why are you not voting today?

[dylans]

Or you could shit on the floor of the restaurant

Or return later and throw a brick through the window.

To continue the analogy. When you look at the 3 foul maggot encrusted dishes and complain, the waiter points out that one of the dishes has slightly fewer maggots than the others and is slightly less rancid. He suggests you choose that one cus it's a bit better than the others.
Do you eat it?

 

[Zabo]

some see it as a duty to vote

Funny you should say that because Humphrys on "Today" was exhorting people to respond to the call of duty.

Like seriously go get fucked those callers to duty. Just like the Crimean War - "Lions led by asses."

 

[madzone]

Thanks. That's a pretty solid argument.

I still don't get the not voting thing. I don't think that it's read that way by the politicians, and while they talk about the need for a mandate I'm not convinced they believe it. I also think that lower turnout tends to encourage mainstream politics to pander to right-wing prejudice as those who abstain on principle tend to be left wingers, so it becomes more about who can get a larger share of the right-wing voters.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Pingu]

Well, if you actually gave a toss, you could always have stood as a candidate.

the three main parties here got 98.5% of the vote in the last election.

plus i dont really give that much of a toss. my views are, i accept, minority ones and will not be representative of the majority so it would just be pissing in the wind and a waste of money

 

[fractionMan]

dunno about other places but in bath we've got two different loonies to choose from . One an official monster and the other a local lad called ANON. If there wasn't then I wouldn't vote.

 

[gamma globulins]

Also, what will they worry about exactly? If voter turnout drops to 20% yet no independent parties/candidates appear to mobilise the electorate then they've got nothing to fear.

 

[kabbes]

Aside from the constitutional and philosophical implications of a low mandate, politicians also care about it for a more practical matter -- gearing. If only 33% of voters turn out and one candidate wins with 36% of the vote, beating the other guy on 30%, that means that only 12% of voters actually voted for them compared with 10% for the other guy. It would only take 2% of voters to make up the 6% gap.

Even if they won with 50% compared with a second place of 30% -- a 20% majority -- it would only take 7% of voters to swing it.

In short, low turnout makes for shaky majorities, even in apparently safe seats.

 

[madzone]

dunno about other places but in bath we've got two different loonies to choose from . One an official monster and the other a local lad called ANON. If there wasn't then I wouldn't vote.

Maybe that's what people who feel they don't want to vote should do? Stand as a ridiculous independent.

 

[gamma globulins]

This resteraunt analogy is flawed. You're going to be force fed one of the dishes.

You can either choose between them, or with a bit of organisation, cook a fourth dish exactly to your tastes.

Either way, you're fucking eating.

 

[stupid dogbot]

dunno about other places but in bath we've got two different loonies to choose from . One an official monster and the other a local lad called ANON. If there wasn't then I wouldn't vote.

This'll be the guy in the dress and the gas mask who was handing out flyers the other day, I imagine...?

 

[fogbat]

This'll be the guy in the dress and the gas mask who was handing out flyers the other day, I imagine...?

That was actually your local Conservative candidate...

 

[TopCat]

Or return later and throw a brick through the window.

To continue the analogy. When you look at the 3 foul maggot encrusted dishes and complain, the waiter points out that one of the dishes has slightly fewer maggots than the others and is slightly less rancid. He suggests you choose that one cus it's a bit better than the others.
Do you eat it?

You go vegetarian.

 

[madzone]

That was actually your local Conservative candidate...

 

[FoxyRed]

I stupidly didnt register in time...
Even if I could vote...I have no idea who I would vote for

 

[pengaleng]

Even if I could vote...I have no idea who I would vote for

maybe educate yourself?

just a thought.

 

[danny la rouge]

Whilst I don't entirely disagree...

Will Cameron really care if he's elected on a 26% turnout?

Will Sass and his smug tory ilk?

Of course they won't, they'll trumpet it as a victory all the same...

