"My Vote Doesn't Count' but my ignorance speaks volumes

Democracy:

1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies
3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges
4. political or social equality; democratic spirit
5. the common people of a community as a distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power

There is nothing that pains me more on a regular basis than to hear someone go off or a rant about the state of the country, economy, war, the president; then to follow the rant up with what I consider to be one of the most ignorant phrases that contains as many words as the most overused and insincere sentiments. “I don't vote”. Yes, I know that under the first amendment of the US constitution this ignorance is protected. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances “ And yes, I believe in that right, it's what protects me to be able to boisterously share my own opinions. However, I also believe that our right to vote for the laws we are expected to abide by and the people who make them as one of our most honourable civil liberties. That is why it just leaves me completely baffled that someone who has the state of mind to have an opinion isn't willing to do something to help make changes to the system that they see necessary.

Vote

1. a formal expression of an opinion or choice, either by positive or negative, made by an individual or body of individuals
2. the means by which such expression is made, as a ballot, ticket, etc
3. the right to such expression: to give women the vote
4. the decision reached by voting, as by a majority of ballots cast: the vote was for the resolution
5. a collective expression of will as inferred from a number of votes: the labor of vote
6. an expression, as of some judgement: a vote of confidence

Our fore fathers fled the rule of the British empire and blood was lost to bring us to have the rights and opinions that I freely speak of today.

Obama's rule has not been without its faults however if you type “Obama's top 5 accomplishments” into your google search bar here is what the first link you get shows you...

1. passed health care reform (2010)
2. passed stimulus (2009
3. passed wall street reform (2010)
4. ended war in Iraq (completed 18, December, 2011)
5. drawdown of troops in Afghanistan (from 101,000 in June 2011 to 68,000 in September 2012)

(washingtonmonthly.com)

It is refreshing to see a legitimate list of actual accomplishments that will serve our country well. That's more than you can say for if you substitute “Bush” for “Obama” in that same search. The list that is then supplied is far more humorous and has no real claims that any man should be proud of. I might also add that it is listed under the same link I provided for Obama's accomplishments and a link for yahoo.com answers. In the sake of being fair I am going to share the top 5 on the list.

1. I attacked and took over 2 countries
2. I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the US Treasury
3. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy)
4. I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period.
5. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market

(“facts” supplied by taxidermy.net; and yes, I use quotes around the word facts.)

What is the worst about this is most of the people responsible for the Bush bashing probably didn't even care enough about the election to get off their asses and cast their vote!!

Now to hit on the standard reason why people who don't vote claim it is for: “my vote doesn't count” and the proper answer to this question is YES!!! it does, and if you think it doesn't it's because you haven't taken the time to learn how.

How the electoral college works

The people of the United States elect a president every four years, but not directly. Here's how it works.

1. In November of a presidential election year, each state holds an election for president in which all eligible citizens may vote. Citizens vote for a "ticket" of candidates that includes a candidate for president and a candidate for vice president.
2. The outcome of the vote in each state determines a slate of electors who then, in turn, make the actual choice of president and vice president. Each state has as many electors as it has senators and members of the House of Representatives, for a total of 538. (The District of Columbia gets three electors even though it has no representation in Congress.)
3. In December, the electors meet in their respective state capitols to cast their ballots for president and vice president. States may or may not require their electors to vote with the popular majority, and they may or may not give all of their electors to the winner of the statewide popular vote. (See "A Work in Progress," below.)
4. These ballots are opened, counted, and certified by a joint session of Congress in January.
5. If no candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes or if the top two candidates are tied, the House of Representatives selects a president from among the five candidates with the most votes. Each state's delegation has a single vote. The Senate selects a vice president by the same process. (This hasn't happened since 1876, but it almost happened in 2000.)

