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Who has voted? Who plans to? (pg. 4)
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| shaolin_Z |
Voting is a pointless time wasting activity meant to give you the illusion of choice and contribution. The interesting part is a lot people are aware of this, and still vote, and still feel some kind of righteous indignation towards people who don't vote LOL. So it's kind of like masturbation. The only real choice you're given is between two corporate shills and the only contribution you're making is ensuring that a system that enslaves you continues to survive. The system would collapse instantly if people didn't comply and actually had the integrity, drive, incentive and motivation to replace it with another one that was actually functional in the sense that it served them instead. Most people who're intelligent to make an intellectual contribution consider getting a well paying corperate job or managment position success. The poor are two preoccupied stuggling financially or getting out of poverty to spend much energy on anything else. The middle class seems satisfied with their comfort zone to actually rock the post. There's nothing remotely democratic about that and nothing will change until the system collapses. To put it simply, the system is ed and therefore so are you. Denial and apathy is the only source of comfort for most people so that makes things even worse, and it's not going to end until it drastically effects every aspect of their lives and there nothing gained out of staying in the mindset anymore. And if you think Ron Paul has a chance of winning and gets elected, you're choosing to victimize yourself even more with this whole saviour/messiah/heroe complex. Assuming he's elected, he's still one man with little power to change anything and would probably be taken down once was or another if he dared to any of the things he proclaims to believe or change, like aboloshing the Federal Reserve or cutting of aid and support to Israel.
I for one won't be wasting my time or masturbating like the rest of you "wankers."
EDIT: Happy Turkey day. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
Why not? If I may ask... |
Because, the farther the candidate is from me, the less I can possibly know about him or about how the system works.
The last person I voted for president was a candidate from Brasilia (as a matter of fact, he used to be the dean of the University of Brasilia, where I study). So, I knew him as a dean and, afterwards, as a governor. But, as the system gets more complex, I lose track what's going on. Would he still be the best suited candidate? I must admit I don't know.
I'd rather vote for a local representative and then have them vote for the people they're going to be dealing with. |
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| Halcyon+On+On |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
I'd rather vote for a local representative and then have them vote for the people they're going to be dealing with. |
I agree.
My country is somewhat set up to be that way, but it doesn't seem to be working very well. |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
I'll bring a couple viles of anti-venom, no problem..:o
What is the most metropolitan (international) city in Australia anyways? Like, what is the New York City, Los Angeles, Miami of Australia? |
melbourne, not sydney.
@ lira: compulsory voting is a cornerstone of real democracy.
@ shaolin: well, your experience in america has no doubt poisoned you, but tomorrow's election in australia there is a definite choice, and some very important differences between the two parties. im sorry your nation is so ty. |
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| Halcyon+On+On |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
im sorry your nation is so ty. |
Quite seriously, we could work past a great majority of our issues if it weren't for Evanglical Christians and their paramilitant ideology. Democracy isn't the best idea out there, if you ask me, but it's almost impossible to get anything properly passed or repealed thanks to such a large (and growing) number of backwards wits voting for whomever they think Jesus told them to.
It makes me so angry, I could vote. :mad: |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
melbourne, not sydney. |
+1, if I ever get to go to Australia, I want to go to Melbourne.
And Hobart, maybe :p
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
@ lira: compulsory voting is a cornerstone of real democracy. |
How so? :conf: |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
It makes me so angry, I could vote. :mad: |
haha!
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
How so? |
because it prevents elections becoming a competition between the two parties to secure the middle-class vote. it prevents the disenfranchised or minorities from becoming ignored by the major parties, they have to consider all citizens in their platforms, not just those they think will make up the bulk of the voting public (the middle class).
nobody is forcing you to vote, youre just forced to get your name ticked off. you could make a paper plane out of your ballot paper if you really really want to.
it allows for minor parties to get a foothold in politics (we currently have 5 parties in the upper house, maybe more). more parties = more topics up for debate = better democratic process.
westminster system of government
half the upper house is up for election each time the lower house is
compulsory voting
preferential voting system
publicly funded parties/elections
just a few of the reasons i feel australia has the best democracy in the world. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
because it prevents elections becoming a competition between the two parties to secure the middle-class vote. it prevents the disenfranchised or minorities from becoming ignored by the major parties, they have to consider all citizens in their platforms, not just those they think will make up the bulk of the voting public (the middle class).
it allows for minor parties to get a foothold in politics (we currently have 5 parties in the upper house, maybe more). more parties = more topics up for debate = better democratic process. |
Well, that's kinda true... we've got lots of influential parties here.
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
nobody is forcing you to vote, youre just forced to get your name ticked off. you could make a paper plane out of your ballot paper if you really really want to. |
Wait, you guys don't use electronic voting machines?!
They're so much fun :p
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
westminster system of government
half the upper house is up for election each time the lower house is
compulsory voting
preferential voting system
publicly funded parties/elections
just a few of the reasons i feel australia has the best democracy in the world. |
Just wondering, have you got some extra room for an incipient linguist that sounds like a toothless Londoner in English? :p |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
Wait, you guys don't use electronic voting machines?! |
i really cannot believe people use voting machines. i would vote for the party campaigning against them :D its just ludicrous.
as is "first past the post" tallies. bollocks.
| quote: |
Just wondering, have you got some extra room for an incipient linguist that sounds like a toothless Londoner in English? :p |
an absolute pleasure im sure it would be! if you ever came over, you, me, tathi and renegade would have to go for a beer (or in my case, a vodka cruiser) in melbourne :) |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
an absolute pleasure im sure it would be! if you ever came over, you, me, tathi and renegade would have to go for a beer (or in my case, a vodka cruiser) in melbourne :) |
hmm... you know what? Depending on my budget, I'll drink vodka with you guys by the end of 2008 :) (I'd have to kidnap Tathi, though, as he's in South America too :p) |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
hmm... you know what? Depending on my budget, I'll drink vodka with you guys by the end of 2008 :) (I'd have to kidnap Tathi, though, as he's in South America too :p) |
nah man, he's back! check out his piccies thread in auTA. great shots! |
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| George Smiley |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
yes. compulsory voting or you get a fine.
we have a general election (lower house + half upper house) this saturday. |
I'm torn on this. It does sound good and democratic, and obviously if you're deliberately not voting for anyone on principle I guess it gives you the option to abstain on the vote card. But I just think about all the people who normally don't vote - those with a lack of interest in politics. They tend to be tabloid readers and if, in the UK for example where turnout is around 40%, I'm not sure what the effects of 60% of the population who get their information from tabloids would have on the political landscape. It could be very dangerous and I'm certain it would signal an end to progressive politics... |
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