S. Krishna's Books: Thoughts on Voting

Thoughts on Voting

After Tuesday's election, I've been reading comments and posts around the blogosphere regarding voting. Most blogs had some sort of VOTE! message on them. But one I ran across had a post (which the author thought would be controversial) regarding the right to not vote. Specifically, the author said that people have the right to not vote and that it's a glorious choice. [Edit: by this, I mean the author said that having that right is a glorious choice to have, not that not voting is glorious.] The comments section of the post consisted of people agreeing with the author. This bothered me because I felt like the author's post was incredibly controversial, yet there was no debate in the comments.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to share my two cents, as inspired by another blog.

I have not always liked the candidates running for President. Granted, I'm only old enough to have voted in 4 federal elections (2 of them presidential), but even before that I've always followed politics relatively closely. And now is the time to make a confession: I hate politics. I hate the backstabbing and fighting and the overall pettiness that it seems to draw out of great men and women. I hate how much money it takes to win an election in this country (believe me, I know - I worked at the Federal Election Commission for two years). I hate the gladhanding and the fact that politicians seem to be ridiculously self-congratulatory, and often put their own ambitions before the welfare of the people they represent.

But I am also an idealist: I love this country. I love what it stands for and what it represents. I love what it was to my father - an opportunity. He and my mother came to this country with absolutely nothing - now he is the CEO of a thriving computer software company that he built from the ground up. Only in America is my father's story a possibility. I love what this country is to me. I have the freedom to study political science while hating politics. I have the freedom to write this blog every day and say whatever is on my mind. And yes, I have the freedom to vote - or to choose not to do so.

But voters are the people who run the country. If you abstain from voting, you give up your most powerful tool to make a difference. So many people who complain about the state of the country are people who choose not to vote. I wonder what would happen if every single person voted in an election - how different would the results be? Would we have had 8 years of George W. Bush? Would we still have President-Elect Obama? And to counter that, what would happen if every single person exercised their right not to vote and didn't show up at the polls? Often, electoral votes are decided by frighteningly slim margins. What would have happened if every single Floridian eligible showed up to vote in 2000? Where would this country be, 8 years later, if Al Gore had been elected President? Would we all be driving solar powered cars and destroying coal plants? Or would we be in exactly the same place? It's a tantalizing question, and the only way to find out an answer is if as many people vote as is possible.

To me, voting is not only a right, it is an obligation. In return for the freedoms we enjoy, the federal government asks us for two things: taxes and that we show up at a polling place once every two years and make a choice. Often, that choice is between the lesser of two evils. It isn't written anywhere that you have to like the person you're voting for. But I think it's still important to make that choice, to examine the issues and consciously decide on a candidate. It's also important to note that the primary elections are when voters choose who the candidates on the general election ballot are. If you don't like the people running for office, but didn't bother to vote in the primary? Well, I don't have much to say to that. (And let's not forget the existence of third party candidates - maybe one of them will fit your fancy!)

I understand the sentiments of those who exercise the right not to vote. But I vehemently disagree with them.

So where do you fall on this spectrum? Do you vote? Do you not vote? Do you think it's important?

22 comments:

bermudaonion said...: There have been many elections when I didn't like either candidate. I have always voted, though. I just try to wade through all the stuff that's thrown out there and pick the best candidate for the job.; November 6, 2008 10:18 AM
Stephanie said...: What a fantastic post!! And I feel the same way. My husband's boss told me the other night he wasn't going to vote because his vote wouldn't make a difference. And that just burned me. I told him...that's his right. But I don't ever want to hear him complaining about the government or what is going on in this country. He gave up that right when he didn't vote!; November 6, 2008 10:26 AM
Kristen said...: Wow! Your post actually brought tears to my eyes... Thank you for writing this! The historical nature of this year's election has brought so much hope to many people who for so long were legally excluded from having a vote. I just hate giving in to and allowing the negative aspects of politics have the last word. I would much rather embrace your message!; November 6, 2008 10:36 AM
Rebecca said...: This is the first U.S. presidential election I voted in as I just became a citizen last year. I'm from Australia, however, where you have to vote - it's compulsory and I feel like this is too much on the other end of the not voting spectrum. I chose to vote - I voted my conscience and they didn't win - but I'm glad I did and I'm not disappointed with Obama. Like you said, sometimes you pick the best of the two choices.

