Republican/Liberal

[RJDiogenes]

Not voting sends the message you can't be bothered/don't care who wins

I completely agree. You can always write in somebody-- which I have done on several occasions-- or just write in "None of the above." Actions like that have more meaning than apathy.

 

[Roger Wilco]

^ They did vote for it directly, we had a public referendum which was attached to local election ballots in most places. Everybody voted no, because the Tories spent a fortune of their own money discrediting it. Just a year earlier it was polling with a big majority in favour of it.

And the same thing would likely happen here-- but it's the only chance of it happening. Congress would never support it on its own.

OT, but: is there even any mechanism in the US constitution that would allow for a national referendum? And if yes, has it ever happened?

 

[Pingfah]

all the main uk parties are fairly middling these days so it doesnt matter too much.

so i usually close my eyes and hope i dont tick the box for the bnp. (i accidentally voted communist once this way)

Why even waste the effort on the walk to the polling station, or posting the card then? If you consider the choice to be irrelevant, then so is voting for one.

My view is that if you don't vote, then don't complain about the result.

I don't buy the argument that saying my vote won't count so why bother?

Firstly: Simply if everyone who thought that actually voted it might change the result.

Secondly: All it takes is for your preferred candidate to get exactly 1 vote more than the next person for them to be elected.

Don't want to vote for anyone, spoil your ballot paper, they do specify how many spoilt ballot papers each consitituency gets. So a few dozens vs potentialy a few thousands sends different messages.

Not voting sends the message you can't be bothered/don't care who wins

Spolit Ballots number in the tens/hundreds of thousands sends more of message that we do care, just not for any of you. It might cause the politicans to examine themselves and make changes.

Perhaps you missed the bit where he is not spoiling the ballot paper, but simply closing his eyes and guessing? There is no protest here, nobody is looking at the ballot papers and going "oh, that guy spoiled his ballot". He is putting in a legitimate counted vote, and doesn't even know who he is voting for, that is ridiculous.

As he pointed out himself, he could be voting for the BNP by accident, you consider that to be more helpful than not voting? If votes count as you say they do, then guessing when scum like the BNP are on the ballot is far more irresponsible than not voting.

 

[Lumi]

I'm somewhere in the middle. I am far to the right on some issues, and far left on others. I never know who the hell to vote for.

 

[Random_Spock]

Used to be straight liberal Democrat, now I'm a liberal progressive Democrat.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

I am a political moderate.

Which basically means that Conservatives see me as a raging Liberal and Liberals see me as a hardass Conservative. Socially, I would actually call myself a libertarian, I suppose - I believe tolerance needs to work both ways. In the area of religion, for example, I think it wrong to force religion down someone's throat...but I also think it is equally wrong (and hypocritical) to belittle, make sport of, and/or berate those who choose to practice the religion of their choice.

This, I have discovered, is not a popular point of view.

I feel the exact same way about political affiliation. These days, I am much more concerned with saving our country than I am with political affiliation. I believe, in fact, that it is all this partisanship that is destroying our nation. And yes, I do believe that our nation is being destroyed....and that we are doing it to ourselves with all this partisan bickering.

From where I sit, we are sitting on a sinking ship...but are so busy arguing about the best way to bail water, with both sides so determined to win the argument ABOUT bailing, that none of the water is actually...you know...getting bailed.

 

[Skellington]

I think I'm like Lloyd - right economically, left socially. I reckon I'd have voted Democrat in the last four or five US General Elections. It's a question of horses for courses, though.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^ They did vote for it directly, we had a public referendum which was attached to local election ballots in most places. Everybody voted no, because the Tories spent a fortune of their own money discrediting it. Just a year earlier it was polling with a big majority in favour of it.

And the same thing would likely happen here-- but it's the only chance of it happening. Congress would never support it on its own.

OT, but: is there even any mechanism in the US constitution that would allow for a national referendum? And if yes, has it ever happened?

No, I don't believe so. It would have to be a state-by-state referendum to either propose a Constitutional Amendment or to call a Constitutional Convention, I think.

