Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - voting, a citizens responsibilty... the key to the future

bullzam · 01-19-2004, 04:01 PM

Knowing full well that everyone in here is strongly opinionated and very different, I'm throwing this out. Our country has enourmous problems and so much potential at the same time... obviously I don't need to start listing things, but I think the key to solving them lies in our voting system:

First of all, after the last presidential election we should've learned a lesson and reformed, but we didn't. As a side note, I was living in Uganda at the time and we had many american experts there helping them reform to a multi-party system. Then america majorly botched its own elections and the embassy was very emberassed when the Ugandan govt. asked if they should send experts to us next time.

Of course this issue has many facets and is very tricky, but there should be much less money in campaigns. This isn't meant to be anti-republican at all, and obviously you need to money to put your face out there, but that money should be provided by the govt to open the candidate pool for president. Which leads me to my next point...

that many citizens of america blatantly disregard a founding stone of democracy and the republic. What no one seems to understand is that the world wasn't always like this, having a govt. to watch over you and in many cases mess up with your life, but still serve a valuable purpose. We have the privelage of a strong (and not so repressive) govt and we are allowing this privelage to fall into disrepute because we are not exercising our DUTY to vote. In order to be represented with a good govt. you must vote and vote well.
The biggest shame falls on those who don't vote at all... some say its because it doesn't matter, it wont change anything... well Im sure sitting on your ass does a lot of good too. Others dont give a crap... to those I would suggest living somewhere where no one gets to vote, like say zimbabwe, because there your vote wont count for crap.
I will be punished for saying this, but the slightly lesser shame falls on those who vote, but do not vote responsibly... I'm not saying everyone should vote for who I want, thats just stupid, but they should vote with a broad picture of more than one issue (need I mention abortion and the bible belt, even though I know its their right to vote on solely one issue), and think of the future instead of the past. Think of your kids in poverty instead of 500 bucks on your pocket next year... giving a rebate on a debt just puts the next generation in trouble.

Anyway Ive rambled and would like to continue this conversation, especially with somone who disagrees so respond please. Oh, and hoping this doesn't harm my position that much, I can't vote yet, Im 17, but I'll be at the polls in a year and every time after that.

01-19-2004, 04:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
bullzam Banned	voting, a citizens responsibilty... the key to the future Knowing full well that everyone in here is strongly opinionated and very different, I'm throwing this out. Our country has enourmous problems and so much potential at the same time... obviously I don't need to start listing things, but I think the key to solving them lies in our voting system: First of all, after the last presidential election we should've learned a lesson and reformed, but we didn't. As a side note, I was living in Uganda at the time and we had many american experts there helping them reform to a multi-party system. Then america majorly botched its own elections and the embassy was very emberassed when the Ugandan govt. asked if they should send experts to us next time. Of course this issue has many facets and is very tricky, but there should be much less money in campaigns. This isn't meant to be anti-republican at all, and obviously you need to money to put your face out there, but that money should be provided by the govt to open the candidate pool for president. Which leads me to my next point... that many citizens of america blatantly disregard a founding stone of democracy and the republic. What no one seems to understand is that the world wasn't always like this, having a govt. to watch over you and in many cases mess up with your life, but still serve a valuable purpose. We have the privelage of a strong (and not so repressive) govt and we are allowing this privelage to fall into disrepute because we are not exercising our DUTY to vote. In order to be represented with a good govt. you must vote and vote well. The biggest shame falls on those who don't vote at all... some say its because it doesn't matter, it wont change anything... well Im sure sitting on your ass does a lot of good too. Others dont give a crap... to those I would suggest living somewhere where no one gets to vote, like say zimbabwe, because there your vote wont count for crap. I will be punished for saying this, but the slightly lesser shame falls on those who vote, but do not vote responsibly... I'm not saying everyone should vote for who I want, thats just stupid, but they should vote with a broad picture of more than one issue (need I mention abortion and the bible belt, even though I know its their right to vote on solely one issue), and think of the future instead of the past. Think of your kids in poverty instead of 500 bucks on your pocket next year... giving a rebate on a debt just puts the next generation in trouble. Anyway Ive rambled and would like to continue this conversation, especially with somone who disagrees so respond please. Oh, and hoping this doesn't harm my position that much, I can't vote yet, Im 17, but I'll be at the polls in a year and every time after that.