Why Americans Don't Vote

[proud2BlibKansan]

Americans don’t make strong showings on Election Day for a long list of reasons
By DAVE HELLING
The Kansas City Star

My vote doesn’t matter. I forgot to register. I can’t leave work. I don’t know where to go. I have kids at home. It’s confusing.

The list of reasons people don’t vote is long.

Why? Because the list of people who don’t vote is long.

Here, in the cradle of democracy, between 80 million and 90 million people — about 40 percent of U.S. citizens old enough to cast ballots — won’t vote this November. And with two wars, a precarious economy and the first major-party African-American candidate ever topping a ticket, this vote is considered the most important and compelling presidential election in a generation.

“It’s horrendous,” said Jacob Soboroff, executive director of the election reform group Why Tuesday? “If the United States is supposedly the world’s most famous democracy, why is our voter participation near the bottom of all countries?”

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/721883.html

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. The freedom to be STUPID.

[BlooInBloo]

5. Yup.

[ColbertWatcher]

15. I would vote for that, but, nevermind. n/t

[yourout]

2. Here is the bottom line.....Republicans do not want people to vote. If 90% of the US population....

did a little research and then voted there would NEVER be another Republican President.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Why? Because whether they admit to it or not, they know deep inside

that the country is run by the corporations and don't think there is anything to be done about it.

[whirlygigspin]

6. interesting take on things, through the looking glass

try another perspective, as seen from outside.


http://writerscafe.ca/book_blogs/writers/michael-adams_american-backlash.php (audio blog for writer's)

[TooBigaTent]

4. WHich is why, IMO, if a very strong progressive view was espoused by a candidate,

victory would result without the ass-backwards "strategy" of appealing to the uncaring, flighty, centrists who fuck up the system.

Real progress would be a tidal wave washing away the rethugs and their fellow-travelers.

[ToeBot]

7. Because I'm constitutionally disenfranchised, always have been.

But it's OK, it would be hard to change and democracy is more facade than reality anyway.

[Warpy]

8. How about the biggest one?

The voting place is near my house, not at work. It opens after I leave on my commute and closes before I get home. Even if I leave an hour late on either end, I still have no place to put the kids for an extra hour because day care doesn't operate like that.

Face it, everything is stacked against having people vote during their working years. The government planned it that way. They don't want working people to vote.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. We have advanced voting here in Kansas

It's awesome. Plus you can request a paper ballot. Every state should have this.

[Warpy]

12. They do that here in NM, too

but the polling places are still at home, not at work, so the same barriers exist. We got paper ballots in 2005 after 17,000+ of us had our votes erased by DVRs in 2004.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. We can vote till 7pm and on Saturdays

We can also mail in our ballot. There is really no excuse not to vote in Kansas. It is almost too convenient.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. "All politics is local" Tip O'Neil

A lot of Americans don't bother to vote because things never seem to change for them. They go to work, raise their kids, watch TV, volunteer for whatever local charity, mow their lawns. As far as they're concerned they have better things to do than worry about who the next boss is going to be because things, for them, aren't going to change much.

The system will continue, in their eyes, no matter who's running it.

If, and when, what happens affects them personally, then they might get interested in what the politicians are doing.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Very true

You can actually make a difference at your local level.

[razors edge]

14. Voting would just

show my consent to be ruled by them. It gives them legitimacy.

[MindPilot]

16. It's like buying a lottery ticket

For a moment I get to feel like it might mean something, but it really doesn't.

I vote so I have a valid license to complain; I harbor no illusions that my vote actually counts or is counted.

[Toucano]

24. Then we should be able to do it at the 7-11. n/t

[MindPilot]

25. And buy as many opportunities to vote as we want.

Scratch off to see which dickhead is going to be screwing us for next term!!

I think it's a good idea--certainly as good as what we have now.

[anonymous171]

17. Nov. 4 should be a national holiday.

[Angleae]

18. Because it's usually a choice between

Moron #1 & Moron #2. Either way I get screwed.

[melm00se]

19. I live in NC

and early voting is offered here so it makes voting a snap...

[Blue_Tires]

20. oligarchs depend on smaller, uninformed voting bases

very easy to manipulate

[Romulox]

21. The choice is generally Corporate Candidate A vs. Corporate Candidate B. nt

[KharmaTrain]

22. I Still Hear The Jury Duty Line...

I'm not sure it's exclusive to my area, but the local courts use the voter rolls when they call in people to serve and the old tale is that if you don't vote, you won't be called.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. I believe they use drivers licenses here

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

23. Some don't vote because they don't trust the machines..

[bdamomma]

26. no matter what we have to vote this November

or pay the consequences.