(learnnc.org)

Now, aside from the impending election what sparked this little lesson here...well, that lovely little cesspool of intelligence and ignorance Facebook. This lovely little post, and yes, this is the actual text, I am not editing the words, grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

“Just seen a photo of our lovely president talking on the phone while hes getting off the plane. And there two marines saluteing him. The least he can do os show some damn respect. Whoever is voting for this man. I feel bad for you.
We need a president who actually gives a shit.
But i guess amaerica wont ever find out what its like to have a good president.
You can agree or disagree.
(vent over)”

This is great!! A passionate opinion from someone that I happen to know is the wife of a former US Marine. The first comment to be left is the quintessential “Exactly why i don't vote lol” and then enter the shock and horror of seeing “I dont either lol”. This is when I couldn't resist the urges and out comes the rage...

me “you don't vote but you feel the right to complain? maybe if more people who feel this way got their asses out to the polls and helped change things we wouldn't be in this situation at all”

LC “Why would I vote for either of the guys who's running? Doesn't make sence.
And yes I have a right to complain bc I'm apart of this country. Freedom of speech my dear.”

me “yes both Obama and Mitt are morons but of more people had voted in the primary election maybe a better candidate would be up for the rep party...& if more people had voted 4...8...12 years ago maybe things would be better than they are. my point is its hard to take a rant from someone who doesn't care enough to be part of the solution rather than compounding the problem”

LC “ I'll be part of the solution when and if we have a man/women to do the job of being our president right.
Until then ill just voice my opinion and take what others say into concidertion. And smile  lol.
But I get what your saying. I guess its to each is own.”

Then going through some pictures on another friends page I stumbled upon this little gem of knowledge:

“”If you don't vote you really have no right to complain about government decisions you don't like (no matter how much they actually suck).

Ok, if there is one thing that is really annoying to us actual voters it is the endless ramblings on the bad political policy of a current government spewing from the mouths of eligible voters who never bothered to cast a ballot. If you don't vote it is like saying you don't care how your country is run, so if you don't care where do you get the idea that you can complain when something happens that you don't like? If you don't vote you really have no right complaining about anything the government does and if your like most young people you like complaining and have it down to a finer art. Want the right to complain when TPTB (the powers that be) make a truly heinous decision? Then you must exercise your right to vote.

Bottom line: you should vote because you can.

Voting is a tremendous gift. Believe it or not, young people just like you in other countries actually fight and even die for this right; a right that so many youth in democratic nations take for granted. You should vote because you can, if you don't you may one day wake up in a country where you can't. It can (and has) happened. Please "VOTE" Thanks you “

now just for emphasis I am going to repeat the biggest point made here:

Bottom line: YOU SHOULD VOTE BECAUSE YOU CAN!!!

This is a civil liberty that people would kill to have. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Skype, YouTube, these are all things that have been banned in countries that also don't give their citizens the voice and the choices that you are given in every day of your life, every second of your life.

There are very few people in this world who's words and mind I respect. Most that I do are long since dead, but here is a direct quote from an anonymous source that has earned the respect for the mind behind the words.

“I know our democracy is not with out flaws. I also know that in this system the people have the power not the government, which I think most people have forgotten. I vote to keep the system working broken or not.”

If you willingly give up a right that so many died to give and continue to die so we can keep it then what is the point of the carnage? What is the point of having this right to begin with?

Yes, I am a registered voter. I have been a registered voter since the day I became legally eligible. I originally registered as a democrat but changed my party affiliation prior to this primary election because I am a Ron Paul supporter and wanted to see a man with a plan to actually fix things have a chance. Yes, I voted for Barack Obama in 2008, and no I do not believe that he has done a bad job in office. I think that Mitt Romney is a blathering moron and am terrified at the possibility of him winning a term in office. I am pro-choice, pro-union, pro death penalty, and pro-freedom. I have worked election days at the polls from before sun up to after sun down. I don't believe in war but understand that at times it is a necessary evil. I also believe that if the democrats and the republican parties have brought this great country to its knees that maybe it is time to see some new ideas. And while I fully expect there to be people out there that disagree with every word I have said in this rant I also once again value that I have every right to both have the opinions that I do and share them so freely on the internet.

I, in no want to ever tell anyone how to vote, my point is just to do it in general!!! Take your rights and run with them, if you don't then you can't complain the day you have them taken from you.