You stupid fuckwads didn’t vote. You’ll cry a torrent of tears when they raise your tuition but you won’t vote. You cry about the environment but you won’t vote. You’ll complain about your inability to make a decent wage but you won’t vote. Get up off your fat fuckwad ass and try to move a pencil. I hope your tuition gets so high you pay until you’re 80! I hope you have to eat shit like Kraft dinner for the rest of your lives! You stupid fuckwads! —I Voted
This article appears in May 5-11, 2011.
I didn’t vote because I couldn’t make an informed choice. Luckily, I’m already done school, paying off my loans, and have a decent paying job. I haven’t voted in my life and I’m doing just fine. I just happen to be in the early 20s, single, lower middle class demographic….meaning regardless of who I vote for, I’ll be getting screwed. So before you shit on people who didn’t vote, remember that not everyone is as passionate about politics as you are.
lol I just said this on a different thread.
Did you *try* to get informed, Xeno?
yea dude ..i didn’t vote for a neo-con or a left of centre peep or a total lefty..nothing here for a libertarian/true conservative..stfu..
I’m a libertarian too Martym… so I’m NOT the only one in this berg afterall – go Ron Paul! lol
No I didn’t try. Politics is not my cup of tea. For example, I don’t complain when taxes are raised because it’s going to happen regardless. If they lower taxes they have to cut funding to something to make up the difference. A lot of people can’t see past short term gains. It’s a personal choice not to vote, just like it’s a personal choice on who you vote for. I’m not an anti-government lazy youth, I just choose to not vote blindly and as a responsible adult I feel like that was the best choice in my situation.
yeah he mad
Sorry Xeno hearing someone say, “No I didn’t try [to vote]. Politics is not my cup of tea.”. Is like hearing some say, “No I didn’t pay my bills, finances isn’t my cup of tea.”
If you had tried to get informed in the first place you wouldn’t be voting blindly, oh but politics isn’t your “cup of tea”. What a stupid reason not to vote.
Exactly, snoop. There’s really no reason not to be politically informed in this day and age where everything is a google search away.
Annoying post is annoying.
Xeno, information was readily available for anyone who can read and operate a mouse. You’ve already proven that you meet those criterias, so you have no excuse.
“regardless of who I vote for, I’ll be getting screwed. ” Lame excuse. Not voting basically ensures others of similar age group / income bracket / interests are not heard. Congratulations.
” not everyone is as passionate about politics as you are”. Again, uber-lame. When you fail to care about politics, politics takes care of you…and you’re back to the getting screwed part.
You completly ignored the reason I said I didn’t vote, but that doesn’t shock me because you seem like the type of person who plugs their ears and says “na na na na” when ever someone has a different opinion on things than you.
I didn’t vote because I couldnt make an informed choice. I didn’t get informed because I don’t follow politics. Your comparison about finances is childish and idiotic. People like you are one of the main reasons I generally don’t like to discuss my political standing or lack of.
People who don’t vote should be charged a fine.
I’m not making excuses about not voting. I was just explaining why I didn’t vote. I’m quite happy with my decision. What’s the point of forcing myself to become involved with something I have no interest in?
It seems like some of you are looking at me as a repersentative of the non-voters when I’m not. I’m just someone who has zero interest in politics.
“What’s the point of forcing myself to become involved with something I have no interest in?”
Breaking news: You are already involved. I am not passionate about dentistry, but I still brush my teeth.
Why should people be charged a fine? The whole idea of a democracy is to give people the choice, and part of that choice is choosing not to vote. Forcing people to vote isn’t very democratic, and reeks of stalinist dictatorship.
If people don’t want to vote, so what? It’s their right. Y’all are just bitching about the lower turn out because Stephen Harper formed a majority government and you don’t like it and figure if more people would’ve voted, the result wouldnt’ve been the same.
And no amount of whining and bitching is going to change the fact that the Cons have a majority. The election is over. It is what it is. For the love of GOD can we please move on and start focusing on more productive things? Fuck sakes.
We all have to do things we’re not interested in from time to time Xeno, it’s called life.
You can try to justify your laziness all you want but at the end of the day you’re still just lazy and like it or not your actions do have an impact on the political landscape so in actuality you have participated in politics, you just made a stupid decision.
