EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: I DID VOTE, I SIMPLY LEFT THE CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT BLANK. Alright, Im going to give my .02 cents on this election as a non-voting 19 year old, at the risk of possibly alienating myself from some friends in real life who read this board. My reasoning was this. Firstly, I live in a state that has voted for the democratic partyline for the last 40+ years, so my vote wouldnt really matter in the electoral college, although I suppose you could say it would've been one more for the nationwide popular vote. The candidates. What can I say about them? I would not vote for Bush. His decision to go to war in Iraq was disastrous, and any other mistake in any other job in the world, you would be fired for it. Although I support some of his stances, IE on abortion, this mistake was too big to over look. He claims to have a strong stance on terrorism, but I disagree with his isolationist type policy, and of his spurning of many of our European allies. His outdated and draconian stance on the war on drugs was the straw that broke the camels back. I also think he is a hawk, and I dont think Iraq will be the last war he leads America into, although I disagree with the sensationalists that proclaim a new draft will be happening immenantly. Trust me, as a person of the prime age, I have looked into this, and have been innundated with information about it for longer even than the last 4 years. Kerry? Wouldnt vote for him either. What can I say about the man? His actions speak more loudly than his words. I understand (and agreed) with his anti-war stance, but some of his past (recent past, 10 years ago, not Vietnam) actions made me question him. For one, voting against the original Gulf war, which to me was a clear cut case. He mentions passing the 'Global Test', but he votes against a war in which our allies included countries like Syria? Give me a break. It seemed like the man would say anything that was popular, not what he knew to be right. Also, a lot of the democrats attitude turned me off towards the whole process. Im currently in college, and many of my professors make no efforts to hide their political beilefs. Not to mention many people I have read, or heard say, they will leave the country if Kerry did not win. That doesnt sound like someone who is a true patriot, but more like a spoiled brat, who if things dont go their way, will automatically assume its because everyone else was fooled or is simply stupid. All of the name-calling that went down towards Bush Supporters was in my eyes, un-called for, and most of all, for a party that preaches tolerance, hypocritical. Tolerance only if your views happen to be the same as ours, if not, you're a brainwashed fundamentalist christian who doesnt know their elbows from their @sshole. I know Im not the only one in my age group who felt this way. Many of my friends feel exactly the same. In fact, there was even a really good episode of South Park in which the adults of South Park are pressuring one of the characters to vote or be banished. The choice, however, is between a giant douche and a turd-sandwhich, which is a decent enough analogy of the choice today's youth had yesterday.(no, we dont take political advice from cartoons, but it was good satire) Despite all the sensationalist journalism, this was not a battle between good and evil. This was a battle between two old men with staggeringly simple (or in some cases) no plans at all for the future of America besides vauge rhetoric.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. youre not allowed to complain about ANYTHING regarding politics.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Well, now that we've got that knee-jerk, nonsensical reaction out of the way...
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. I have to agree with OGHT. If you don't vote you shouldn't get a soapbox to stand on. If you didn't want to vote for either candidate, then there were a half dozen others. If you didn't want to vote for them...you're living in an imaginary world, and expecting too much. If nothing else, see your vote as the ability to bitch and complain the next day.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. wow, the wisdom of a 19 yr old cynic guided by the comedy of south park. I got to say, you’re a complete dumbass. maybe some day you'll find the perfect candidate and you can vote---but you probably won't, cause all you just said was ****************, and you're just too lazy/fearful to become emotionally invested in your own country's future
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. There were not half a dozen others. The other choices present on the ballot were extreme on both sides of the spectrum. On one hand, there is Badnarik. Yeah sure, Ill vote for a guy who is all for letting big buisness take advantage of the little guy with little or no government interference! On the other, there is Nader, who I dont think is fit to lead his way out of a brown paper bag.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Im a complete dumbass but so far all anybody has said is because I did not vote Im an idiot, I dont care about the future of the country. No one has made any effort to disprove any of the points I brought up. Ok, keep thinking that, and wonder why voter turnout for my age demographic was as low as ever.. Im not looking for the perfect candidate, Im looking for an ideal candidate. There are plenty of candidates in the past that Im sure I would have had no qualms voting for- Kennedy, for example. Where have those kind of politicians gone?
