For those of us living in the states who need to vote, I know it can be easy to get your head in the code and forget a lot of things, but today is election day. You're not asked to do a lot of things, but voting is one of them. Please try to find some time to get out and cast your ballot, no matter what your party or preferences. Remember that you don't vote to make a difference, you vote because it's your obligation to do so.
Remind HN: Vote
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Re: Remind HN: Vote
#2> ...no matter what your party or preferences.
I think this should be something all people hold true, no matter how corrupt our politicians have or will become.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#3If you vote for a losing candidate, then you can complain that your voice has not been heard.
If you vote for a winning candidate, then you can complain when they break their promises.
If you don't vote, you have nothing to complain about but your own laziness.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#4I love being from a "contended" state. My proud state of Virginia, home sweet home!
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#5> Remember that you don't vote to make a difference, you vote because it's your obligation to do so.
Really? Its my obligation to help the rest of the people pretend we live in a democracy?
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#6If you have an obligation to vote, then it's an obligation to make an informed vote. If you haven't attempted to evaluate your decision carefully and can't make an informed vote, please don't vote.
Informed voting > not voting > uninformed voting
Greg Mankiw has a column on this: http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2006/11/election-day-approach...
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#7In Australia voting is mandatory. If you're registered to vote and you don't you can get fined. If no one is registered to vote at your address you'll tend to get lots of mail about it (but ultimately, staying off the electoral roll isn't difficult).
I used to think this was a bad idea as it forced people to vote who didn't really care.
In recent years I've come around to the opposite point of view based pretty much entirely on how badly voluntary voting in the US works.
When voting is voluntary there is an incentive with certain groups to dissuade, discourage or simply make it difficult for others to vote. In US elections there have been cases of bribing homeless people to vote with cigarettes or alcohol. Getting into vote can be difficult with long lines.
In Australia pretty much all these problems go away because you have to vote and the AEC (Australian Elecotral Commission) has to provide enough capacity to do so so, unless you go in the first hour or two of the morning, you can typically be in and out in 5-10 minutes tops.
Politicians love an apathetic population. So by all means go out and vote.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#8If you have an obligation to vote, then it's an obligation to make an informed vote. If you haven't attempted to evaluate your decision carefully and can't make an informed vote, please don't vote. Informed voting > not voting > uninformed voting Greg Mankiw has a column on this: http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2006/11/election-day-approach...
In competitive races I agree, but there are odd cases where voting uninformedly might be better than not voting, though you can always leave particular parts of the ballot blank. If your vote doesn't actually sway the race, then in effect you're only voting for your demographic to be taken more seriously in the next election's "likely voter" screen that pollsters use, which is probably in your interests to do (this is one reason the elderly get disproportionate weight in politics, because they vote at high rates).
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#9I don't know how laws and culture are in the USA, but in my country (Italy) vote is not an obligation. Vote is a right, and a hard earned one. It is also considered a civil duty. But never an obligation.
The choice not to vote is also an expression of one's idea: that he does not believe in any of the politicians, or in the system as a whole. Lack of votes is also a measure on how much people believe in politicians. Italy has never been so corrupted in the past (transversally, in every party) as it is now, and this is reflected in the fact that the percentage of people who did not vote at the last elections was the highest one.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#10> Remember that you don't vote to make a difference, you vote because it's your obligation to do so. Really? Its my obligation to help the rest of the people pretend we live in a democracy?
If more people voted, if fewer people like you held an attitude like that, then you wouldn't have to pretend.