Congratulations you are a proud member of the lazy apathetic party of Canada.
amen to that dartmouthy..i love me some RP..
I voted, I always vote.
This is one time I can say, I really wished Canada, or at least my area had a “Raving Looney Party”…but seriously, IMO I believe it is way past time to have a box at the bottom of every ballot for any election that says ” NONE OF THE ABOVE”
So that for people in an area who believe none of the politicals are worth voting for, can vote that way.
WITH; a law in place that if the most votes cast are for “none of the above” all of the candidates on that ballot cannot run again…EVER.
I believe that would then give us real choice.
I didn’t vote either. I have voted in the past, but this time around, no way.
Why? Because I didn’t feel like giving my vote to any of the options available. None of them inspired any sort of confidence with me to make me want to give them my vote.
Could I have gone, stood in line and spoiled my ballot to say what I wanted to say? Sure. Did I? No. As far as i’m concerned I had my say by not voting.
Is it my right to vote? Yes. It is also my right not to vote. Unless / until we are FORCED to vote, it will remain my personal decision.
Why should people be charged a fine? The whole idea of a democracy is to give people the choice, and part of that choice is choosing not to vote. Forcing people to vote isn’t very democratic, and reeks of stalinist dictatorship.
If people don’t want to vote, so what? It’s their right. Y’all are just bitching about the lower turn out because Stephen Harper formed a majority government and you don’t like it and figure if more people would’ve voted, the result wouldnt’ve been the same.
And no amount of whining and bitching is going to change the fact that the Cons have a majority. The election is over. It is what it is. For the love of GOD can we please move on and start focusing on more productive things? Fuck sakes.
Fucking double post.
Again people are ignoring the fact that voting is a right not a requirement. I’m not lazy, but there is no use in repeating myself. People are arrogant and rude when you don’t agree with them. Calling me lazy is a cop out. If you disagree with my decision thats fine, but calling me lazy just proves that you are ignorant. You don’t know me or have any idea what my life is like. I kept my comments respectful, yet some people choose to incorperate insults in healthy debate and opinion. It really doesn’t shock me in the slightest.
You’re certainly entitled not to vote, Xeno, as dumb as i think that is. However, you can’t claim you’re not involved in politics and the political system because by living in a country that is governed by a government, you are involved by default.
The post about dentistry is right.
I agree with the OP.
People who choose not to vote forfeit the moral right to complain about elected officials.
I voted on Monday. I’ve voted in every federal election since attaining voting age.
By doing so I’ve earned the moral right to complain about the government or not as I so choose. All those who chose not to vote might as well STFU, although it is a free country so I don’t think this will happen.
“Breaking news: You are already involved. I am not passionate about dentistry, but I still brush my teeth.” … quite a flawed argument.
I also didn’t vote … so sue me.
I actually agree completely with PK…which does not usually happen LOL
I kind of agree with More too… that option should be available on a ballot, and those people shouldn’t be allowed to run again if enough people vote they all suck.
But, I did vote…
Compulsory voting is in effect in Australia:
“Voting is compulsory both at federal elections and at elections for the state and territory legislatures [in Australia]. In the states of South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia voting at local elections is not compulsory. About 5% of enrolled voters fail to vote at most elections. People in this situation are asked to explain their failure to vote. If no satisfactory reason is provided (for example, illness or religious prohibition), a relatively small fine is imposed ($20), and failure to pay the fine may result in a court hearing.”
I was waiting to see how long it would take for the “you don’t vote so you can’t complain” thing got brought up.
As I’ve stated I did not vote. Not out of laziness, however (to the clown that has labelled us non-voters as lazy: yeah, good try bud). Also as I’ve stated I didn’t vote because I did not feel confident in any of the candidates. None. Could I have gone for the one who is less likely to screw the country up even more? Sure. I, however, do not want a PM who will screw it up the less, I want a PM and government who will do great things for our country. And, in my opinion, none of them are the right fit for that job. Just my opinion.
And perhaps had they spent less time slinging shit at eachother and telling me why they don’t like one another, and more time on how they’re going to make our country better and how things for me, a Canadian, are going to improve I would have been more inclined to vote.
So, by not voting I have had my say. I have expressed my opinion that I feel none of the candidates are suitable to run our country. And since it is my right to express my political view in that manner it is also my right to, therefore, have an opinion on the matter as a whole.
