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should you vote or not?

ok everyone should get out a vote for the party they want, BUT if you truly dislike all the parties policies then should you have a duty NOT to vote?

I dont like any of them, and certainly dont trust any of them. personally i dont want to see any of them in power, so i find that i cant vote, i would if there was a " none of the above" box on the ballot, but since there isnt i wont.
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't believe that there isn't a party in the UK that doesn't represent something you agree with. If you don't vote, then you don't deserve an opinion. Stop whining, go and change it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    I don't believe that there isn't a party in the UK that doesn't represent something you agree with. If you don't vote, then you don't deserve an opinion. Stop whining, go and change it.

    But why exactly should you feel obliged to vote for a party that represents something you agree with but a load of other things you don't.

    That doesn't make sense, surely you would have to agree with the majority of their policies (at least compared to the incumbents) to want to vote for them, and if not then why vote?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Look at this!

    Great article. What a great bloke the writer is too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    something=wrong word. there are a LOT of political parties in the uk, it's unlikely that there isn't one that has a majority of major policies you agree with. My other point stands.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Renzo wrote:
    Look at this!

    Great article. What a great bloke the writer is too.

    That is a good article actually.

    It really annoys me when people don't vote and I agree with all your points. When i studied politics in 1st and 2nd yr at uni my tutor always stressed the fact that everyone should vote. if you really have a strong reason for not wanting to vote for any of the parties then spoil the voting card.

    Personally, I think it's laziness on most people's parts when they don't vote. It would be easy to just sit back and decide you don't agree with any party's policies based solely on what you read in the papers, see in the news or hear people saying but if you actually take the time to look into it I'm sure you can find some things that you agree with.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I always go and spoil my paper. I at least turn up every time knowing the sacrifices made to get me that feeble bit of freedom I do have.

    None of the parties are able to represent my views to even the tiniest degree, let alone be able to speak and ask for me. Given that I want them to offer as many of their services on a voluntary basis as possible.

    If you voted and the government does something you don't like, you have no reason to complain because you gave them your consent to run your life by voting at all. Only people who don't vote can complain.

    It's picking which hand you want to be slapped with, as far as I am concerned. You might pick the left hand in self defense because there is less force in it, but that's hardly consensual politics.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pinkstar wrote:
    Personally, I think it's laziness on most people's parts when they don't vote. It would be easy to just sit back and decide you don't agree with any party's policies based solely on what you read in the papers, see in the news or hear people saying but if you actually take the time to look into it I'm sure you can find some things that you agree with.

    So, if I vote for a party that represents some of my values, will my views be represented in parliament? I don't support enough of the policies of any of the mainstream parties to justify voting for them..... so the answer is no.

    So all I'd be doing is giving legitimacy to a parliamentary system that doesn't represent the values that are dear to me.

    I'll be spoiling my paper, same as every other election.....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pinkstar wrote:
    That is a good article actually.

    It really annoys me when people don't vote and I agree with all your points. When i studied politics in 1st and 2nd yr at uni my tutor always stressed the fact that everyone should vote. if you really have a strong reason for not wanting to vote for any of the parties then spoil the voting card.

    Personally, I think it's laziness on most people's parts when they don't vote. It would be easy to just sit back and decide you don't agree with any party's policies based solely on what you read in the papers, see in the news or hear people saying but if you actually take the time to look into it I'm sure you can find some things that you agree with.


    yes there are some things in each parties policies that i like, but there are also things in each parties policies that i absolutely cant abide by, so what should i do then, huh?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i will go and spoil my ballot, but to me ( and what i meant in the posting of this article ) that means not voting. i guess basically what i was trying to find out was whether people vote for a party even if they only believe in 1 or 2 party policies, and are totally agaisnt the other 6 or 7?

    i do agree with klintock that if you do vote for a party and they get into office then you have no right to complain, as you put them there in the first place
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    klintock wrote:
    It's picking which hand you want to be slapped with, as far as I am concerned. You might pick the left hand in self defense because there is less force in it.

    I really, really like the above analogy.

    The article that was referenced earlier was a nice sentiment but incredibly naive. If the guy truely thinks that a parties manifesto is what's going to happen over the next 4 or 5 years then he's very sadly mistaken.

    Politicians lie to you, that’s what they do. There's just about enough "do-ing" of what they've promised to do to keep mass outrage from happening and stop people realising the illusion of choice they've been given means absolutely nothing.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    I don't believe that there isn't a party in the UK that doesn't represent something you agree with. If you don't vote, then you don't deserve an opinion. Stop whining, go and change it.

    What a load of ignorant nonsense.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    something=wrong word. there are a LOT of political parties in the uk, it's unlikely that there isn't one that has a majority of major policies you agree with. My other point stands.

    What if you fundamentally disagree with the system as it stands?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote:
    What if you fundamentally disagree with the system as it stands?

    I'm with you on this. You just end up endorsing something you fundamentally oppose.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What if you fundamentally disagree with the system as it stands?

    I'm in.

    (Oh and if you push your luck with them they label you insane.)

    Have a link to how things ought to be. -

    http://www.lysanderspooner.org/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    something=wrong word. there are a LOT of political parties in the uk, it's unlikely that there isn't one that has a majority of major policies you agree with. My other point stands.

