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I vote in every election because it was how I was raised. You participate in the process to have a voice, it's as simple as that for me. But I also recognize that not everyone was raised in a home with great parents who worked hard giving me privileges that others do not have and are therefore not able to see a value in participating in the electoral process. From their perspective, it matters not who is running things, they end up screwed, so why bother.

That said, I am tired of reading about how those who didn't vote are somehow responsible for the current state of politics in this country. That's a lie. It is a manifestation of this country's inability to blame white voters for the results of their actions. There is no way to know what would have happened if everyone who didn't vote who could have did vote. That's all supposition. For all we know Mitt Romney may have been elected and if that happened we'd be in the same place politically, Republicans would just not be so openly racist about it and Russia probably wouldn't have an asset running the country.

What we do know is what would have happened if those who ignored the racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic character traits demonstrated by Donald Trump hadn't voted for him. He would not be president. So the reason we have Donald Trump is because, contrary to the actions of any other racial voting group, white voters (both men and women) voted for Donald Trump in the majority. There is no way to dispute the fact that, all other things being equal, if white voters had done as every other racial group we would not have Donald Trump as president.

I say all that to make this point. The key to changing this is not just making those that didn't vote to vote. Doing that is basically blaming them for the mess of which some other group is obviously to blame. That would alienate me and see no reason why they shouldn't feel the same. The key is to put the most blame where it is due, white voters. White voters must be shamed for their actions or they have no reason to change. But before that can happen they must be forced to accept responsibility for what they have done. And as long as we keep telling everyone it's someone else's fault (i.e. non-voters) , it validates in in the rationalizations of white voters who voted for this disgusting human being, that they have done nothing wrong.

redbai 8 July 7
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5 comments

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Hey, I voted for Bernie and then for Hillary. In my opinion, yes, the lion's share of the responsibility lies with people who voted for that orange dumpster fire, but it can't be ignored that, for example, 100,000 people wrote in a meme.

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The criticism I've heard is that those who didn't vote shouldn't complain about the results -- not just that non-voters should be blamed for everything.

Living in a democracy means being responsible for the government. Researching and filling-out a ballot once or twice a year is a minimal task. Not as easy a griping or posting memes, but probably easier than renting a DVD from a Red Box.

I have to admit though that I think it is better for people to not vote if they really don't care about governing. It's pretty clear that many Trump voters were casting protest votes and didn't have any specific policies in mind.

Protesting what? And exactly how does that explain ignoring his racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic rants? A protest vote FOR someone with that character is probably the most disgusting thing I can think of outside of actually working for Trump.

The idea that people who don't vote shouldn't complain about the results was created by politicians who suck at their jobs and people who have the privilege of going to vote without the threat of losing your job for being absent because you have to wait 6 hours in line. It's a comment that blames people who had nothing to do with someone else being elected and being corrupt for the actions of those who DID vote and put the corrupt person in office. If the government wanted people to vote they wouldn't be making up arbitrary rules to have the right to do so.

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I vote for the same reason I would punch a bear that was eating me. I don't think it will make a big difference to the outcome, but at least that way it doesn't look like I want to be eaten by a bear.

If you don't vote, the message you're sending is: “Do what you want, I'm already bending over.”
~ Taken from the NOW Show, edited for the American political system

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I realise this post is foremost about the US and as such I cannot comment as I am not an American citizen. I would however like to address the matter in more general terms. There are 22 countries which have mandatory voting systems. Australia, Argentina, Belgium to name only three. I believe there is a fine for non compliance, and I think that is okay. I am sure quite a few of you will cry, just big government taking away more individual rights from the citizen. How about looking at it the other way? Yes the citizen has rights, but also obligations, the obligation to participate in electing representatives to govern for the good of all. If they don’t do as they promise then vote them out the next time around. In the UK we have just celebrated 100 years of womens’ suffrage and I have always been aware that some brave women died in order that I might have the franchise to vote, and I make sure that I exercise that right.

I am an American and I find your comment quite welcome. It has always baffled me that voting was a "right" as opposed to an "obligation". In America, there is a party that is going out of it's way to make voting harder and limiting it as much as possible. To me this is so anti-democratic as to make them near traitors to the constitution that many of them have sworn to protect.

Voting should be mandatory. A responsibility to every citizen. I wouldn't have a problem insisting that anyone who wants any kind of government assistance would have to show proof of voting.

But for this to work, the process of voting would also have to be simplified. There should be paper ballots which can be verified and voting day should be a holiday in which everyone has an opportunity to vote. Currently an employer can punish you for taking time off to go and vote. That should be illegal.

Our voting system was designed as a mess and no one has bothered to address the incredible flaws in it because the men who created it are to be assumed perfect.

1

This hate and racism had been lying dormant then Fuhrer Trump was elected. He is a Nazi in my eyes. He must be impeached.

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