Deal with it.
i’m torn, i always vote but i will defend your right not to
Red Dawn Down Under? Why were we not told? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rxrRzE6CWs
I kid , Antipodeans >; ) I just think this version really Rawks. Enjoy
salsasue: If you’re waiting for the ideal candidate to come down from the mountain to show us the way of perfect government you’re going to be waiting a hell of a long time. Maybe none of these candidates were ideal, I know that I didn’t agree with some parts of the platform of the candidate I voted for but you’re not just voting for one person, you’re also voting for a party, and a direction. There is never going to be a perfect person to vote for but by living in this country you should be having a say in the direction that it goes.
Not voting as a statement is a pretty useless one in my opinion. Someone is still getting elected, and the lesser of evils (even if you don’t necessarily believe in the concept) is still better than no say at all.
If you really don’t like the way elections are handled, or the possibilities to choose from (there are many more parties than just the top 3) then maybe you should get involved in election reform or something like that: http://www.fairvote.ca/en/problem.
Not voting and not taking an interest in how the country is run IS laziness. Especially considering there is more to it than just casting your ballot every so often. If you don’t want to vote, support your opinion by doing something else about it.
We need voices or else nothing will ever change. Or it will change, it will get worse.
…and that’s my 2 cents.
“… quite a flawed argument.”
Incomplete statement is incomplete because missing counter-argument is missing.
yea that’s what we need ..more gov’t involved in even our right to abstain from basically the same old bs …that sounds democratic fer shore..
If you like a mixture of what each party has to offer who do you vote for then? A Majority and they push through some of the things you like, a minority and they push through nothing because of the bickering with them all wanting power.
I didn’t vote, couldn’t due to PR, so either way I have to bend over and take it.
Honestly think you should all stop complaining about this, you have a majority now and at least some shit is going to get done and the rest of the world will finally do business with you because they know it’s going to be stable for 4 years.
You’re right, that is YOUR 2 cents. Your opinion. I’ve already stated mine. It is YOUR opinion that not voting is lazy. It is MY opinion (in my case) that it is not. Opinions differ. You don’t have to agree with me and I don’t have to agree with you or anyone else. Diversity, my friend.
And I’m well aware that a perfect candidate isn’t going to just drop from the heavens. However, with this election I didn’t feel I should give my vote to ANYONE. I didn’t say anything about the top three, I said NONE of them inspired me to want to vote for them.
You voted, good for you. You exercised your right to do so and to express your opinion. Hurray for you! I, however, chose to exercise my right and the manner (voice) in which I express my opinion.
So, you’re telling me I should have voted for just anyone because I’m supposed to vote? Gone in there and put my little X in the box all willy-nilly without giving it any thought? What does THAT say? That, in my opinion, is not accurately expressing myself. Had there been an option available to me that I felt comfortable voting for I would have gone. That, however, was not the case with this election. I have voted in the past and have done so with pride, and I’m sure I will vote again in the future.
I’m aware I’m in the minority here. I don’t expect everyone to understand me or agree with me. Call me whatever names you want to call me. I made my decision with the information available to me. What is done is done.
People have the right to choose not to vote, but I wish more people would. Particularly the youth. I am 27 and have voted in 6 elections (3 federal, 2 provincial and one municipal) – I didn’t always vote for the same party, my priorities have changed since the first election I voted in. For people who say they have no interest in politics or who say they’re going to get screwed anyway, would you vote if you lived in the middle east? Would you still say you’re still going to get screwed anyway? It’s not laziness, it’s apathy. You won’t decide a change needs to be made until it affects you, and then it will be too late. Meanwhile, the rest of us are trying to prevent negative change and provoke positive change. Yes, something always needs to get cut or raised, but if our priorities are straight (women’s rights or fighter jets?) then we can make this country the best it can possibly be.
Xeno = Survivor?
Obviously people don’t have to vote but doing your small part in determining your representation in government is a no-brainer to me. I don’t want others determining that for me. Most aspects of one’s daily life are shaped by governmental decision-making. I like to think, in some small way, I can help elect somebody who can help myself and my family. If it doesn’t work out, like this time, that’s the bitch of a democracy. I wouldn’t give up my vote for anything.
