Vote!

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Inferno

I dont vote because in my opinion most of what these politicians promise are just empty promises

And politicians make empty promises because they know that the winning party gets in with most of the population not voting for them. They are counting on the exact apathy that non-voters are demonstrating.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I don't buy the whole dictatorship argument. I've never seen any statistic that suggests that a low voter turnout encourages the rise of dictatorships. If anyone has such a statistic, I'd love to see it. I can think of one example that directly condradicts it: during Hitler's rise to power, voter turnout in Germany was generally increasing. The only time he experienced a setback in his percentage of popular vote (November, 1932), corresponded with an overall decrease in voter turnout. By contrast, the peak of voter turnout in the Weimar Republic was the 1933 election which gave Hitler 44% of the popular vote and allowed him to set up his dictatorship. I'm not suggesting that greater voter turnout leads to dictatorships, but it certainly doesn't prevent them.

Well, if you honestly think that it was higher voter turnout that led to the Nazis gaining power, you're out to lunch.

I'd blame it on a totally broken economy and a party that promised reforms (such as getting rid the Treaty of Versailles), along with blaming scapegoats (the Jews) as the cause of their ills, among other things. Maybe voter turnout was higher as a result of these things?

[Hakan]

I think it'd be a far more profound statement to have nobody vote than have everybody vote.

Why not vote? Because none of the parties reflect your values because there are really only 3 parties. Because the idea that getting off yoru ass to vote every 4 years somehow diludes you into thinking that this is a vibrant democracy? That a vote not cast is just as good a protest vote as spoiling a ballot or voting for the marijuana party. Because the chances of your vote influencing the results of an election is less than you dying in a freak accident on the way to the polling station?

[RedHot25]

In my view (and I agree that you should vote, but understand where you are coming from)...at least go to the polling station to spoil your ballot. Write what you said on it, or whatever, but at least get out there.

[The Goon]

To lighten things up...

Martin, Harper and Layton are flying on the Executive Airbus to a
gathering in British Columbia when Martin turns to Harper and says,
chuckling, "You know, I could throw a $1000 bill out the window right
now and make someone very happy."

Harper shrugs and replies, "Well, I could throw ten $100 bills out the
window and make ten people happy."

Not to be outdone, Layton says, "Well I could throw a hundred $10 bills
out the window and make a hundred people happy."

The pilot rolls his eyes and says to his co-pilot, "Such arrogant guys
back there. Heck, I could throw all three of them out the window and
make 32 million people happy."

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Well, if you honestly think that it was higher voter turnout that led to the Nazis gaining power, you're out to lunch.

I'd blame it on a totally broken economy and a party that promised reforms (such as getting rid the Treaty of Versailles), along with blaming scapegoats (the Jews) as the cause of their ills, among other things. Maybe voter turnout was higher as a result of these things?

Big deal.

The point is adequately refuted. High voter participation did not stem an authoritarian government taking power. To the people who think that voting every four years is the check on a government retaining absolute power is ****ing laughable.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

In my view (and I agree that you should vote, but understand where you are coming from)...at least go to the polling station to spoil your ballot. Write what you said on it, or whatever, but at least get out there.

Why so some poll clerk student can glance at for enough time that it takes their brain to recognize that it's a spoiled ballot and throw it in the paper shredder?

Nice protest.

[Shazam]

To the people who think that voting every four years is the check on a government retaining absolute power is ****ing laughable.

Canada has never had a government retaining absolute power. Not even close.

Wanna see a government that has (or at least used to) absolute power? Go look at North Korea.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Why so some poll clerk student can glance at for enough time that it takes their brain to recognize that it's a spoiled ballot and throw it in the paper shredder?

Nice protest.

Rough day today, Hakan ?

[ken0042]

It's been a while since I've seen a spoiled ballot, but when I scruteneer I believe Elections Canada had to account for the spoiled ballots; and in the event of a recall the spoiled ballots are re-examined.

[Hakan]

Sorry for the cynicism. It just chaps my ass when we have millions of people who do basically jack all in terms of civil duty for four years and then they get all high and mighty about voting as if that's the ultimate thing you can do for your country. It stinks.

Voting is the LEAST you could do if you really cared about democracy in your country or your nation's health. Apathy comes in all forms, and just because you've cast a probably uneducated ballot for some party you probably know nothing about or how their policies will likely affect you doesn't mean you're a concerned passionate Canadian who cares about their country.

edit: I've been studying electoral politics way too much. Oh well, I still voted and I'll vote in every election until the day I die. But I will passionately endorse someone's right NOT to vote.

[pope04]

Originally Posted by kermitology

It's not a right.. it's a responsibility! GET OUT AND VOTE! If you don't know anything about the parties or the MPs, it's your RESPONSIBILITY to know. Besides if you know the party you know the MP. SO VOTE!

