7 October, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I have decided I’m not voting in the presidential election. This is a big deal for me, since I have lectured a lot of people in the past about not voting. A month ago, I wrote on this blog that I’d vote for the Green Party, stating: “I wish I could sit out this election, but in good conscience I cannot do that. Women have not even had the right to vote for 100 years and I can’t repay all those women who fought for me by not voting at all.”
In the course of one month, I’ve revised this opinion after a lot of thought and reflection. The suffragists were fighting for their basic human rights. Thanks to them, women got the right to vote. But I’ve come to the conclusion that making a conscious decision not to vote is a valid political statement. I can’t respect those who don’t vote out of apathy, but that is not what I’m doing. I’m choosing not to vote. For me, participating in the electoral process means that I endorse it, when I don’t. This time, I’m sitting it out. [For the record, I can only vote in the federal election because I am living abroad.]
This whole presidential election disgusts me. Of course, it’s really no different than any other election I’ve been eligible to vote in. Obscene amounts of money are wasted; it’s not about issues but about media spin and the most trivial matters; it’s style over substance; and the two main candidates are too afraid to actually speak their minds about anything or challenge the status quo. And then there’s the overtly patriarchal nature of it, which is ever more clear after this election. Obama and McCain are nothing more than two corporate brands, one produced by the Democrats, one reproduced by the Republicans, and choosing between them is about as meaningful as choosing between Coke and Pepsi.
How can a country of 300 million people, one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, only have the choice of these two men for president? Where’s the complexity, where are the voices of the people? Where are the voices of women and different ethnic groups? Despite the sampling of fringe candidates on the ballot, it’s only a choice between Obama and McCain. Am I the only one who thinks the presidential elections only give the illusion of democracy?
I’ve been moving towards this place since the last election. I voted for Kerry, but his hypocrisy, cowardliness and ineffectiveness disillusioned me. After that election I changed my party affiliation from Democrat to independent. Not voting for president seems like the next logical step. And make no mistake, my vote would not count anyway because of the ridiculous electoral college. Americans as a whole will not choose the next president. The people living in Florida and Pennsylvania and Ohio will. As for me, I vote in Massachusetts and that state will go for Obama. There’s no point voting when the result is already set in stone.
So I’m not voting this year. And that’s that.
Anglofille said @ 5:16 pm | news & politics |
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Cav Says:
October 7th, 2008 at 11:46 pmI am sorry to hear of your decision not to vote in the presidential election.
CAV
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I am also really sad with your decision. I hope you accept that, by not voting, you are also vowing not to give any more political commentary or expressing your opinion about either candidate in any way on this blog. Because that is effectively what you are doing by not choosing to express your opinion in choosing a candidate and voting.
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SpliceGirl Says:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:05 amI agree with you Anglofille and I disagree with Anna who says you cannot express your opinion on this blog if you don’t vote. Ridiculous. The people of this country do not pick the president. The electoral college selects the president. And what if I didn’t vote for the people who have a vote in the electoral college? These people are speaking FOR ME when I never gave them the permission to.
We have a right to vote in this country. We also have the right to bear arms…I don’t any weapons - does that make me unAmerican because I don’t own what I have the right to? Can I not give my opinion on owning weapons because I’ve chosen not to purchase any?
If this country was a true democracy the popular vote would determine our president. And then truly “every vote counts” would be correct. Over in the US right now they have published many articles already stating that it is 3 states that will determine the next president. They already know how 47 states will vote (how the electoral college will vote) and don’t even consider them as part of this election! It is so absurd. I don’t even know why they even bother having an election, it’s all a facade of democracy that makes people who have no idea what’s going on feel like they’re participating.
I’m not voting either. There isn’t a candidate worth my vote. I wouldn’t vote for either of those blowhard morons. The campaigns are all full of empty promises and useless rhetoric. If Obama wins and you don’t like him you’ll say he does a horrible job. If you don’t like McCain and he wins you’ll say he does a horrible job…even if they do an excellent job! It is all such a dog and pony show at this point and I will not be a part of this idiocracy and stupid election. Just get it over with. Obama will win, the economy will get better because the stress and mystery of the election will be over, and he’ll be regarded as a God on Earth for solving the economic crisis by doing NOTHING.
A group of people who know nothing about me or my life, or anyone’s life in the real world, selected these two men to run for the president of the United States. I have two choices. In a country of 300 million people I have TWO choices. I just gave myself a third choice. I choose neither. And I stand by that and I WILL complain as much as I want when they do something stupid or useless while in the office of the president. Because I am a tax-paying citizen who has the right to vote, but I chose not to. But my opinion still counts.
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Anna Says:
October 8th, 2008 at 8:35 amAgreed, other Anna. I would like to add that for the next four years you shouldn’t do it either. I’m really disappointed someone as educated as yourself has chosen ‘not making a statement’ as their political voice. Most Americans are disheartened by this race. But putting the presidential election on par with soda pop is insulting to people who do perform their civic duty.
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I reject the idea that if I do not vote for president, I give up the right to voice my opinion on political matters. I am an American citizen and each month, I have federal and state taxes deducted from my paycheck [against my will]. I help fund the politicians’ programs and policies and thus, I can say whatever I want about them.
