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Voting
Apr 13, 2010 2:38:14 GMT -5
Post by Ganbare! on Apr 13, 2010 2:38:14 GMT -5
I voted major elections though I've cast a ballot in only two of them. I'm not really involved in local politics as I'm not very stable geographically.
If you don't vote: please explain why: lack of affiliation with your country, unrepresentative political landscape, too lazy...? Do you consider abstention irresponsible?
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Voting
Apr 22, 2010 17:57:49 GMT -5
Post by Ganbare! on Apr 22, 2010 17:57:49 GMT -5
power to the people..
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monroe
Junior Member
Fastidious Grunge Lover - a study in contrasts
Posts: 152
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Voting
Apr 22, 2010 18:55:12 GMT -5
Post by monroe on Apr 22, 2010 18:55:12 GMT -5
I only started voting 2 years ago, but I do it whenever I can. To me, the small elections are just as important as a large one. The presidential elections determine the ideological shift of the country, but the small elections have a much more substantial impact on bread and butter life. They help determine things like tuition rates, health and welfare, public works, etc. In my home of record, Minnesota, Al Franken (D) recently ousted Norm Coleman (R) as senator. This made national headlines and sparked additional controversy when Al Franken won 1212639:1212317.
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Voting
Apr 23, 2010 3:51:41 GMT -5
Post by davidbleo on Apr 23, 2010 3:51:41 GMT -5
Well I've voted 2 times... in 2006 and last year. I voted for the left Party of the Democratic Revolution for presidency back in 2006, but he lost (or so the authorities say) and now we have an endless drug war which has claimed more than 22,000 lives... more poverty, etc.
In the past 3 years... all 3 big parties have shown to be the same, National Action Party (right), Party of the Democratic Revolution (left) and Party of the Institutional Revolution (which ruled under different forms and ideologies Mexico from the 20's until 2000)... so, last year I voted for noone, with the innocent idea that it is better to vote for Batman than not to vote... I only voted for governor... and I regret it... I hope our governor (Nuevo León state) won't last the 6 years he's supposed to be in office...
I dunno what else to say... talking about politics in a language different than my own is harder than I expected...
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Voting
Apr 23, 2010 16:58:02 GMT -5
Post by betahat on Apr 23, 2010 16:58:02 GMT -5
I'm in a weird zone now where I can't really vote in Canadian elections because I can't really claim to be a resident but I certainly can't vote in American elections either. But I've always voted when I could, and I've also volunteered for several election campaigns. I've voted for the NDP (left) in everyone Canadian election except the last by-election in my riding (St Paul's, Toronto) where the Liberal candidate was pretty impressive, I thought the NDP was demagoguing on some of the issues, and it was a clear two way race between the conservative and the liberal.
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Voting
Apr 23, 2010 17:34:33 GMT -5
Post by Ganbare! on Apr 23, 2010 17:34:33 GMT -5
^You're right local elections are equally as much important as national elections but right now they don't matter to me.
I get what you mean about voting for a different party depending on the candidate, I voted for the center in the 2007 French Presidential election...
Abstention is growing trend in the West, are voters increasingly disillusioned because of politicians and scandals or are they just getting lazy or depoliticized ?
The very nature of US politics favor a two-party system, don't people not voting Democrat nor Republican feel like the third wheel sometimes? Democrats and Republicans are not so different ideologically-speaking that said I still vote for the Liberal Party in Canada because I don't think there will ever be a federal government from a political formation other than Liberal or Conservative... tactical voting sucks but is necessary given the current landscape.
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Voting
Apr 23, 2010 19:01:38 GMT -5
Post by betahat on Apr 23, 2010 19:01:38 GMT -5
Well, it depends where you live. If you're in a competitive district you should consider voting for the NDP - a lot of the best Canadian legislation, like universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, 40 hour work week, 2 weeks vacation, race-free immigration, etc. all happened with a Liberal Prime Minister but a liberal minority supported by the NDP in parliament. The NDP always supports the Liberals on the hot button issues but pulls them left. Of course, in a lot of parts of the country the NDP is not competitive and it would be a wasted vote. Like Quebec where you lived...
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