I’m not going to vote. You heard me right. I’m not going to vote. Not for Clinton, not for Obama, not for McCain. Call me unamerican, but I’m not going to vote.
I’m not big on politics, nor do I claim to know a great deal about it, or history for that matter. My views are probably considerably biased in that respect. However, based on what I know and believe right now, I have no reason to vote.
1. THE GAME IS RIGGED
Throughout American and world history, there has been controversy over the possibility of elections being rigged. Some elections may have passed by without suspicion, but this may just be because the methods of those responsible were more careful. I don’t want to seem like a conspiracy theorist, but it seems likely that powerful organizations would be behind the control of elections (whether they be corporations, political parties, or dare I say secret societies).
Robert Heinlein said “Of course the game is rigged. Don’t let that stop you–if you don’t play, you can’t win,” but I disagree. What am I going to win, anyway?
Even if elections were not rigged, the system itself is flawed. Among other flaws, the electoral college makes it so that the electoral vote is the one that counts, not the vote of the people.
2. MY VOTE DOESN’T COUNT
If I were to vote, I would probably vote for Barack O’Bama, who I perceive to be the lesser evil. But my vote doesn’t count, and neither does yours. Besides the fact that the electoral college pretty much cancels out the people’s vote, it’s doubtful that my vote will actually sway the election.
“The odds that your vote will actually affect the outcome of a given election are very, very, very slim,” according to economists who have studied the subject in depth. My vote doesn’t make a difference.
3. THE PRESIDENT IS A FIGURE-HEAD
Being that the elections are probably rigged, there’s a reason why the powers-that-be have chosen whomever gets elected - he will do what he is told. So even if you think your candidate has what it takes to change the world, he’s not necessarily going to be true to his promises. As comedian Bill Hicks said:
““You know only a handful of people actually run the country, it’s provable… After you’re elected you are ushered into this smoke-filled room with the twelve industrialist capitalist scum-fucks that got you elected, a screen comes down and you are shown a film of the Kennedy assassination from an angle you’ve never seen before, looking suspiciously off the grassy knoll. The lights come up and they [say] to the new President, ‘Any questions?’””
So, there you have it, my opinion on voting. Feel free to attempt to persuade me otherwise if you’ve got good reason, but until that time, I guess I just don’t see the point. Thoughts?
Hmmm? I, uh, am not sure who to vote for. This is the first time since I turned eighteen and gained that valuable right to vote, that I am perplexed. Gosh they all seem so nice. Almost too nice don’t cha think?
At first I was all for Obama, not crazy about Hilary, and really didn’t want another republican aka, McCain. Then I thought well, Hilary may not be bad. And then McCain mentioned putting the tax freeze on gasoline for the summer and I thought well maybe, a republican couldn’t be all that bad. After all, who wants to pay $4.00 per gallon.
I too wonder what impact my one measly little vote could make a difference in. And, what if no one voted? What would happen? Of course that will never happen. People vote because we are told that if we don’t vote, we don’t have the right to complain about what happens. For the record, I voted for Al Gore. If I could do it over I would still vote for Al Gore. I wish he was running. Until he does, I’ll probably sit back with you and let all the rest of the registered voters disillusionally punch little holes into their cards and drop them in the magic box.
It would be interesting to see what would happen if nobody voted! But I agree, that would never actually happen!