If I were living in the US and could vote in state and local elections, I would. But I can only vote in the presidential election and I have chosen not to do so because to me it is a joke. A person may feel that simply by choosing Obama or McCain, he or she is doing their “civic duty.” I question whether voting for the Republican BRAND or the Democratic BRAND is really our civic duty. Is this democracy? I wonder. Are we not all behaving like a flock of sheep?
I know that voting for president makes a lot of people feel good about themselves. It’s always made me feel good to come out of that voting booth. I’ve always thought - Yay! I voted! My voice counts! But now I’m questioning the whole process and I’m afraid, as I said in my post, it only gives the illusion of democracy. It’s not a real democratic process. Therefore, I will not participate just to make myself feel better. In good faith I can’t do that.
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First off, you CAN vote in Congressional races - definitely for the House and for the Senate if that applies in your state this year. Those are Federal elections, too.
Secondly, if you make a conscience decision not to vote that doesn’t mean you have to shut up for four years. That’s just crazy. I can’t vote in the UK, but I bloody well pay taxes and I comment on politics here.
Maybe if you vote for Congress and leave the presidential slate blank, it makes a stronger statement. But as an expat, too - I know it’s a pain and they probably won’t open your vote anyway.
I have struggled with this and procrastinated and only JUST requested my ballot, which should get to me on time.
I will not be marking it. I can’t vote for either of those bozos either. I will be framing it as reminder of why I should have given money to Hillary Clinton and why I should take more action next time.
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I didn’t think I could vote for congressional races from here. If I were living back home, I would vote in those races. But since I’m not living there and don’t follow the local politics, I don’t think it’s fair for me to vote since I’m totally uninformed.
I hate that I’m so disillusioned right now. This race has left me feeling so alienated. I will definitely write more about this, perhaps in another post to come soon.
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Kristin Says:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:39 amI’d like to say a hearty ‘hear, hear’ to this post, but an expression of any enthusiasm to something I feel so defeated by, seems perhaps misguided — even if I do completely support and understand your position. Ugh, it’s so foul and so depressing, isn’t it. I may still vote for the Green party, but who knows, maybe not. I live in NY, in Brooklyn, so I feel like all my races are already decided anyway, I can take the luxury of resistance in this case. Maybe if I lived in Florida it would be different, but I don’t so I can’t imagine… All I know is my situation, and that is of a disappointed citizen in a very blue state who abhors the idea of a McCain presidency but doesn’t haven’t much say in it either way, and for the record isn’t totally thrilled with the idea of an Obama one, either. So, I give up. For now I give up. That’s my freakin vote.
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I hear ya. It’s depressing.
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Anita Says:
October 9th, 2008 at 9:01 pmIs it this race that’s put you in this place or the process itself? Given your reasoning, can I assume that you’re never going to participate in presidential elections again?
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I felt disillusioned after the last presidential campaign. This current race has left me feeling even more disillusioned. I’ve turned against the Democrats and I find that I have nowhere else to go. This highlights real flaws in our system, that these two parties have a stranglehold on American politics and if you don’t like either of them, you’re left out. The media does not even give any coverage to other parties, they’re not in the debates and it’s as if they don’t exist. And the other parties (Libertarians, Greens) have people running on their ticket who are just disgruntled Democrats and Republicans. It seems these candidates (Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney) are desperate for the limelight and attention and have scores to settle. So even our third parties don’t offer a legitimate alternative. Maybe in the next campaign I will invest more time seeking out alternative candidates but it’s too late for this race.
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Anita Says:
October 10th, 2008 at 2:12 amCall me cynical but I just wonder if we would be having this conversation had Hillary Clinton been the nominee.
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Anita Says:
October 10th, 2008 at 2:13 amPerhaps suspicious is a better word.
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I think it’s clear from this post but mostly from the many others that I’ve done that the main reason I have completely abandoned the Democratic party is because of what happened to Hillary and her supporters during the primaries. This experience is also why I take a cynical view of Obama, Lord and Saviour or humanity. My support of the Democrats was already wavering before this, as I stated. I have not abandoned the Democrats because Hillary didn’t win. I abandoned them because now I see them for what they really are - a deeply patriarchal party that is not committed to the equality of women. I’m glad I had this awakening — it’s been a very valuable experience.
I never loved Hillary — I could never love a politician and furthermore, I know the baggage that Hillary Clinton carried because of her husband and her own dishonest behavior in the past. Still, I thought she was the best candidate and regardless, nothing excuses what happened during the primary season. Because of the primary, my disillusionment is complete. Would this have happened right now if Hillary were the nominee? It’s impossible for me to imagine how I’d be feeling if Hillary were the nominee because as I said, I see the Democrats for who they really are now. This only happened BECAUSE of the primary. Since I will not vote Democrat for president and because I would never vote Republican, I now see that I have no one to vote for. Not only do I feel alienated from my previous party, but it’s almost as if my only choices are to vote for them or not vote at all. So I’m choosing not to vote at all in part to protest this ridiculous system.
