Who(that can) isn't going to vote on Oct 14th?

[J pold]

Originally Posted by fotze

My grandfather took me aside once and said "I went to war so that someday you could use my hardship to further an argument you will make on something called the Internet", he said it didn't matter to him what the topic was, that I have the permission to say he fought for whatever my opinion was.

He died before the internet but that is a sacrifice I have always cherished.

Ha-Ha! awesome

[llama64]

Originally Posted by kn

I blame voter apathy on our electoral system. I'm in a Conservative stronghold so any vote for the other parties is meaningless. If we had PR, then a non-Conservative vote here would have more value (or a Conservative vote in a Liberal stronghold).

I often wished I could vote for the Prime Minister directly. Many times the guy I wanted to be PM isn't with the party I want running things.

Hence why I believe voting for the Greens in any strong hold is a decent alternative this election (trying desperately to not sound like a booster...).

An abstained vote is an ignored vote. A vote for a fringe party in significant numbers (at least to dent the dominant party) sends a clear message. Especially since the Greens percentage of the vote will be closely monitored across the country.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I have no idea why you think that not voting is the same as saying "I think the CPC is doing a good job for now"

If that's how you felt then go out and vote for them.

So far we've seen people come up with any number of reasons (most of which I think are actually rooted in lazyiness) not to vote.

Don't kid yourself, no one thinks that you not voting is an endorsement of the current ruling party.

Shantz, do you ever cease to be a ######? Read my post again and then edit yours.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Shantz, do you ever cease to be a ######? Read my post again and then edit yours.

Done, but wheter it's you not voting or someone else your logic is incredibly flawed.

You think I'm ######ed because I misread your post and assumed that you weren't voting, fine sure I made a mistake, but my position is at least sound, where as yours makes absolutely no sense.

Not voting is not in the least bit similar to a statement that you are happy with the status quo, I'd say from most of the posts here that it is much more akin to whining about not liking the status quo at all.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by llama64

Hence why I believe voting for the Greens in any strong hold is a decent alternative this election (trying desperately to not sound like a booster...).

An abstained vote is an ignored vote. A vote for a fringe party in significant numbers (at least to dent the dominant party) sends a clear message. Especially since the Greens percentage of the vote will be closely monitored across the country.

I actually agree with a lot of the Green party's platform.

I am the type of person who argues that everyone should vote. For those who don't vote on the basis that you can't be bothered to find out what the platforms are, I ask why you're wading through so many threads on this website when you could be reading about the platforms for the parties that are represented in your riding.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by 4X4

It makes perfect sense. To some people, it doesn't matter if it's the Libs or the Cons or any other party that is actually on the radar. They're satisfied with the status quo. To be satisfied that the country is consantly being run fiscally and socially moderate isn't the dispicable act that deserves to 'have the ground they walk on spit at'. It's a general acceptance of the political climate.
What has changed in the last 15 years? Not much.

Given the green shift platform I think it would be a mistake to assume that if the Liberals get in things will be status quo.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Done, but wheter it's you not voting or someone else your logic is incredibly flawed.

Flawed? People that don't care whether it's the Libs or the Cons are perfectly reasonable, since the two parties' policies are quite similar. I don't know what is so flawed in this thinking.

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

You think I'm ######ed because I misread your post and assumed that you weren't voting, fine sure I made a mistake, but my position is at least sound, where as yours makes absolutely no sense.

I simply don't like you. You know that. You don't like me either, so it's all good. Calling you a ###### is just satisfying to me because I really, really don't like you.
A big reason why I don't like you is because you have such a hard time understanding other peoples' opinions. You're telling me that my logic is flawed and that it makes no sense. Really, if you think about it (if you can comprehend this), the problem lies with you. YOU are the one that doesn't understand and therefore you think that my logic is flawed and makes no sense.
I've been on this site for 4 years and your condescending attitude toward anything that you don't understand is tiring. I can no longer hide my pure dislike for you and your mindless rambling.
Don't respond to my posts if they're too complicated for you. Just leave them alone and let me debate with people that respect my opinion, but disagree with it.

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Not voting is not in the least bit similar to a statement that you are happy with the status quo, I'd say from most of the posts here that it is much more akin to whining about not liking the status quo at all.

This is your opinion. Mine is different. I think that if someone is satisfied (or at least NOT dissatisfied) with the status quo (the present political and social landscape of of the country), the right to stay home on voting day is theirs. If you disagree, fine. If you don't understand what I'm saying, request clarification. Better yet, just don't read my posts.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Given the green shift platform I think it would be a mistake to assume that if the Liberals get in things will be status quo.

I guess that means that some would be non-voters had better say that they don't like the looks of the green shift.