But anyway, I think you're right: people who are the loudest complainers often don't vote. That annoys me greatly.; November 6, 2008 11:24 AM
Wendy said...: Terrific post...and I agree with you. If you don't vote, you cannot complain when things don't go the way you'd like them to go. Sure, you have the right to abstain...but I think that is a pretty passive-aggressive approach to life...and a bit lazy. Even if you did not like the two main candidates...you could choose to vote for a more obscure party or write in a name. I think Americans often take for granted the tremendous freedoms they have...one of which is the right to vote. So many countries do not allow the people to speak in this way. I have never missed voting in an election, and I will continue to exercise this freedom, right and as you point out OBLIGATION. Thanks for an insightful post.; November 6, 2008 11:33 AM
Meghan said...: I agree with you completely. It's nice that we have a choice to not vote, but then our voice is not heard - someone else's is heard instead. I mean, if 100% of the country voted, think what a difference we could really make, especially if many of us went in the same direction. This is why I think all of us should vote. We have so little control of the rest of what goes on in politics, so why not exercise our one chance to sway things our way?

I know that some of us in states that are solidly blue or solidly red feel that our vote doesn't count because our state always goes one way. Mine, NJ, is one of them. No presidential candidates campaign there after the primaries, because we are always blue. I think this campaign, however, showed that states can go the other way if enough people vote - our voices can still be heard.; November 6, 2008 11:56 AM
Veens said...: hmmm... i have mixed feelings- I know what u mean and i agree but i never got around to feeling that when the people i m voting for r so unworthy... y vote?!

and thats the problem- but well i always end up voting :D; November 6, 2008 11:58 AM
Amy said...: What I was trying to communicate with my post is how great it is that we have that extra measure of freedom. Australia, for example, has compulsory voting. You get fined if you don't vote. I'm grateful that we don't have that. It's not pro-choice. ;)

There will never be a day when people don't show up to vote...but all rights must be protected. Freedom means that sometimes people will use their freedom to act in a way that is different than you do. If we take that away...this country's glory starts to fade. If we tell people they must act against their conscience and according to ours...we are less free.

My post wasn't about people who can't be bothered. It was about people who make a specific choice and act in a way that aligns with their ideals. And that, I think, is what this country is all about.; November 6, 2008 12:51 PM
Amy said...: One last clarification (I had to go back and reread my post) I didn't say not voting is a glorious choice, I said the freedom to act according to your conscience is a beautiful thing. Those are two totally different things.; November 6, 2008 1:00 PM
Alicia said...: I always vote because voting is a way to get your voice heard. I feel that if I do not vote, I have no right to complain about the state of our country!; November 6, 2008 1:19 PM
S. Krishna said...: Amy - I realized what you were saying in your post, but I think when I summarized it, it got convoluted. I inserted an edit, hopefully that clarifies things!; November 6, 2008 1:21 PM
S. Krishna said...: I also want to say I appreciate all the comments so far! I was really unsure as to whether to post this, but now I'm glad I did!; November 6, 2008 1:32 PM
Alea said...: I believe ever since I turned 18 I've voted in most elections (I may have missed one or two local elections when i couldn't get home to cast my absentee ballot from college) I guess I don't see a reason not to vote!

I remember leaving class, senior year of high school and going down the hall to cast my first vote. The lady in front of me looked around and muttered something like "Well I hope they are educated on the candidates" or something like that. Just thought I'd share my first voting story!; November 6, 2008 2:00 PM
Bookchronicle said...: I vote, and always vote, in the sense that as a citizen of the U.S.A. we must be constantly vigilant of our elected officials, and one way to explore this is through voting. As a woman, I'm further empowered to vote because it was less than a century ago that I would not be permitted to vote based on my sex.

I know some far left politically minded people who don't vote because the two party system does not represent their wants and they choose not to bother with independent parties. I've been very close to this mindset myself. At the same time, I've been confounded since the election at the number of moderates I know who abstained from voting.

Not voting is a privilege, and though I am repulsed by the idea, I know that I'm frequently voting for the lesser of two evils, but I also believe change can accrue by degrees.

People who don't vote because it was easier not to bother bug me, but people who thoughtfully don't vote - I suppose I ultimately can still get behind that.; November 6, 2008 2:14 PM
Serena said...: BRAVO! There is a sad lack of civic duty in this nation...as a member of this nation it is your right, privilege, obligation to vote! If you do not vote, you have no write to complain about the government at all!

If you don't vote in the primaries, you have no right to complain about the candidates chosen!

