Trump

[Boozad]

Of course it makes a difference - turnout is usually calculated based on registered voters - so if you don't register then you literally do not count

What does turnout have to do with the outcome? And if you don't agree with the policies being forward you don't count anyway, yes?

 

[Boozad]

Good it's not just me then

It's only you calling people a disgrace.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The only people giving half a shit about turnout are pollsters and political commentators. It means nothing to the person choosing not to vote. Absolutely nothing.

 

[Boozad]

The only people giving half a shit about turnout are pollsters and political commentators. It means nothing to the person choosing not to vote. Absolutely nothing.

Exactly.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

It has got $#@! all to do with remembrance, that is a complete load of bollocks. The right to vote isn't being given up in any different way by not registering as it is by not voting. They are the same thing, probably being done for the same reasons I outlined two pages ago that you disagree with so this is getting circular. It is only a disgrace in your eyes as far as I can see.

Yes it does. In the UK the suffragettes were rewarded in 1918 with the right to vote for women over 30 and that went down to 21 in 1928. Part of the reason was that women basically kept the country running in world war one and changed much of the sexist thinking that had blocked the movement pre war.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I say again. Absolutely nothing to do with this reasoning. Pointless daily mail level heart string pulling attempts. Nonsense.

 

[Boozad]

'Remember the dead! But fuck the living because some of them are stupid!'

 

[Deleted Cyber]

'Remember the dead! But $#@! the living because some of them are stupid!'

Remembering why we are who we are and how others fought to give us rights politically like the vote or freedom through sacrifice in war is just respectful.

UK and USA women both got the vote immediately after ww1. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[Tredman]

Of course turnout matters - if 40% of registered voters do not vote it makes it clear that the choices on offer are not broad enough. If you're not registered then other than random guesses based on x year old censuses we do not know how many did not vote.

 

[Boozad]

Remembering why we are who we are and how others fought to give us rights politically like the vote or freedom through sacrifice in war is just respectful.

And completely and utterly irrelevant to whether people want to register to vote or not. Their choice, not yours.

For the record, calling people 'disgraceful' for doing what they're well within their rights to do is disrespectful.

 

[Penk Wolf]

I'd imagine most people that can't be arsed to register couldn't give two shits about politics either.

 

[Boozad]

Of course turnout matters - if 40% of registered voters do not vote it makes it clear that the choices on offer are not broad enough. If you're not registered then other than random guesses based on x year old censuses we do not know how many did not vote.

I think having two candidates of Trump and Clinton lets us know the choice is not broad enough.

Politics in general doesn't offer choices that are broad enough year on year, and never will. I'm pretty sure that the people who add this shit up know how many people who are eligible to vote live in this country, take off the amount of people who vote and there you go.

Either way, it's not disgraceful if you don't bother.

 

[Boozad]

I'd imagine most people that can't be arsed to register couldn't give two shits about politics either.

Bang on the money.

 

[Tredman]

Disgraceful no, but it does mean that any moaning / complaining about problems is rather hollow.

Anyway, back on topic this is apt for today:

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

If you make the absolutely tenuous remembrance link, then think about this.

They fought and died for you to have a democratic right to exercise. That democratic right includes the right to not vote.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

If you make the absolutely tenuous remembrance link, then think about this.

They fought and died for you to have a democratic right to exercise. That democratic right includes the right to not vote.

I completely agree they have the right not to vote, but they should not give up their right by not registering. Subtle but important difference

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It isn't important at all.

 

[Penk Wolf]

I completely agree they have the right not to vote, but they should not give up their right by not registering. Subtle but important difference

As it effects your credit rating I guess some people register to vote even if they have no intention of voting, so some will register for the wrong reasons.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

The more important issue for me would be to look into the reasons why people (especially the younger generation) aren't voting and see what can be done to change this. Is it apathy? Is it a lack of political education? Is it a broken political system? Do we need to change the voting system so that everybody feels that there vote will count rather than the flawed system we currently have?

Rather than criticise those that do not bother voting we should be trying to make them feel more engaged in politics.

 

[So Long Architect]

The more important issue for me would be to look into the reasons why people (especially the younger generation) aren't voting and see what can be done to change this. Is it apathy? Is it a lack of political education? Is it a broken political system? Do we need to change the voting system so that everybody feels that there vote will count rather than the flawed system we currently have?

Rather than criticise those that do not bother voting we should be trying to make them feel more engaged in politics.

There's no real incentive for those in power to do that work though is there? The current system achieves exactly what they want. Keep a population either dumb or disengaged and it's really easy to keep hold of power. The last thing any politician or person with power really wants is an educated and engaged electorate. In my more tinfoil hat moments (which increase by the day) I find myself thinking that the current mad education policy in this country is designed to achieve the exact opposite of education to keep everybody docile and unquestioning.

But then I have to tell myself to stop thinking like a loon on the internet.