I vote for whatever party will increase my bank account balance. Gotta love those TFSA and stocks that rebound into record profits 🙂
I would like if everyone voted and wanted to vote but I certainly wouldn’t want it to be forced. I used to not really be all that informed because I am a youngin’ and it doesn’t really seem to come up too much in my life and when I was in school but it really doesn’t take much. I’m lucky that I now have a job where we are allowed to put headphones in and listen to whatever. I was sick of my music one day so I put on the news radio station. I got addicted, it was like ooomg, there’s all this shit I didn’t know about Halifax, Canada and the whole effing world! Now I feel like if I don’t get to listen to the radio at some point in the day, I feel so out of touch and like I could be missing something. Which I would be. If you can’t or don’t want to turn on the radio for even ten minutes a day, you can just easily browse through the parties’ platforms online or browse Google news on your smartphone for like one minute. I once had a friend who didn’t know what Al-qaeda was or who our mayor was or even who our god damn prime minister was! I think my issue is just that I don’t think a lot of people, especially young people are informed enough when it’s so easy to be. If you’re informed and decide not to vote, I think I would be okay with that. But you should still vote ;D
I didn’t counter because I’m too lazy to do so (the same way my lazy self didn’t vote), and would have hoped that your well versed self would be able to pick up on why.
Annoying post is still annoying.
… and
those that didn’t waste their time, will be yowling the loudest. but you know what? you have no fucking right to go on about fuck all, if you did not vote.
to those that wanted change, and still got harper in, looks good on ya, in less than 4 years time. you cannot get change, if you keep re-electing the same tired old party crooks. change means having new faces and people in office. and you don’t get that, by going out and getting sucked into the smiling viper’s game plan.
but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, if harper fucks up again( we know he will), then the next highest will be asked to form a government. we can only watch and wait for the downfall of the harper regime, and oh yes, that is exactly what it is. sorry kitty, even if you have the hots for this dude, he still has to go, for the good of canada.
There’s never going to be a party or candidate that is everything you want. That’s why it’s hard. It’s always a lesser of 3 evils decision. I voted for the first time ever yesterday. It is a right that my grandfather’s generation fought and died for. People in Lybia and Egypt are fighting for this right. We shouldn’t take it for granted. I can’t argue with anyone’s personal choice, it just moved me to see the millions of people in those countries be so passionate about something that almost half of us don’t take advantage of.
That’s why I voted, I’m not the most informed or politically minded guy either, but you should have a say in how your country is run.
“I just happen to be in the early 20s, single, lower middle class demographic….meaning regardless of who I vote for, I’ll be getting screwed.”
I also fall under that category, but the reason we get screwed and overlooked is because so many of us don’t vote.
I respect your choice, just offering my perspective, like I said, I voted for the first time in my life yesterday, so I’ve not voted in the past for similar reasons to the ones you offered.
Ditto bird… well said
Yo Xeno, I didn’t ignore the reason you didn’t vote, I actually wrote it in the post:
‘If you had tried to get informed in the first place you wouldn’t be voting blindly, oh but politics isn’t your “cup of tea”.’
lets compare it to what you said:
‘I didn’t vote because I couldnt make an informed choice (voting blindly). I didn’t get informed because I don’t follow politics (not your cup of tea).’
same!
Sure you’re free not to vote, just like I’m free to think and post about how your reasons behind not voting are fucking stupid.
So I’ll exercise that freedom again: not bothering to follow politics or inform yourself is stupid, lazy , and apathetic.
PK,
I think that encouraging people to vote IS productive, and I guess bitching about how they don’t is a part of that, or maybe it’s just that this is a bitch board.
If the person/party I voted for got in, I’d still be encouraging my peers to vote and bitching about how they don’t because I believe it’s important. It was important in this election, and it’ll be important in every election to come.
Just to clarify, I do agree (and always have believed this) that if you don’t vote, you do really have no right to complain. Even sticking a blank ballot in the box says something. A lot more than not doing anything.
There are a lot of reasons people don’t vote so it’s hardly the case that you’re making a point that anyone will get. Going and putting a blank ballot in the box DOES make the point that you aren’t choosing anyone because you don’t like the options presented.
I just don’t think people should be FORCED to vote in a democracy. Voting *is* important, and I did vote on Monday night, but if my neighbour, for instance, doesn’t want to? Well their decision.
Forcing people to vote is a little too dictatorship-like to me.