Amen! I vote every election and every primary! And for once in my lifetime, I feel inspired about the direction of the nation...I just hope my inspiration is not lost in the next 4 years.; November 6, 2008 2:23 PM
Serena said...: P.S. You've made my list of Hubbub Around the Blogosphere!; November 6, 2008 2:24 PM
Shauna- Reading and Ruminations said...: I love this post! I know some people don't vote for personal or religious reasons, but others just can't be bothered, and I think that's wrong. I know someone who voted for a third party candidate, and someone told her that it was a wasted vote. For me, the only votes wasted are those by people who are too lazy to take ten minutes out of their day to vote.; November 6, 2008 3:46 PM
Chris said...: There have been times when I didn't vote, I'll admit, but now that I'm older I realize how important it is. I don't know about down there with all your voting machinery and all, but up here we can 'spoil' our ballot (write something else on the ballot). I met a woman after our last election who opted to do this as a protest. I think it's better than not voting and therefore not saying anything at all.; November 6, 2008 6:43 PM
Amy said...: Shauna--I'm sad when people say a third party vote is a waste...I think it's courageous and if the third party I suspect will one day be necessary is ever to come to pass it be because people have the courage to vote against the norm.; November 6, 2008 11:36 PM
ruinedbyreading said...: I completely agree with you. I think voting is a responsibility and something every citizen should do, and I hate when people who never voted complain about the state of things. I have a lot of friends who think voting is a sin and against our religion (Islam) and I've had a few people tell me that by voting in this election I actually left the religion haha, which is of course completely ridiculous. The worst part is that these people are the most critical of our foreign policy, yet they won't take part in a process that could change it. It doesn't make sense to me. I don't think I could ever not vote. I've voted in every election - local or federal - that I've been able to vote in.; November 7, 2008 3:19 AM
Steph said...: I don't think that voters have THAT much power.
Sure they get to choose between two candidates. But really... those two candidates aren't too far off from each other.
I think much of the voting system is a carefully veiled illusion.
That said, I don't think not voting is an amazing idea either. Then there would be absolutely no reason to even look towards the nation for support.
Then again, it seems there's really not that much to do to gain support from some people. And who's to say that the promises made pre-election day are going to be kept?

I'm Canadian, so our thang is a bit different. But it's basically the same idea. And though I've got several parties to choose from when I vote, it's usually a decision between the two main parties. Because really, who's going to "waste" their vote on the Green Party when it's kind of obvious they're not going to win.
Kind of like... who the heck is going to vote for Ralph Nader, eh? I'm sure maybe a few peeps, but I'll be damned if he actually wins.
So, it seems that democracy is not really all it's cracked up to be. Because to run for prez or primie, you probably also have to have the $$$ to run the slanderous ad campaigns on TV. If you don't, then you won't really be noticed. There won't be any headlines with your name in them (ie: "Palin wardrobe scandal"), and you sure as hell won't appear on SNL.; November 9, 2008 2:30 AM
lovin said...: I will respectfully disagree for the following reasons:

When you say:

"To me, voting is not only a right, it is an obligation. In return for the freedoms we enjoy, the federal government asks us for two things: taxes and that we show up at a polling place once every two years and make a choice."

you are fundamentally suggesting that the government gives an individual his/her rights. I, for one, believe that people gain their rights by virtue of their very existence, and an institution cannot confirm those or take those freedoms away (without judicial merit). In the same way, the Constitution (more specifically the Bill of Rights) acts as a negative document: it says what the government cannot do to you, but it does not say what the government should do for you.

Another disagreement I would express is your position that government only asks for taxes and a vote every few years. This position, I believe, may be slightly simplifying the issue. I would have to separate taxes and regulation, as they are implemented separately (though I would argue they act in a very similar fashion).

Thirdly, I would offer a slightly controversial and not well represented position: the US democracy is quite the farce. I will lay out my claims as thus:

1. The two-party system acts as a self-serving, self-sustaining entity. Both political parties actively seek to keep third parties out of elections, debates, and news coverage. This, in my opinion, is because both parties are afraid of a third party "spoiling" an election. Thus you have increasing regulation for third parties getting onto the ballet.

2. Both political parties are essentially the same. For example, both Obama and McCain both spouted populist rhetoric, took different stances on very few political issues. The argument was often about: how much regulation to place on Wall Street, the healthcare industry, how much money to invest in 'alternative' fuels; not however, whether or not government needs to be involved in these sectors at all.

3. The media only allows for two candidates to have a shot at winning. This will likely not change as we are already firmly entrenched in our journalistic ways.

4. Most every country in the world has more than two parties.

Finally I would like to argue from a moralistic standpoint. An individual may have a moral problem with voting, because in essence he will essentially be placing a person in power with a mandate to force people that disagree with you to do what they do not want to do (sorry if this sentence is convoluted). Alternatively, if he/she disagrees with the entire facility of democracy, by voting, he/she in essence is entering into a social contract that would give credibility to the system, and morally allow the government to force regulations on the individual even if the opponent wins.

I would also offer an aside on the inefficiencies of democracy:
1. Lobbying
2. Elected politicians with term-limits are biased towards policies and regulations based in the short term even if said policies are detrimental in the long term.
(#2 being a huge issue that not many people see)

So those above are most of the reasons that I didn't vote. That basically raps it up.

oh, and I <3 you and your blog; November 13, 2008 3:56 PM

Thoughts on Voting

22 comments:

Post a Comment

Welcome!

Subscribe Now

Search Book Reviews

Currently Reading

Recently Read

2012: Best Books

2011: Best Books

South Asia

Badges

Support This Blog

Advertising

Blog Archive

Labels