Doing my civic duty

**Beery** · 23rd January 06, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by kiltimabar

When you vote, it only encourages them.

Exactly.

**cavscout** · 23rd January 06, 09:23 PM

If you choose not to vote and then choose to bitch about the situation you're contradicting yourself. In many things, effectiveness comes in the timing.

But back on topic, I can't wait to vote a la kilt !!!

**pdcorlis** · 23rd January 06, 09:39 PM

the last time my wife and I were in Victoria was during a national election. The folks at the polling place were nice enough to talk with us about the political system - parties - and candidates (it was early in the day). When we got back to the motel at the end of our day we watched the election returns on TV. It was great fun seeing Canada's political process in action.

What can I say, we're both a bit sick

**Beery** · 23rd January 06, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by cavscout

If you choose not to vote and then choose to bitch about the situation you're contradicting yourself.

In what way? If I'm given the choice between being punched in the mouth and getting punched in the stomach, if I choose neither and the guy punches me in the stomach anyway, why shouldn't I have every right to complain about that?

The fact that I choose not to contribute to what I see as a deeply flawed process doesn't mean I should put my critical sensibilities on hold simply because most people are only too willing to contribute to the system. If the majority choose one of two bozos when I vote for neither of them, the majority is imposing its choice on me when I explicitly chose not to be imposed upon. That is not democracy - it's a dictatorship of the majority. I should have MORE reason to complain in such a situation, not less.

To claim that I have no right to complain simply because I abstain is to deny me the very democracy you claim to be upholding. You seem to think that abstaining is political non-participation, but that's nonsense. It's just as much of a democratic choice as voting is, as long as it's done with thought and not simply out of apathy. To suggest otherwise is to choose to mindlessly perpetuate a system NO MATTER HOW BAD IT BECOMES. I don't know anyone who didn't intensely dislike both major candidates in the last US election, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't have preferred to vote for someone else, yet all of them (except one - my wife) voted for one or the other of those major candidates. That's your real betrayal of democracy right there. It isn't making a truly democratic choice - it is simply voting based on the chances of one of the two major candidates winning - that's how most people vote these days: if the party they really want in power is showing odds of 5 to 1 against, most people are more than happy to switch to the odds-on favourite (or the close runner-up) even if that party doesn't adequately represent them. That is corruption on the largest scale possible. If that's what democracy has devolved into, I want no part in it, because when it becomes akin to betting on horses it no longer holds even the pretence of democracy. I vote for a different system, and I do it by a conscious and thoughtful choice not to vote in this one.

**AckZel** · 23rd January 06, 11:28 PM

In FInland we also have Presidential elections at the time... You know if you watch Late Night with Conan O'Brien...

I went to vote in a kilt... The girl at the computer said "Sorry, but scots are not allowed to vote in Finnish elections" and smiled to me. :mrgreen:

**Mr. Kilt** · 24th January 06, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by Ackwell

In FInland we also have Presidential elections at the time... You know if you watch Late Night with Conan O'Brien...

I went to vote in a kilt... The girl at the computer said "Sorry, but scots are not allowed to vote in Finnish elections" and smiled to me. :mrgreen:

Brilliant! Now that is a woman with a very quick wit! :grin:

**macwilkin** · 24th January 06, 04:39 AM

Thanks to everyone who has attempted to keep the thread on topic and remembering the house rules on political discussions. Let's keep it that way.

Regards,

Todd