No, it's notNot turning up could be due to any number of things, from laziness to illness. If you want to make a political statement you can surely do something better than that. Conversely I've often felt that people claiming that not voting is a 'political statement' are more or less making excuses. A better political statement would be spoiling the ballot paper -- it's totally useless, of course, but they do count the number of spoiled ballots. If everyone making a political statement by not voting actually turned up and did something that *would* be a statement by spoiling the paper, that might even get noticed.
Though if I'm right, no, it wouldn't, because most of the people making 'political statements' wouldn't bother showing up regardless...
I'd like to see compulsory voting, but only if a 'none of the above' or 're-open nominations' was there, and counted properly, and adhered to. So if RON got a clear majority, the election would have to be run again, ideally with none of the same candidates allowed to stand. Rinse and repeat until everyone gets fed up and goes home. (Yeah I can see how this might not work...)
(Though if I'm right, no, it wouldn't, because most of the people making 'political statements' wouldn't bother showing up regardless...
I'd like to see compulsory voting, but only if a 'none of the above' or 're-open nominations' was there, and counted properly, and adhered to. So if RON got a clear majority, the election would have to be run again, ideally with none of the same candidates allowed to stand. Rinse and repeat until everyone gets fed up and goes home. (Yeah I can see how this might not work...)
boris the spider,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:09,
archived)
again with the laziness bullshit - you are insulting the majority of people in this countrymaybe it's not laziness but cause and effect of a system that doesn't respresent people fairly?
( maiden is filmed before a live studio audience,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:15,
archived)
hey, i said "one of a number of things from laziness to illness"if you're pretending that about 60% of people in britain don't show up to vote because they're "disenfranchaised" rather than fucking lazy then i think you know different, more galvanised people to me. most people i know don't vote not because they're disenfranchaised but because they can't be arsed. are the two things related? yeah, probably, but not everyone cares as much about politics as you (rightly or wrongly) and the laziness is high on the list a lot of people.
there's never one cause for anything. saying "people don't vote because they're lazy" is just as inaccurate as saying "people don't vote because they feel they don't have the option of voting for a candidate who closest represents their point of view", and vice-versa.
for the record i've gone to vote when i had no right to be out walking on the street from my flat to the voting booth because i'd just had an operation and could barely even shuffle along the road. at the same time, many of my friends couldn't be bothered making time in their day to vote, whether before work or after work. "i don't have time", they said. yes, yes you do, you just can't be arsed to make time. that to me is laziness.
(there's never one cause for anything. saying "people don't vote because they're lazy" is just as inaccurate as saying "people don't vote because they feel they don't have the option of voting for a candidate who closest represents their point of view", and vice-versa.
for the record i've gone to vote when i had no right to be out walking on the street from my flat to the voting booth because i'd just had an operation and could barely even shuffle along the road. at the same time, many of my friends couldn't be bothered making time in their day to vote, whether before work or after work. "i don't have time", they said. yes, yes you do, you just can't be arsed to make time. that to me is laziness.
boris the spider,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:20,
archived)
I have voted and will continue to voteas long as I have something I can vote for but I won't ever call someone lazy for not voting or even be so fascist as to say if you don't vote you don't have the right to hold an opinion as if the current voting system is a right to hold an opinion! Some people are lazy and have very clear views but don't vote but disenfranchisment is still a real problem whether they want to admit it or not!
( maiden is filmed before a live studio audience,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:29,
archived)
disenfranchaisement is a problem, i'd totally agree!i just think that straight and simple apathy is also an enormous problem. the former could be at least partly addressed by giving us an option to reject all candidates (and if that wins, those candidates are barred from restanding in that constituency, which would be beautiful if it were ever to happen). the latter could be addressed by then making voting in parliamentary elections obligatory. that should never happen unless the "none of the above" box is there, but if it was i'd actually back it.
\note to self: political arguments online can often be a bad idea...
(\note to self: political arguments online can often be a bad idea...
boris the spider,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:35,
archived)
I think we are of agreement in a sensebut I alway have to ask why is that so many people just can't be arsed? Is it purely apathy and indifference, I think not. I think it might be an education issue, that many people are left utterly confused by who represents what I remember not so long ago when someone was called a Trotskyist 99% of people hadn't a clue what that was or who the hell Leon Trotsky was even those educated in such matters hold differing opinions about what a Trotskyist is and whether that's a good or a bad thing - history is written by the victors and therefore it's never as straight and truthful as it should be.
( maiden is filmed before a live studio audience,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:44,
archived)
Indeed.Basically people are fat, warm and comfortable, and as long as you don't rock the boat too much, they don't really care what happens outside the television.
In a way this is a good thing - docile, bovine people distracted with shiny flashing electronic gadgets are easy to control.
On the other hand, of course, it's a complete fucking affront to humanity, and they should be harvested for their organs.
(In a way this is a good thing - docile, bovine people distracted with shiny flashing electronic gadgets are easy to control.
On the other hand, of course, it's a complete fucking affront to humanity, and they should be harvested for their organs.
Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:48,
archived)
But their organs are useless as they will all be fucked maiden is filmed before a live studio audience,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:51,
archived)
For clarification...I think that it could be a statement; but it's obviously wrong to say that it is. I phrased things badly up there.
(
Enzyme is powered by sunlight,
Thu 14 Apr 2011, 11:17,
archived)