Well said.

I voted at the advance poll.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Please tell me you're always conscientious about everything you're supposed to be responsible for. No? I thought not. And since when the hell did the word "responsible" mean "mandatory"? http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&lr...ne:responsible

Gawd, stop it with your damn rationalizations. It sounds like you're simply trying to justify your stance. You don't need to justify it, ok? It's still your choice. Yeesh.

I never said that responsibility meant mandatory. What I meant was exactly like the responsibility for doing your job. If you dont do it then you get fired. People arent required(it's not mandatory) so there's no consequence for not voting therefore it's a right.

And if I'm ****ing you off so much about it then all you have to do is simply not respond anymore. As long as I have an opinion on it I'll state it.

[V]

So octothorp says:

I'm not suggesting that greater voter turnout leads to dictatorships, but it certainly doesn't prevent them.

and you refute him with:

Well, if you honestly think that it was higher voter turnout that led to the Nazis gaining power, you're out to lunch.

I'd blame it on a totally broken economy and a party that promised reforms (such as getting rid the Treaty of Versailles), along with blaming scapegoats (the Jews) as the cause of their ills, among other things. Maybe voter turnout was higher as a result of these things?

Did you read what he said, or just started blindly typing??

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Sorry for the cynicism. It just chaps my ass when we have millions of people who do basically jack all in terms of civil duty for four years and then they get all high and mighty about voting as if that's the ultimate thing you can do for your country. It stinks.

Some of those millions have children to raise, grandparents to take care of, jobs to go to, do laundry, even grocery shop. In between all that maybe they need some free time?

Voting is the LEAST you could do if you really cared about democracy in your country or your nation's health. Apathy comes in all forms, and just because you've cast a probably uneducated ballot for some party you probably know nothing about or how their policies will likely affect you doesn't mean you're a concerned passionate Canadian who cares about their country.

Yes, it is the LEAST they can do, which is precisely why they should vote.

Oh well, I still voted and I'll vote in every election until the day I die. But I will passionately endorse someone's right NOT to vote.

It doesn't mean people can't criticize other people for not voting. And I hardly think that makes someone "high and mighty".

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

Did you read what he said, or just started blindly typing??

He edited his entry between when I read it and you read it.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Well, if you honestly think that it was higher voter turnout that led to the Nazis gaining power, you're out to lunch.

I'd blame it on a totally broken economy and a party that promised reforms (such as getting rid the Treaty of Versailles), along with blaming scapegoats (the Jews) as the cause of their ills, among other things. Maybe voter turnout was higher as a result of these things?

You must have missed the part of my post where I said "I'm not suggesting that greater voter turnout leads to dictatorships". I fully agree with your list of factors leading to the Nazis gaining power. There's no question that economic depression is going to lead to increased voter turnout: voting in Canada went up over 25% between 1926 and 1935. I'll say it again: there's no corrolation between voter turnout and the likelihood of a dictatorship gaining power.

edit: oops, Dominic was taken also pointed out the same thing. But no Shazam, I did not edit that line. I only edited the part that appears below, after the word "edit:". Heck, that line is even in the part that you quoted in your post.

[Shazam]

Sorry Octothorp, I wasn't trying to say "you" specifically. It was the generalized "you".

A better phrase I should have used is:

"Well, if someone honestly think that it was higher voter turnout that led to the Nazis gaining power, that person is out to lunch."

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Inferno

I never said that responsibility meant mandatory.

Originally Posted by Inferno

It's not a responsibility. It's a right. If it was a responsibility it would be mandatory.

Hmm...

Originally Posted by Inferno

What I meant was exactly like the responsibility for doing your job. If you dont do it then you get fired. People arent required(it's not mandatory) so there's no consequence for not voting therefore it's a right.

Nice obfuscation. So tell me, who is responsible for selecting the next government in an election?

Originally Posted by Inferno

And if I'm ****ing you off so much about it then all you have to do is simply not respond anymore.

You're not ****ing me off. Don't overestimate yourself.

Originally Posted by Inferno

As long as I have an opinion on it I'll state it.

As will I.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by The Goon

To lighten things up...

Martin, Harper and Layton are flying on the Executive Airbus to a
gathering in British Columbia when Martin turns to Harper and says,
chuckling, "You know, I could throw a $1000 bill out the window right
now and make someone very happy."

Harper shrugs and replies, "Well, I could throw ten $100 bills out the
window and make ten people happy."

Not to be outdone, Layton says, "Well I could throw a hundred $10 bills
out the window and make a hundred people happy."

The pilot rolls his eyes and says to his co-pilot, "Such arrogant guys
back there. Heck, I could throw all three of them out the window and
make 32 million people happy."

Best thing I've read on the forum in ages!