Comments on: Who Are You Voting For?

By: RollingDoughnut.com

RollingDoughnut.com — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:52:39 +0000

I voted (on Saturday)….

Since I commute a reasonable distance to/from work, I took advantage of early voting on Saturday. I waited in line approximately 75 minutes, which was very close to my limit, given the choices before me. It helped that the sun……

By: no third solution » Blog Archive » Voting Procedural Nonsense

no third solution » Blog Archive » Voting Procedural Nonsense — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:27:44 +0000

[...] I have time, I am going to the polls on Tuesday, but I’m not voting for anybody. I’m considering casting a ballot with “nobody” written-in for [...]

By: The Top 10 Reasons To Have A Voter Education Course | The Top 10 Reasons

The Top 10 Reasons To Have A Voter Education Course | The Top 10 Reasons — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:55:53 +0000

[...] running for office who looks a little bit different than the preceding Presidents? 2. My friend Dave and I were at a bar this past weekend with some of our friends and their wives watching the [...]

By: no third solution » Blog Archive » Get Disappointed by Obama

no third solution » Blog Archive » Get Disappointed by Obama — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:07:42 +0000

[...] the record, I’m not voting. That doesn’t change the fact that Obama is either willing to willing to sell you out to the [...]

By: danielo

danielo — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:04:44 +0000

Whenever someone asks me why I don’t vote, I say it’s like a lactose-intolerant person trying to decide which flavor of ice cream to buy. Either way, it’s going to end in stomach ache.

By: Brad G

Brad G — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:58:07 +0000

That was a funny conversation indeed. You got me thinking now that there needs to be some sort of a “voter education course” for all Americans. Because if you are that much more informed than friends of ours then what does that say. Out of the 10 people who were sitting at that table you and I were (in my opinion) the most informed. Probably because we go out to seek the truth not have it told to us by Fox News or another TV station. So this means only 20% of the people there are informed. You can probably use this % as whole for voters across the country. Its kind of scary to think about it.

We should make this “voter education course” a pre-req to vote. I’m thinking of a test question right now.

Do you want your income taxes
A. Raised (Barack Obama)
B. Stay The Same (John McCain)
C. Removed Completely (Ron Paul)

I feel its that simple. This way it holds the candidate AND voter accountable. Doing so will eliminate (hopefully) the people who vote based on popularity/he’s from where I’m from/he looks like me/I like his religion/I saw him make a jump shot on 20/20. All of these are reasons people use to elect officials. Sadly, these same people who vote based on anything but the issues probably make up for 50% or so of the votes. I know I’ve told you I’m writing in Ron Paul. I can’t argue with a guy who wants to eliminate the IRS, bring home the troops the next day, close bases around the world, and fight wars with bank accounts, not guns. Rage

By: Mike Gogulski

Mike Gogulski — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:25:22 +0000

I agree with John in that there is a narrow case in which some good can come from voting, and that is through voting against ballot initiatives/referenda that increase state power and in favor of those that decrease it. Take the Irish “no” vote on the Treaty of Lisbon referendum as one example.

By: John

John — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:22:57 +0000

As you know, I also live in Michigan, so I’m considering learning about the various ballot proposals so I can vote against increases in government wherever I can. If I do that, I will write either my own name, “myself”, “nobody”, or “Dave Barry” in for president.

By: olly

olly — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:47:14 +0000

I’ve had this conversation a lot lately myself. I’ve gotten to the point where I almost have a canned, 30 second answer that I can throw out whenever I’m asked (what we call the ‘elevator pitch’ in the sales world).

As annoying as it sometimes can be for me, when someone’s eyes glaze over and I can feel them starting to look at me through their ‘whack job’ glasses, I’ve decided it’s worth it for the few times that people actually start to listen to me. My wife has agreed with me for a long time about not voting (though not totally about anarchism in general), but this year I’m starting to get my parents to understand more.

My mom and dad and I have had some very interesting conversations, and while I *know* that they will still be at the polls, voting for Obama on election day, they at least are starting to see where I’m coming from more. My mom even asked me the all important follow up to my ‘elevator pitch’ the other day “ok, then what’s the alternative?”. You don’t get much more of an opener then that, and even though it’ll be a LONG conversation, I have hope that she’ll start to agree more over time.

-olly