Snoop — all I’m saying is, the election’s over and what’s done is done. No point in expending energy on something that’s now pointless.
The OB is definitely on overkill though. The solution is not to harass and berate and wish ill upon non voters, but rather to make the political process more interactive and understandable. This just further divides people and discourages people from voting, if anything. Explain why people should vote, don’t just yell at them and call them names.
C’mon folks, lets be realistic here, of 308 ridings there are 11 in Nova Scotia, so sure, scold people on a National level, but in the grand scheme of things our province is at the mercy of Southern Ontario and don’t you forget it.
God. I wish people would just stop bitching about this once and for all.
I’m in the same boat as salasue. Didn’t vote because there was no one I wanted to vote for. That’s my right, that’s my choice. It’s not a democracy if I don’t have the choice to abstain. I am also of the mind, however, that I have never felt a change in my quality of life over the past so many years due to whomever was in charge. I won’t be complaining (unlike 99% of the people I know…) about whatever Harper decides to do over the next four years.
I’m of the mind that SOME of the people that complain about non-voters are really just mad that the non-voters didn’t vote WITH them AGAINST a conservative majority. I just wish people would admit that. Seriously, I have never heard so many people in my life complain about voter “apathy” until they heard about the possibility of a majority conservative government, and I don’t think it’s entirely a coincidence…
PK, I agree that forcing people to vote is a little much. I think that if we did that the voting turnout would be better but all the people who are just voting because they have to would still be uninformed and would just pick whoever blindly. It’s better to have poor informed voter turnout than good blind voter turnout. But it’s even better to have good informed voter turnout.
Maybe bitching about it isn’t the most productive way of obtaining a good informed voter turn out, but damn it makes me mad. Especially when lame justifications like “I don’t follow politics” are given. I have way more respect for people who didn’t vote and realize they should have and admit they were just being lazy, than people who actively and proudly cite their apathy as a valid reason not to vote. As if political apathy can ever be spun as a good thing in a world where dictatorships and totalitarianism have and still do exist.
It makes meh ANGWY! And I think they deserve to be called out on their bullshit.
A better person than I (like tommyjules902?), would focus on positive efforts to get young people interested in politics. To be fair I mentioned it in the Thanks Jack bitch, but since then I’ve thought about it some more. There is much room for improvement in how elections info reaches young people. There’s much room for improvement in political education in our public schools. Technology and education is the way to go.
Oh, PK, I forgot to say that I think the issue of poor voter turnout will never be pointless as long as we live in a democracy. After any election, seeking ways to improve voter turnout for the next election is just as important as it is during the campaign weeks. We should always strive to better the system.
In a democracy you also have the CHOICE to not vote – if you want to exercise that option. It’s not ideal but it’s still your right. As will all choices however there are consequences. If people aren’t interested in politics that in one way or another affects their lives then the challenge is to find ways to get them engaged and interested. Bullying or shaming people into voting is not ever a respectful option.
I voted,so I’ll bitch all I want.
For all of you who said you didn’t vote because there was no choice…I hear you & agree 100%.
THat our so called ‘leaders’ of all political stripes were mostly engaged in mud slinging & back stabbing each other, for me , didn’t make it any easier.
Its kind of sad that the federal politicians are as bad if not worse than a bunch of elemenatary school children in their actions. Have any of you ever tried to watch an on camera live feed from Ottawa, where our over paid & over priviledged MP’s perform their ‘duties’…booing, cat calls, inane interuptions…. just shameful actions.
I think that the gov’t doesn’t want young people to vote and they want low voter turnout, I think most of you would agree. I really feel there’s a concsious effort to turn people off and turn people away. We can’t succumb to the powers that be. They’ll never care about us unless we make our voices heard.
I agree, snoop, that we should be finding ways to encourage people to vote — my point was, that, everyone is going on and on about how low the turn out was, but no one’s suggesting anything for next time, which would be a much more productive way of spending our time.
Bitching about the results and being verbally abusive towards those who don’t want to vote (there’s been seemingly a lot of hostility towards those who didn’t vote) isn’t going to help anyone. Explaining why it is important to vote is a much better way of operating and a much better use of energy. 🙂
And sadly, I actually agree with More-on’s last post. *sigh*
All these vote nuts are fairly gung-ho until you say you are going to vote conservative. Often when people urge you to vote I get the feeling they are really saying don’t vote conservative. I hardly see Canada turning into some Orwellian nation.