I don't think so. While they'll put up with diminishing turnouts, there will come a tipping point when that is no longer acceptable. As it happens, I don't think it'll be this election.

However, my hope is that those not voting will in every seat outnumber those voting for the winning candidate.

 

[dylans]

This resteraunt analogy is flawed. You're going to be force fed one of the dishes.

You can either choose between them, or with a bit of organisation, cook a fourth dish exactly to your tastes.

Either way, you're fucking eating.

Or you can get organised, return later and burn the fucking restaurant down.

 

[madzone]

I don't think so. While they'll put up with diminishing turnouts, there will come a tipping point when that is no longer acceptable. As it happens, I don't think it'll be this election.

However, my hope is that those not voting will in every seat outnumber those voting for the winning candidate.

I don't think that will happen. I think a significant proportion of the country are happy to veer towards right wing policies and it's the right wingers who will always turn out to vote.

 

[gamma globulins]

Or you can get organised, return later and burn the fucking restaurant down.

Not before you've swallowed you can't. The dishes are rancid and shitty because they think you don't care.

 

[danny la rouge]

Also, what will they worry about exactly? If voter turnout drops to 20% yet no independent parties/candidates appear to mobilise the electorate then they've got nothing to fear.

It's exactly this sort of thinking that we need to get away from. We don't need party apparatchiks to tell us what to do. What they need to fear is US.

 

[dylans]

Not before you've swallowed you can't. The dishes are rancid and shitty because they think you don't care.

Its one thing to be held down and force fed, it's another to sit at the table and order from the menu. By voting you are endorsing the restaurant.

and votes or not, the dishes are rancid because they don't care about us, they serve a different master.

 

[danny la rouge]

I don't think that will happen. I think a significant proportion of the country are happy to veer towards right wing policies and it's the right wingers who will always turn out to vote.

Well, we've had right wing government since 1976, so, yes, a significant proportion do support them.

 

[_angel_]

please don't give me the "as a woman" line

Surely if you do endorse any of the three main parties you have no right to complain when you don't like the end result, not the opposite. Never understood that one at all.

People saying you "have" to vote for something you don't want fuck me off. Loads.

 

[Teaboy]

By voting you're basically saying 'more of the same please'. By spoiling you're endorsing the system whilist saying I just don't agree with the policies of the parties.

A fucking low turnout could potentially bring about reform of the system. It's unlikely but we're fucked anyway so what does it matter?

That being said I'll probably vote today.

 

[danny la rouge]

People saying you "have" to vote for something you don't want fuck me off. Loads.

Quite.

 

[cesare]

I don't think that will happen. I think a significant proportion of the country are happy to veer towards right wing policies and it's the right wingers who will always turn out to vote.

If you voted for any of the 3 major parties today, you voted for right wing policies.

 

[spawnofsatan]

My local MP is Ken Clarke, not a chance in hell he will be unseated.

http://www.politics.co.uk/constituency/rushcliffe-$1276746.htm

Mind you, the Labour candidate did knock on my door the other night. I'd never seen him before or heard of him, just shook his hand and wished him luck.

I'm emigrating next year, so fuck it, I can't be arsed to vote.

 

[madzone]

please don't give me the "as a woman" line

Surely if you do endorse any of the three main parties you have no right to complain when you don't like the end result, not the opposite. Never understood that one at all.

People saying you "have" to vote for something you don't want fuck me off. Loads.

My what a little crosspatch.

I firmly believe that the right to vote is precious. You don't have to agree with that but you don't have to be so fucking patronising either.

 

[_angel_]

I would vote if I actually agreed with any one standing in my ward. If it was a marginal maybe I'd think a bit more about it, but it's a safe labour seat. Actually not voting is probably the least-bad thing that can be done - I don't want to vote tory obv and libdem would be more likely result in propping up a weak tory government.

Anyhow, it will be labour safely.

 

[FoxyRed]

maybe educate yourself?

just a thought.

Oh dear... dont presume you know me or my knowledge of politics.

pathetic response...