Does voting matter
 

Does it matter whether or not an individual votes. I'm not talking about local issues, I'm talking about at least state-level, or national issues (I.E. Congress, Presidency, Governor). Discuss.

Depends on where you are. If you're in a swing state, you can rally a bunch of friends to go vote and possibly make a difference. On the other hand, however, I'm in Texas. I don't like Bush. Do you think I voted in the last election, though?

What bob said.

Meh, what Bob said is correct. However, there is usally a smaller issue that could be impacted by enough people voting, or atleast around me there has been.

If everyone had the attitude that voting doesn't matter, then every election would be won by two or three votes.

Also if you vote, then you're 'allowed' to moan about whichever government gets into power. If you don't vote, and moan, then people will think "Well if you wanted someone else in power then you should have voted, fool!"

Also if you can vote, but don't I don't think you should bitch about election results. Even if you're vote doesn't makea difference you still should go and atleast express your choices.

That's... what Lenny said.

I'll vote when I think there is someon there worth voting for. So far, whatever I have heard hasn't compelled me.

I don't think I'm even registered to vote. I remember my teacher giving me a lecture on it.

When you got your drivers liscense, did you check the box for "register me to vote" ?

Ugh, that was 3 years ago, but probably not.

Horrible, go register so you can vote next year.

Where's the, "I don't live in your shitty country" option?

There were no options to begin with. You fail.

Congratulations on a two party system where both are incompetent.

Shutup and go get free healthcare or something... Faggot.

Only after being on a 6 month waiting list!

Nah, that's if you're waiting for a life-saving operation.

A normal operation can leave you on a waiting list over 18 months long.

And if you're just ill then you can see a doctor nearly straight away.

If no one voted then no one would win, so yeah your vote counts in that aspect.

My view: Since we are so rooted in our bipartisanism in this country, it is always going to be either a Republican or a Democrat. Therefore, I vote Democrat in order to widen the gap twice as much as voting for an independent candidate even if I agree more with their platform. Until the day comes when the American people have fallen enough into the category of libertarian (the public currently has very libertarian views) as to allow a candidate to break the bipartisan boundry, I will always vote against the candidate I don't like and for his closest rival.

Incorrect, even if we vote for someone and they get the majority of the votes, it doesnt matter. The electoral college votes, and whoever THEY pick wins. Most of the time they agree with the majority though. This happened in the 2000 election. Bush did not with the majority votes. So basiclly, our votes don't matter.

Yes, but in my fantasy land the electoral college has been disbanded because the American public finally realized how goddamned stupid it is.

heh if only it wasnt a fantasy land

Before you vote "yes" to abolish the electoral college, you really need think about the purpose it serves.

The electoral college serve(s)(d) three purposes.
1) Obviously at the time of the creation of the electoral college counting every person's vote and relying on those votes to be accurate and without corruption presented a problem. This doesn't play as big a role today with communications as advanced as they are and the developement of the internet making it even easier.

2) Having an uneducated mass vote can sometimes, although fair, not be in the best interest of our country. I've talked to some people and ask them who they've voted for and why. Responses range from and in-depth explanation of their political beliefs to "Well that's who my parents voted for." While I don't denounce that leader-sheep exists even in the highest levels of politics, it exists moreso at the citizen level, when votes are swayed by how charismatic the candidate looks, possibly on one issue(abortion being a big one, even if the candidate has stated he will not push the issue and let's not forget legislation makes laws), or maybe even peers' views. The electoral college guarantees that the person voting for the president will atleast know each candidate's background and have a general idea his/her creditentials.

3) The third and possibly hardest to understand is that the creators of the electoral college wanted somewhat of an equality in votes across the country. In 1888, Benjamin Harrison lost the popular vote by 95,713 votes to Grover Cleveland, but won the electoral vote by 65. This prevented a candidate from winning an election based on support from one region of the country. The South overwhelmingly supported Cleveland, and he won by more than 425,000 votes in six southern states. However, in the rest of the country he lost by more than 300,000 votes.


Let me finish by saying I am in support of fixing the Electoral College in one of two ways:

1) If you don't now, Let's say 30 out of the 55 California Electoral Votes go to a certain Candidate. Because of a majority of those votes went to that candidate, all 55 votes from that state actually go to that candidate, regardless of to whom the other 25 votes went. The reason for this is to base the election on states. However, the election of the president is a national event and the President of the United States presides over all of America. I therefore believe that the votes of a state should be counted as voted and not given wholey to one candidate based on the majority of the state.

2) The other way to "fix" the electoral college is absolve it. In doing so, I believe when one votes, a quiz should be taken that asks people various questions from where a candidate stands on different issues to their background. It would be short quiz, maybe only 10 general questions or so from a bank of many questions(cheating being a problem) If the voters answers, let's say 6/10 or so correctly, then that person's vote counts. In this way, uninformed citizens are not voting for a candidate based on reasons that are irrelevant to his candidacy and possibly future presidency.

You said bypartisanism he he he you know their are like 8 political parties 2 of which are gaining power because of the Republicans and Democrats attacking each other with some true and untrue facts the sheeple figure they will go for another party.