Don’t worry pettyK.
I doubt there’s many adults who’ve ever watched that shit & were actually impressed by it.
We can go back to dis’in each other on some other topic ~:p
hay, anton! where ya been? long time no post!
I agree — they want you to vote because they figure you’ll vote non conservative. they’ll encourage you not to vote if they know you’re voting how they don’t want to you. LOLZ
And one of the STUPIDEST and most short sighted campaigns throughout this past election was the “anyone but harper” campaign. Have these people ever heard of the concept of ‘vote splitting’?
Heh.
You’re on, more-on! 😀 haha
No faith in any of the candidates? Fine. Either spoil or decline your ballot.
As an aside, Uganda has mandatory voting. They were able to overturn privatization of their fresh water supply. Voting gets shit done.
apparentally not PK..and now the lefties are all wtf happened ..duuh!
Australia and Brazil also have compulsory voting.
i saw it coming but i was surprised at the blocs decline. better learn how to speak french robbie
this is informative http://www.idea.int/vt/compulsory_voting.c…
I was worried about a Conservative majority back at dissolution but, in the last few weeks, the surge of the NDP gave me hope that the election might end in a Conservative minority or, dare I think, an NDP minority. I don’t particularly share Harper’s vision of Canada but his party won. Just have to hope Canadians see through him over the next four years and elect a more left-leaning government next time.
I don’t have anything against compulsary voting unless it becomes some big expensive boondoggle to implement.
You don’t express your opinion by not voting. You express nothing. If you truly felt that way, you’d have marked a spoiled ballot.
i actually lived/worked briefly in the riding that elected the first greeny ever ..omfg…no wonder i didn’t fit in ..:)
themax:
I say the same thing to people who say they express something by not voting. Props.
When you have a family, a mortgage and a car loan you will vote.
if you are single and young and not voting I don’t get too worried, because I know the day will come when circumstances of your life will be such that you will feel compelled to vote.
When they want to close the school your kid/s go to you will get involved.
The TTFN Family Collective came down to two old boomers about to wander out to the pasture and a kid still in school – ohmyfuck, we voted for Smilin’ Jack – OUTDAMNSPOT!!!!!UNCLEANUNCLEANUNCLEAN!!!!’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXZSF13pM-I…
You don’t vote ONLY FOR YOURSELF, you vote for the good of your country and the people in it. Thanks a lot to all of the fuckers who “couldn’t be bothered” or “aren’t that into politics”… I bet that if you knew what the Harper Gov’t was up to you would change your tune.
Trying to set women back decades .. GREAT!!!!
I can proudly say FUCK YOURSELF.
Those of you who voted Harper might think that is insensitive but I think that what you did to our country, our environment and our women is evil.
Oh, and for the people who say “there wasn’t anyone to vote for”.. well, guess what? Part of growing up is realizing that there isn’t always the perfect candidate for you.. so, if you can’t find the right one PLEASE just vote for the closest thing to your political leanings so that the people you care about aren’t getting screwed over!
If I wasn’t busy and thought a Con would win Halifax I would have voted. As it is, the NDP could run an autistic circus clown in metro Halifax and get 50% so I’m not too worried.
And “bitchinlocal” shut the fuck up. Part of freedom and democracy is that if you don’t like any possible leaders you aren’t obligated to endorse one! Don’t expect other people to help support your cause you bitch.
Tommy, what are you talking about? The government doesn’t want young people to vote? Hell they were all screaming for the young vote, especially the Liberals, Greens, and NDP. They send you the notices, have advance polls, mail ins if your out of your riding, drives to and from the polls. My God they do just about everything other than marking the “X” for you. And they would if they could. So don’t go spouting they don’t want the young vote. That’s just plain crap.
Bro Tim, I believe there is some truth to what Tommy said. I think the youth vote will tend to be idealistic which would translate into votes for the NDP or Greens. I would think Conservative strategists could live without a large youth turnout.Which is now a moot point.
BitchInControl,I like the spirit of your rant, just about says it all..
Sodeypop, you may have been trying to be fashionably insensitive with the autism reference but it makes you look like an assh… er.. conservative supporter. Enjoy Harper’s victory, he certainly did better than the Habs.