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. So don't vote for President.There were other elections ,propositions,etc. that you could've been heard on.You could have volunteered to work in a local campaign.You could've done about anything other than not vote. Or if you think the system's that corrupt become an anarchist.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Who said I did not vote for those? Perhaps I should have said abstained instead of did not vote. I voted in all of my local elections/propositions, I just did not vote for anyone on the presidential ballot.. Edited the thread title to help clear up any confusion. I did vote- for term limits for local county council, for my local congress seat, and all of the other issues that were on the ballot. Except president of the United States.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Don't really care what you have to say because you did not vote. I voted for Bush in NYC some would say my vote did not count in this state so what? I wanted to vote for him do I did it any way. Maybe you were too busy delievering your newspapers?
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. I disagree for three main reasons. Out here in Oregon you had a choice not between only a giant douche and a turd sandwitch, but here like in other states you can vote for third party candidates. To often I feel forced into voting for the lesser of two evils. Sadly, that was my choice this year, however, as in the 2000 election I choose to vote for a third party because the first two really were not speaking to my issues. So I guess the reason here is don't feel pigeon holed into two choices and if you are, there is usually one that is worse than the other. Second, the presidential race is not the only item on ballot. You have a range of other things to decide: everything from US senator to mayor to dog catcher. Every state voted on ballot measures such as gay marriage, insurance reform, urban sprawl, stem cell research, transportation, school bond measures, and so forth. These initiatives may have a direct and very real impact on you personally from taxing you, to limiting or expanding your rights... Third, in US is one of really only a handfull of nations in the world where the people have a substantial say in how the government is run. Because of our form of government we are free, but with that freedom also comes a responsibility to take action at election time. Freedom and participating in our government are linked, they need each other to survive. If Americans decide to let others do the voting and stay away from the polls in large numbers, they do so at the risk of freedom. So there you have it. Eat a turd sandwitch, vote on ballot measures, and don't give up your freedom.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Bing! Plus you could have written someone in that you think would be a great president. Or have left the presidential line blank. As I did for State Senator.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. if you were around at the time of Kennedy, you’d find something wrong with him---hindsight is always 20/20. We live in a society which allows us to elect our leaders, you chose not to and then try and make that some sort of stance. What kind of system would you prefer? If you are complaining about the candidates then where were you in the selection process? Was the presidential election the only thing on your ballot? Do you fail to make the connection that when you vote for a local politician, you are voting to extend his/her career and this is how people eventually get to the top? Or is it too much work to find out about your congressman etc.. and much easier to pass of South Park inspired dribble as philosophy? As far as kids your age not voting, I do not find it surprising---it takes some years to realize that most things are not handed to you pre-packaged and perfect, but rather everything comes at a cost, and if you want change, it takes time and work.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Man it would help if people actually, you know, read the edits I made for the last time: I DID VOTE, I JUST LEFT THE PRESEDENTIAL CHOICE BLANK. I VOTED ON ALL LOCAL ISSUES/FOR LOCAL CANDIDATES
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Okay, thanks for clarifying. Complain away.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Here's the write in vote of at least one person I know of..... Jesus Titty ********ing Christ. I thought they turned images back on.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Don't mind these people getting on your case. As a citizen, you have the right to vote or not vote for anyone you choose. You are under no obligation whatsoever to make an informed choice if you don't want to. By the way, enjoy having your ass drafted to Baghdad, sucker.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Would you like to bet me ten thousand dollars, right here and now, that nobody ever drafts this guy to Baghdad or anywhere else? Right now. Ten grand. Ready?
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. Like I said, I dont think and have never thought there would be a draft, no matter who is in office.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU VOTE FOR KEVIN SHEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! asshat
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. just saw this, makes it better, but still don't understand not voting for the most important position on Earth, just because you're not in love with any of the candidates
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. that was a fine day in the annals of voterdom remind me to pos rep the man when I get a chance.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. So we're going to bug out of Iraq? Good. We're screwed there anyway. Draft, continued quagmire in Iraq, or pulling out. Choose one.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. A. Not voting merely avoids the issue. No election is about choosing the "right" candidate. Its about the one who's going to do the least harm. B. Nothing wrong with cynicism and South Park. (most episodes. I want the 10 minuts of my life I spent watching the crab people back.) C. The reason he has no business complaining is that in quickly scanning his description of candidates, he's just uninformed. Tell me more of this "global test" Kerry has imposed, which cedes our control to France. I'm dying to hear about it.
Re: Why I did not vote: A view from a 19 year old on election 2k4. I'll go with number four. Sorry Dan, you don't really get to define all the terms.