    Yes but I am sure you realise that the vast majority only stand in afew areas.

    In my constiuency (Charnwood, near yors if you vote in Loughborough) there are the big three + UKIP + BNP + Green I think.

    I will vote Lib Dem but I heartily disagree with there policy on local income tax and student fees and partly immigration, and don't trust their sums very much either, some of their core policies.

    i will vote as a protest against Labour but frabkly if they had a chance of getting into power I prob wouldn't vote for them becasue i do not want to see these policies enacted
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yes there are some things in each parties policies that i like, but there are also things in each parties policies that i absolutely cant abide by, so what should i do then, huh?

    Eh, spoil your ballot paper then like I said (and you said in your next post :rolleyes: ).

    To be honest, I don't think anyone can ever completely agree with everything a certain party stands for so I normally just try to pick who i think is the best out of a bad bunch. I know for a fact that I'm not gonna agree with every single thing in that party's manifesto but I would rather vote than not.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pinkstar wrote:
    Eh, spoil your ballot paper then like I said (and you said in your next post :rolleyes: ).

    To be honest, I don't think anyone can ever completely agree with everything a certain party stands for so I normally just try to pick who i think is the best out of a bad bunch. I know for a fact that I'm not gonna agree with every single thing in that party's manifesto but I would rather vote than not.


    but thats the thing each party has such diametrically opposed points. fine if there was a party that i agreed with there main points but not the minor ones, i would vote for them, but in this election there isnt, they are all key MAJOR points in the way the country will be run.

    for example, agreeing with them on taxes and immigration, but vehemently opposed to their views on NHS, crime, and foriegn policy

    i think the easiest thing to do would be to put a " none of the above " space on the ballot, or a vote of no confidence. anyone have any ideas why that has never been done?

    just spoiling the ballot is one way, but the politicians will always spin that to make it look as if the people just didnt know what tey were doing or were trying to vote for someone and screwed up, they wont look at spoilt ballots as a sign of disillusionment.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pass me the morphine dr watson ...i've come over all strange and find myself in agreement with you.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i think the easiest thing to do would be to put a " none of the above " space on the ballot, or a vote of no confidence. anyone have any ideas why that has never been done?

    Because it would leave the "government" with no mandate at all and the scam would be exposed. Do you really think they would stop ruling if no one voted? And if the answer is no, then what is voting but a way of legitimising what they are going to do anyway?
    just spoiling the ballot is one way, but the politicians will always spin that to make it look as if the people just didnt know what tey were doing or were trying to vote for someone and screwed up, they wont look at spoilt ballots as a sign of disillusionment

    Spot on. Notice how it's spun to be the people who don't votes fault when 60% don't "participate" rather than the politicians fault. Rather than be accountable or offer real choices it's much easier for them to blame the non-voter for the disillusionment.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pass me the morphine dr watson ...i've come over all strange and find myself in agreement with you.


    lol has to be a first time for everything right
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lol has to be a first time for everything right
    seriously ...at least turn up and spoil the paper.
    that in itself will be a very very strong message if more and more people do it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Everyone should vote, its a right that we have in this country and we should be greatful that we have it. If you dont do politics what do you do (get watching that advert).

    Surely there must be a parties policies that you agree with. In my area we have the big 3 plus green, UKIP, BNP and a small local party. In your area there must be a party who you share some views with.

    If you dont vote then the goverment should take your vote away from you, it may be contraversal but at least it would get the people voting.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    film_buff wrote:
    its a right that we have .
    and you would take that right away by making it a compulsion?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    film_buff wrote:
    Everyone should vote, its a right that we have in this country and we should be greatful that we have it. If you dont do politics what do you do (get watching that advert).

    Surely there must be a parties policies that you agree with. In my area we have the big 3 plus green, UKIP, BNP and a small local party. In your area there must be a party who you share some views with.

    If you dont vote then the goverment should take your vote away from you, it may be contraversal but at least it would get the people voting.


    its a right to vote, not a duty! and its called freedom
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    how about a new law whereby no politician can hold a public office for more than 5 years, this would get rid of these power hungry career politicians
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What happens if I think a politician has done a good job and I want to vote for him again after he's served his five years. Aren't you taking away my ability to vote for who I like
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote:
    What if you fundamentally disagree with the system as it stands?
    Then you go and do something about it. That would be the third point I made if you fancy reading.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NQA wrote:
    What happens if I think a politician has done a good job and I want to vote for him again after he's served his five years. Aren't you taking away my ability to vote for who I like


    nope,because it is all party politics anyways. you would still be able to vote for your party
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    how about a new law whereby no politician can hold a public office for more than 5 years, this would get rid of these power hungry career politicians

    then you would never have anyone experienced as an MP, as many hold local council seats for a few years etc, basically you would be putting complete amateurs in place

    plus what about the people who stay in public office for like 10 years or so in a council seat and do it for the good of thew community, you would be trashing the people then
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The first people to complain about a goverment are the people that didnt vote. Either they vote or they shut up.

    maybe its abit extreme to take away their vote but i would do something which would encourage them to vote. I remember reading an article a while back about a country where when their is an election they charge the voter extra tax which then pays for thier voting slip. This way people feel that they might aswell use their vote because they have paid for it, it could of ben australia but i cant really remeber which country it was.
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