Quit making excuses. Over the last few weeks the media were going on about twitter this and twitter that, youth rallies etc, etc, etc. However when push came to shove, in other words, getting their asses to their polling stations, they couldn’t be bothered. The only one they can blame is themselves not ANY of the parties. Sorry I don’t buy it. It is a fundamental right and freedom, and no one can stop you from making your “X”.
Iggy’s “Anyone but Harper (…and Layton)” strategy will go down in political history along with this little gem of brilliance…
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JxU5CrvrZNM/SwWr…
Beyond ignorance, another reason to not vote is because the FPTP system is an archaic form of democracy in which your vote may count for nothing at the federal level. Ask the 60% of Canadians who didn’t vote Conservative. And I’m not saying that because I didn’t vote Conservative; it seems apparent that a transition to some form of proportional representation would make people more willing to get interested in politics and voting.
At the very least, right now Parties get a subsidy for each vote they receive as long as their share of the popular vote passes some minimum theshold, like 5% maybe. It might be better to offer people a small refundable tax credit – say $10 or $20 – for voting. Then you might at least have some incentive to be interested even if it’s for your own private gain.
Very seldom does any party ever talk about youth issues. Young people, especially single young people are largely ignored by the political process. I challenge you to name one issue that any of three major parties discussed during the latest campaign, that effects people aged 18-25.
Sure they want your vote, but they really aren’t doing much of anything to earn it.
Canada’s just an old country, and being that voter apathy is high a amongst the youth, politicians have to make business decisions to pander more to the older crowd. I agree with Bro Tim for the most part, you can lead a horse to water but can’t make him drink. I voted, so I don’t have to make excuses, but the fact is young people don’t vote because it doesn’t seem relevant to us because most of the time it isn’t, or at least isn’t presented to us in a way that makes us see that.
I think more effort should be made to change this norm, but it’s not really in politicians best interest and they’re old themselves so it’s challenging to make younger people identify with you or see your vision, nothing new there. The Cons don’t want young people to vote because as the saying goes “a young conservative has no heart, an old liberal has no brain”
“Sodeypop, you may have been trying to be fashionably insensitive with the autism reference but it makes you look like an assh… er.. conservative supporter. Enjoy Harper’s victory, he certainly did better than the Habs.”
I hate Harper. And get over it, it’s a damn joke and you’re being too sensitive.
Tommy have you even read ANY of the party platforms? Youth was a big part for jobs and education. Especially the NDP platform (unaffordable but there). The problem is the youth don’t have time or whatever their excuse is, to read, to investigate, to see what the parties are all about. Older adults are guilty of this also but the difference is they mark their “X”.
Name one, Bro. I’m sure they’re in the platforms but like you said many grown adults don’t read them either, when it comes to what gets put out there, most of us only see attack adds and bullshit. I guess it’s not a problem specific to the youth, but I dunno, I’ve personally never really heard what any of the candidates, local or federal, plan to do to help the youngsters. All you hear about is families and businesses. But you’re right, I never bothered so much to really find out. I think we should meet in the middle somewhere. Young people definitely need to make more of an effort, I spent weeks leading up to the election encouraging my peers to vote, I don’t know how successful I was. Politicians aren’t really making much effort to reach us though, I believe because they think we don’t care.
It’s a cycle, who should make the first step towards improvement? This is kind of parallel to our police/community relations conversation. The thing about young people though, is that they’ve never been known to be proactive. We should try a little harder to get them involved and the only way to do this is to engage them to think about things THEY actually care about. Again though, change is challenging in politics and it’s easier to maintain the status quo and keep talking to the people who are already listening, preaching to the choir so to speak.
Then get off your ass and look. Fuck I’m getting tired of people who have to be spoon fed and not do anything for themselves. Your laziness is your problem, not mine. I did the work. I voted and even though my candidate didn’t get in, my party did. If you don’t like it, you should have done something like take an hour or so of your day, read the platform, then take another 15-20 minutes to go to your polling station and vote. If you can’t do that then don’t bitch about the government you get.
I understand and respect those who do the work and in all good conscieous can’t vote for any of them but not someone who won’t even lift a finger and make statements that just aren’t true. And no I am not going to do your homework.
@sodeypop
Sorry, but I get EXTREMELY frustrated when people say that they don’t vote because they feel it somehow doesn’t apply to them.
