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Originally Posted by meembo
We are all liars and thieves to some degree, aren't we? (Those without sin, throw the first stone.) I don't think I'm a better person than Bush or Kerry based on what I know about each of them -- all from a great distance -- but I think my values mean more than the President's. So what? Denigrating people as liars or otherwise still doesn't excuse ignoring the right to contribute to society vis a vis a vote. A lesser evil is less evil to suffer, at the very least.
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Politicians specifically make promises to the public that they know will win votes, despite the fact they have no interest in following up. How do you vote for someone who decieves you for your support?Let me give you a silly example. Let's say you want to go buy a car. Most car salespeople get commission, in other words they want to sell as much as possible. "Hello", you say, "I'd like an SUV with A/C, power steering, anti lock bakes, a limited slip differential, cruise control, and more than 60 hp per liter. Do you have anything like that?" Now this salesperson, knowing what he has- and what you want takes you up to a crappy SUV. He says, "This SUV has everything you're looking for, and it has everything else, too!!" You buy the car because someone you trust with your investment has told you it is what you're looking for. You get the car home, after you've paid and their are no refunds, only to find the car has no A/C, power steering, etc. Outraged, you go back to the car lot. "I was lied to about this SUV!" you shout at the manager. The manager smiles and calmly replies, "You could have gotten a worse SUV." You notice an SUV on fire in the corner of the lot. "Yes, that is worse, but I'd like to honestly know all my options before I buy. Are their any other models?" The manager shows you the back lot. "These cars have everything you were looking for, but almost no one buys them and we make very little profit from them, so we kept them from your view." You learn over a time to deal with the crappy SUV they sold you and vow you won't make the same mistake again, as you complain constantly about the POS. The SUV finally konks out and you go back, only to get screwed
again.
I realize that isn't a perfect comparison, but I hope it illustrates how I feel about the state of the truth among politicians.
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Originally Posted by meembo
I think that throwing away the only influence you might have on a particular date in a democracy is the worst thing you can do. You have to get away from the idea that ANYTHING you do individuallyfor the sake of a democracy (at least as far as voting goes) is meaningful. Very few individual votes are meaningful, but the accumulated voices of all the voters decides the outcome. Doing nothing when faced with a choice is resignation and rejection of your rights in a democracy. Not voting is not a principle. I can't respect the idea of shirking social responsibility, especially in a free country where elections are so well supported for the masses. Grow up, get up, and vote. Don't "elect" to be a drag on society by not participating in the most fundamental right of a democracy.
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What influence is voting? Are you sure it's a true influence? I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I won $12k (legally) last election because I knew Bush was going to win. I KNEW Kerry wouldn't win. Elections are vestigal in this current governmental organization, as only two parties with very similar platforms are your options. Last I heard, well over 50% of citizens in the US were against the war. A great majority of Americans suffer because of tax breaks for the rich. There are a host of reasons Bush should have lost, but none of them matter. This is at the core of why people ignore elections. Voting is quickly becoming meaningless.
It's our right to own guns. Not all people own guns. Is it wwrong for those people not to own guns? Of course not. Should they complain if someone breaks into their hose and steals something or hurts someone? OF COURSE.