 

[Trekker4747]

So, what are y'all?

I consider myself to be a Conservative...So, I guess that makes me a Republican...

(Totally realize I spelled Republican wrong in the thread title, but noticed it too late to correct it...Man, I've had a long day...)

Being conservative doesn't necessarily make you Republican, nor does being a liberal make one a Democrat.

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

 

[Darth Duck]

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

I'm also flirting with Socialist. Things have been going well. I plan on introducing her to my Vanguard Party tonight.

 

[Saito S]

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

I'm also flirting with Socialist. Things have been going well. I plan on introducing her to my Vanguard Party tonight.

Nice. Somehow, I have a feeling that Socialist is hot.

I lean fairly far to the left, and am a registered Democrat living in California. I do try to vote on what issues and policies I find important (and not just vote "for my party" no matter what). That said, while the Democrats in congress aren't exactly hitting home runs out there, thus far, there haven't been any conservative politicians I'd want to vote for anyway.

 

[Trekker4747]

I usually try to vote issues too but more and more the Republicans tend to not fit my view on my issues. The further right they go the further left I go.

 

[JWD75]

It depends on the issue and the candidate. I'm liberal on some aspects and consevative in others. But as the Republicans have shifted further right into loony-toons territory I have found myself identifying more and more with the Democrats. In high school I was a firm believer in Ayn Rand and her philosophy - but the real world cured me of that idiocy.

 

[GemHaters]

(Totally realize I spelled Republican wrong in the thread title, but noticed it too late to correct it...Man, I've had a long day...)

Fixed it for ya.

Thanks!

 

[GemHaters]

Solid, hardcore Conservative. Registered GOP. Proud of the first. Pretty much okay with the second.

Let's be friends! lol...

 

[GemHaters]

Liberal. Registered Democrat.


Hmmmm, I'm sensing a trend.

lol. Yeah, I kind of figured as much. Us Conservatives generally have to go to message boards specifically made for Republicans to find each other...

And let's be honest, most Republican's are scared to admit that they are...It's appalling...

 

[GemHaters]

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

I'm also flirting with Socialist. Things have been going well. I plan on introducing her to my Vanguard Party tonight.

Do y'all even realize what Socialist means? The Nazi's were Socialists(National Socialist Party of German Workers=Nazi)
I just wouldn't throw that term around so freely. To be a Democrat is one thing, but a Socialist?

Oh, and I'm not comparing Socialists to Hitler, before y'all jump all over me. But Nazi Germany was a very Socialist country and the thought of that should be scary to any sane person.

 

[JB2005]

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

I'm also flirting with Socialist. Things have been going well. I plan on introducing her to my Vanguard Party tonight.

Do y'all even realize what Socialist means? The Nazi's were Socialists(National Socialist Party of German Workers=Nazi)
I just wouldn't throw that term around so freely. To be a Democrat is one thing, but a Socialist?

Oh, and I'm not comparing Socialists to Hitler, before y'all jump all over me. But Nazi Germany was a very Socialist country and the thought of that should be scary to any sane person.

What? Really?

 

[24thcenstfan]

Independent. However, I lean to the left on some issues and a hair on the right on others. I vote for candidates, not Parties. I admit I've voted for more Democrats than Republicans.

 

[Brolan]

That being said, I'm a Liberal Democrat who flirts with Socialist.

I'm also flirting with Socialist. Things have been going well. I plan on introducing her to my Vanguard Party tonight.

Do y'all even realize what Socialist means? The Nazi's were Socialists(National Socialist Party of German Workers=Nazi)
I just wouldn't throw that term around so freely. To be a Democrat is one thing, but a Socialist?

Oh, and I'm not comparing Socialists to Hitler, before y'all jump all over me. But Nazi Germany was a very Socialist country and the thought of that should be scary to any sane person.

Nazism and Socialism are two very different things. Nazis are the lunatic fringe of socialism. Just like the KKK is the lunatic fringe of Christianity.