brought things to her attention that she might not otherwise have voted on, which is fair enough by me.
I think it's up to us to create an informed electorate as much as it is to seek greater representation - if our friends and family pay more attention to what a stranger in a paper says than what we can show them that's a pretty sad state of affairs.
I think it's up to us to create an informed electorate as much as it is to seek greater representation - if our friends and family pay more attention to what a stranger in a paper says than what we can show them that's a pretty sad state of affairs./blockquote> HEAR HEAR!
I have been eligible to vote for 27 years, and not once have I done so.
I make a personal point of not voting. In that every year, I make damn sure I'm on that register. And every time that card comes through the letter box I take a deep, conscious, and almost spiritual pleasure in roaching every last bit of it.
I'm with you on all points brother - and then some \m/
Comments 33
If you vote, and the policies of those you voted for haven't been followed through, then you have a right to complain.
There are many other reasons for voting. It could be that NOT voting allow the BNP into power, for instance. A vote for any other party is a vote against them.
While I agree that the system is hugely flawed, it is the only system we have and we must play it to our advantage!
How can we make a change? I'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you if I believe in what you want to do :) (And not just because you're mah buddy :D)
Reply
Yeah I'm standing by point 4. If you vote in good confidence that the people you're voting for will actually follow through honestly in your best interests, you're naive at best. If you realise, perhaps more realistically, that this is not the case, then why are you voting? Surely it's better to not partake in the farce.
Regarding tactical voting (eg, stick it to the BNP!) I would gladly concede the point if there were a "NO VOTE" category. A vote of no confidence, if you will, and if the "no votes" got the majority result, I think it would be a far more meaningful representation of popular opinion than mere abstinence. Not sure what the most reasonable course of action would be in this case, but it would surely invalidate an election in a rather costly fashion.
Seems to me that that would compel the political parties to try a lot harder to please their supporters.
Reply
It's part and parcel of the deal. Voting isn't a choice, it's a gamble. If you win, then good for you, but, through the act of voting, you've still condoned the other options on the ballot.
It's like this: you're in a dark smoky nightclub, when this hot chick propositions you, chats you up, and you say "ooh yes! fuck me now!". You don't get to go to the police when she bends you over a bog and takes you from behind with her monstrous penis simply because you were idly hoping it'd be the other way round - you still said yes.
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[oh, wait...]
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At least with representative democracy you have decisions being made by people whose ostensible job it is to weigh up complicated issues. It might not always work out terribly well but I reckon the alternative would be worse.
Reply
The evidence that this is already the case is pretty damned overwhelming if you ask me. Governments tend to push ideology/dogma and irrational measures to pander to the media, instead of governance by evidence. But all that, of course, is a different issue :)
Regarding the Proposition 8 thing, not quite so clear-cut:
http://electiondefensealliance.org/CA-Prop-8-Corrupted
Ultimately, it makes sense that the population generally needs things decided for them because (as said above) they're unqualified to make the decision themselves (and for this I blame largely the media). But what about people like us, with generally meaningful and well-informed opinions? We get no representation.
Reply
I live in a marginal seat and my MP replies to any queries with a personal letter - I doubt I've changed her stance on anything but at least I might have brought things to her attention that she might not otherwise have voted on, which is fair enough by me.
I think it's up to us to create an informed electorate as much as it is to seek greater representation - if our friends and family pay more attention to what a stranger in a paper says than what we can show them that's a pretty sad state of affairs.
Reply
HEAR HEAR!
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I make a personal point of not voting. In that every year, I make damn sure I'm on that register. And every time that card comes through the letter box I take a deep, conscious, and almost spiritual pleasure in roaching every last bit of it.
I'm with you on all points brother - and then some \m/
Reply
Fucking... CLASSIC! Hahahahaha excellent :)
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