it's an obligation and it's a right, isn't it? "Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." - George Nathan
Far, far more bad officials were elected by good citizens who did vote.
I'm pretty sure all of them were, in fact...
Remind HN: Vote
341–350 of 391 posts
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#342I'm not going to vote. It's not rational. It's a lot of effort and my vote is proportionately very small and therefore can have no effect. EDIT: Whoever downvoted this, YOU are the reason that HN is going to pot. You may not like that I am not voting, but instead why don't you instead respond telling me why I'm wrong?
Rational Choice Theory says you are right, but it can't explain why people vote nonetheless, even though the perceived cost is so high for the small actual gain.
Some people seem to get value out of voting itself, regardless of the outcome, which is bad news for a rational choice theory only looking at the value of the outcomes and not the inherent value of the choice itself.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#343Earlier quoted context omitted.
That source doesn't have figures after 2005 and doesn't break it down by area. The skew is the population figure versus infrastructure and defense. I would imagine that the continued flooding will change the figure also. California needs to get ahold of its pensions, no one can fix that but themselves.
I agree about the pensions. 100%. My point was about the comparison between ND and CA.
My point is the comparison based on this one stat is pretty invalid due to population differences and basic moneys allocated to infrastructure and military by the federal government (I also bet they count the 4 reservations in the ND number which adds to the skew).
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#344Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are ideological divides but we don't seem to have the hot button issues (eg abortion) that the US does. This is I believe because religion does not pay a big part in the Australian political system and our religious institutions don't tend to be hugely politically active. The ALP (Australian Labor Party) are out "Democrats" (in the US sense; we had a Democrats party here that was something else and basically im…
The amusing thing is that in addition to the ideological divide within the Liberal party itself (between true small-L liberals and conservatives), the Liberal and National parties are not obviously ideologically compatible either -- the Nats are basically social conservative agrarian socialists. :-)
With environmental issues the Nats could do well to team up with the Greens in a lot of areas. But it would be a case of "don't mention the war" for the social issues.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#345[deleted]
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#346Earlier quoted context omitted.
I live in a different state, but I wouldn't be caught dead voting for Feingold. I know none of your local issues, but I know that he's co-author of the McCain-Feingold Incumbency Protection Act, which gags those interested in the issues from educating the rest of the electorate. Apparently Sen. Feingold believes that it's better to have an ill-informed electorate, and that we shouldn't be able to use our 1st Amendmen…
Sorry that you've been brainwashhed. "Apparently Sen. Feingold believes that it's better to have an ill-informed electorate, and that we shouldn't be able to use our 1st Amendment rights to put a voice to our ideas, " Let me get you on the record here -- you actually think the various "Americans for American Americans" groups are contributing to the debate? You think these groups deserve a voice? Let me re-enact a li…
As a volunteer in a grass roots campaign in the 2007 primaries, Mr. Feingold's unAmerican anti-free speech law was a major pain in our asses as we tried to fight the more established political interests. I am so happy to see that man go. He should retire or get an honest job.
Campaign finance laws make it so that candidates supported by passionate minorities cannot be heard. If you are not 1) personally rich or 2) a mainstream candidate in a mainstream party you have no opportunity to speak. This is ironic considering such laws are usually passed as a way to fight "entrenched interests", but they do exactly the opposite.
>"Sorry that you've been brainwashhed."
That tone is a little overboard for this website community.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#347For those of you looking to do some last minute research before voting today, my web app provides candidate information along with information on the positions each candidate supports or opposes: http://elect.io
Cool and easy to use. We actually worked on something similar where we ask your position on causes and show the grades according to policies: http://www.votereports.org
I saw your site mentioned on HN a few weeks ago and checked it out then.. I think it's great.. the design and user experience is especially well done!
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#348Earlier quoted context omitted.
Eloquent and wrong. Voting for anything other than one of the two entrenched parties is usually a waste of time and gasoline. There is no cabal of evil masterminds responsible for cynicism and apathy - it's an emergent property of the rules of the game. If you can join forces with like-minded citizens in support an idea that you believe in, as part of a movement that could change national policies for the better, the…
One thing I don't like about the moral «obligation» to vote is that to many people, casting a ballot is all the political action they can consider. Politics seems reduced to elect one of the two big parties. It seems that the alternative is, either to vote or to not make any political action. The truth is that many people are politically active independently of wether they vote or not.
One thing I don't like about the moral «obligation» to vote is that to many people, casting a ballot is all the political action they can consider. Politics seems reduced to elect one of the two big parties. It seems that the alternative is, either to vote or to not make any political action.
While others believe in voting, I believe in entrepreneurship for the sake of eroding politics.
I have deep philosophical problems with governments and politics in general. That's not likely to change.
However, I am not a cynical person. I believe I could change and undermine the influences of governments and introduce voluntary and non-coercive form of organizations.
Re: Remind HN: Vote
#349In 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…
I am Yank, Arab and Somali (I hold three passports) and I will soon be an Aussie, via marriage. I have spent a year in Australia. My feeling is that Aussies are not really as political as Americans. American voting is under-informed and has low turn out, but at least the few percentage of electorate that vote actually care . Aussies .. I am not sure if they don't care, or if they're just good at hiding their politica…
Australia is one of my most favourite places on Earth (Canada being the other, particularly Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver). I love Queensland myself. Bris vegas is a beautiful city. The only place I didn't like was Woden in Canberra, and I can see why Aussies are contemptuous of any Politician that lives in Canberra.
I think everyone should go to Australia at some point, visit the beautiful country. I also think everyone should go to Canada. Amazing places at opposite ends of the world.