Anyone who thinks who thinks our government doesn’t impact them needs to watch the news more because it DOES and it’s not my fault if they can’t make that connection.
Also, if you think I’m a bitch for having common sense then I feel sorry for you.
What if you just have ZERO interest. None. Zilch. Nada. It’s not that I can’t search … I have to search crap all the time for school etc … I just do not like politics.
… and I don’t complain about gov’t … rarely very rarely do I make comments.
Again, Bro I voted. I don’t need to make any excuses. I’m just speculating on why young people don’t vote. They may sound like excuses or whatever, but they are real reasons good or bad they exist.
This is my problem with conservatives. They always say what “should” be done but they don’t seem to make realistic plans to make these things happen, they just talk at people.
The fact is young people aren’t voting, in the end it’s up to them, yes, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us shouldn’t make a little effort to get them involved. We teach our kids how to do a lot of things, why can’t we teach them how to be politically involved? It’s not easy to learn on your own. I think it starts when you’re still a minor. It REALLY feels like your gov’t doesn’t care about you when you go a to a high school that’s falling apart and can’t afford basic supplies, for example. Politicians NEVER bother to go to high schools either, where the graduating class will be of voting age within a year. It’s hard to all the sudden dive in it at the age of 18.
We don’t expect them to learn how to drive or eat/live healthy on their own, do we? No, we teach them. We find ways to make them listen, why should it be any different for politics?
“Sorry, but I get EXTREMELY frustrated when people say that they don’t vote because they feel it somehow doesn’t apply to them.
Anyone who thinks who thinks our government doesn’t impact them needs to watch the news more because it DOES and it’s not my fault if they can’t make that connection.”
You did NOT read and process my message properly. You got from it exactly what YOU wanted. I said I knew who was going to win and didn’t feel like booking time off work and pissing people off on that particular day. That doesn’t translate into “I don’t care about politics or how it affects me”.
Oh, and it’s not “common sense” to demand people vote the way you want, or if they don’t like the choices to just vote for how you want them to. You are selfish and lack a basic understanding of democratic voting.
..beeatch o’ loco.. i vote for you to STFU..who the fuck are to criticize anyone’s vote..dang you’re apiece of work.
Election laws, sodeypop, state that employers must give their employees time to go vote. So your “I didn’t feel like booking time off of work” point is garbage.
I’m aware of that. They would have to move someone to fill my position. And sorry, when I’m on my feet for 10 hours I don’t feel like doing extra walking. And Halifax is such a close election too! I may have come close to dooming us to have a Conservative candidate, because we all know how close behind they were…
So I didn’t vote this time, fucking sue me. If I’m not impressed with the choices I have the freedom not to anyways.
Fuck you OP, I didn’t vote because I wasn’t represented by a party in my area; thus refused to vote for a party that doesn’t represent my interests.
Second, the entire center to left is divided amongst a bunch of squabbling loons, and the right is officially now a Fascist movement.
So, Fuckwad who did vote; fuck you for not voting hard enough!
I voted, and still got fucked. like everyone else who voted. I personally think anyone who didn’t vote DID say something in the tune of ” No matter how I voted, I will be fucked Three ways to Sunday” Asshole OP.
I don’t buy into the idea that if you don’t vote then that somehow means you have no right to complain about the government(which seems to be your standpoint, “I Voted”).I used to feel that way, though. I thought that if people didn’t exercise their right to vote, then someday down the road that right would be taken away from us; and I still feel think that’s going to happen some day–it’s just that my right to vote doesn’t seem like such a precious thing to me anymore. Did you ever see that episode of South Park in which the kids at the elementary school are asked to vote for their new school mascot, and the two choices are a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich? The political system in this country is just as rigged as the 2000 U.S. federal election was. I don’t doubt that there are people in the NDP who genuinely want to change that system, but they’re fighting a lost cause. Because Jack Layton is just as big a douche as Ignatieff and Harper. He made promises that he couldn’t possibly have kept, just like every other politician who ever was or ever will be. Political campaigns are just public relations propaganda, and they have about as much validity as most company’s mission statements. Basing your vote on what politicians
say during the campaign, or on what they supposedly stand for is a lot more harmful than not voting, because you’re lending validity to the false belief that democracy actually exists within the walls of Parliament House.