[J pold]

Holy rumble in the Bronx!

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Bring_Back_Shantz, I like you.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Bring_Back_Shantz, I like you.

Maybe a poll is in order

[HOOT]

This thread got so derailed it isn't even funny.

How did the question of "Who is not voting and why?" turn into Hitler and how people that don't vote have no souls.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Dion

Maybe a poll is in order

While we're at it, can we have a poll to see if the majority of CP might want you to change your avatar? I for one am too skinny to be continually losing my appetite every time I read one of your posts.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Flawed? People that don't care whether it's the Libs or the Cons are perfectly reasonable, since the two parties' policies are quite similar. I don't know what is so flawed in this thinking.

You don't know what is flawed in this thinking? Really?
So here we have two parties that have some pretty fundamental differneces in how they would handle
a) the current economic crisis
b) the need to do something regarding climate change
c) various social programs
and you don't think that people who think the two parties are the same have some flawed logic? Yes, both parties tend to lean toward the middle, but it would appear to me that both parties have some pretty opposite views on what are turning out to be some of the largest issues of this election.

I simply don't like you. You know that. You don't like me either, so it's all good. Calling you a ###### is just satisfying to me because I really, really don't like you.
A big reason why I don't like you is because you have such a hard time understanding other peoples' opinions. You're telling me that my logic is flawed and that it makes no sense. Really, if you think about it (if you can comprehend this), the problem lies with you. YOU are the one that doesn't understand and therefore you think that my logic is flawed and makes no sense.
I've been on this site for 4 years and your condescending attitude toward anything that you don't understand is tiring. I can no longer hide my pure dislike for you and your mindless rambling.
Don't respond to my posts if they're too complicated for you. Just leave them alone and let me debate with people that respect my opinion, but disagree with it.

Ah the old I don't like you so you must not understand my post argument.
Good one. I'm trying to give you logical reasons why I think your reasoning is flawed and the best you can come up with is "your ######ed and don't understand my position so don't read it and don't comment on it"
That's super!

This is your opinion. Mine is different. I think that if someone is satisfied (or at least NOT dissatisfied) with the status quo (the present political and social landscape of of the country), the right to stay home on voting day is theirs. If you disagree, fine. If you don't understand what I'm saying, request clarification. Better yet, just don't read my posts.

I totally understand what your saying and I think your logic is dead wrong.
If people are happy with the status quo then they should be voting to keep it that way.
What happened in the last time the Liberals had a majority?
What happened with all the people that were happy with the status quo who decided that not voting was a great way to keep that one up?
The Liberals lost and the status quo was smashed all to hell.
With voter turn out as low as it was, if any sort of significant portion of the non voters were doing so to keep the status quo it seems to me that they'd have been much better served to vote liberal than to sit at home on their butts.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

While we're at it, can we have a poll to see if the majority of CP might want you to change your avatar? I for one am too skinny to be continually losing my appetite every time I read one of your posts.

I could create a signature of her if you want

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

sit at home on their butts.

For the record this is not about being lazy. I notice a few people have pointed to that fact.

However if I am going to spoil my vote, why waste mine and others time by doing so?

[4X4]

re: shantz

I just simply don't think that the differences between the Libs and the Cons are as stark as some of the choices that other countries face. I think that alot of the people that stay home on voting day don't bother voting because they can see that changing from a Conservative government to a Liberal one won't change their lifestyle significantly. Maybe one tax goes up, but they get some kind of neat-o program as consolation, or one tax goes down, but now such-and-such is no longer government funded.

There are people like me that are "rooting" for a particular party because I've been paying attention to politics for awhile. But there are people that are not interested and as long as they don't see their world changing drastically, they're happy letting people like me and you and alot of the other posters in this thread duke it out.

Again, I'm not sure what's so hard to understand about what I'm saying. Just because you can see the differences between the Libs and the cons, doesn't mean that every eligible voter in Canada regards it the same.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Given the green shift platform I think it would be a mistake to assume that if the Liberals get in things will be status quo.

And should it happen, let us hope Stelmach suddenly channels the ghost of Lougheed.

Anyway, as far as the OT goes, I consider voting to be a civic duty, and something that is important for me to do, even if I generally feel that my vote carries little weight because I'm in the wrong area of the country. I would hope most people feel the same about the right to vote, but of those that don't, they have the right not to.

[chowdachad]

I'm voting, and i'll always vote as long as i'm capable, being able to vote and not is the difference between democracy and communism i like the first one better

[sadora]

I have voted in every single election since I was able to and don't plan on stopping. It's our responsibility and we should all be proud that we a say. To anyone who isn't voting, get off your lazy asses and vote, otherwise don't complain when things don't go the way you want them to.