www.ditl.org

Can I complain even though I'm not of legal voting age? I would vote if I could, but alas. 365 days separate me from that mark. So doing the math: less than 1/2 of Americans Vote, 1/2 of them are morons (actually it should be more than 1/2, we need a majority to get Dubya back into office),rounds to about 1/4 of the population, and slightly over 1/2 of the American population doesn't vote, so again we're left with about 75% of Americans are Morons. (We are talking of people who are eligible to vote, not those who can't correct?)

Either way, a whole lot of Americans are morons. I think we can agree there.

ChakatBlackstar wrote:
No I said half of the people who vote are morons. People who don't vote are morons for not voting. What I really hate is when someone complains about our government but they didn't even vote!

Not voting doesn't make their complaints about the government any less vaild. What it does indicate is that they are fools for not taking the chance to change policy when they can.

And yes if your not able to vote for any of a number of reasons (for example in the US you can't if your a convicted felon) than it doesn't apply to you.

Not voting is a perfectly acceptable way of voicing your displeasure at the current government system.

Teaos wrote:Not voting is a perfectly acceptable way of voicing your displeasure at the current government system.

True, if numbers are low it's a good indication that people are fed up. I like Australia's system where voting is manditory but you can abstain, giving the finger to the government officially.

Teaos wrote:Not voting is a perfectly acceptable way of voicing your displeasure at the current government system.

No it isn't. Especially since it doesn't express displeasure. It expresses that you're lazy. Or otherwise don't matter. You don't have to vote for the main candidates if you really don't like them that much.

At least in the US there are always a handful of third parties that dream of getting enough votes to get in on the government campaign funding and one day being big enough to contend. But at the least in voting for one of those it'll make the other parties try and shift to get you vote back.

I don't know, when you get elected from 51% of the 50% of eligable voters, that doesn't say much for you does it?*

*These numbers are an example. Though Canada came pretty close the election before last.

Sure some people that vote are just lazy but why should you vote if you like no one? Voting for the lesser of two or even 5 evils is still evil.

Teaos wrote:Sure some people that vote are just lazy but why should you vote if you like no one? Voting for the lesser of two or even 5 evils is still evil.

Can you write in a name in NZ? In Canada it invalidates the ballot, so putting in Romeo Dallaire would be pointless. I hear you can do it in the US though.

Nah we have MMP so basically anyone who wants to be nominated is already on the list. Last time there was over a dozen parties I think.

In the US you can write in. Usually having to write in the candidate and someone to represent them at the electoral collage.

And rarely are these people evil. It's just that you're an extremist and as such nobody truly represents what you want that has a snowballs chance. It sounds like in NZ the Libertarians might not even be humored since you're pretty socialist. If American conservatives are fringe there, an anarcho-capitalist would be one for the funny farm.

I never said I wouldnt vote. I said not voting was perfectly acceptable way of showing your displeasure.

As and example I probably wouldnt have voted in the 2004 presidental election since I didnt like any of them.

But this time I like McCain and... shock horror I like Obama as well.

Me being a Libratarian is in direct response to the fact my country is so damn socialist. Do I think all Liberatrian ideals are right or even workable? Hell no. But I support them because I know they will fight hardest for the thing I care most about. Most of their really extreme shit that you dont like is rather down the "to do" list and thus I dont really worry. And since we have MMP and a parlament I dont have to worry about them having total control like Presidents seem to almost weild.

Teaos wrote:Nah we have MMP so basically anyone who wants to be nominated is already on the list. Last time there was over a dozen parties I think.

MMP? It was on the ballot for the last Provincial election and was thankfully defeated. I hope it works better for you guys than the plan for here suggested.

It has its up sides and its down sides.

The good part is you get a lot of parties and and lots of ideas.

The bad part is that if someone is on the party list they can get into government even if they are not voted directly in through their region.

Teaos wrote:It has its up sides and its down sides.

The good part is you get a lot of parties and and lots of ideas.

It would be nice to have more than the four we have, though I don't want the Green Party anywhere near Parliament.

The bad part is that if someone is on the party list they can get into government even if they are not voted directly in through their region.

That was my objection.

At the moment we have Labour (Biggest and left wing) National (2nd and at the moment ahead in the polls, right wing) Maori party, Greens, NZ First, ACT, Progressive, United, Independant.

And several others that are almost in but not quite.