Will you be voting at the upcoming elections?

[EvilPie]

I think apathy towards voting is a real shame. Our soldiers are losing their lives in Afghanistan every day fighting to give those people the right to vote, ergo freedom, yet many in this country are so complacent about their own liberty they don't even bother. I think all people should vote irrespective of the area they live in because exercising that right is +1 for democracy.

why do people always assume everyone wants to live in a democracy?

Because it's difficult to oppose the concept that having a choice is better than having no choice

Hmmmm...... Not quite a democracy though is it.

Do we really have a choice on the major things that affect our lives?

There's plenty of things that we don't have a choice in, the main one being that we are forced to pay taxes.

We don't have an opt out policy on tax and then be left to fend for ourselves.

I'm not allowed to buy 20kg of heroin and snort myself to death on it.

Tell me what choices you get to make? Are they really through choice are is it just that you've become part of the system that claims to be a democracy and people just accept?

I'm not knocking this btw. I'll happily go on paying my taxes and living my happy life as part of the rat race but I think if we look deeply there isn't a whole lot of free will going on in this or any other democratic country.

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

On the subject of tax you have a very clear choice this election regarding NI contributions.

Immigration is the main policy that if one of the majors did something radical I would look at voting. That and clamping down on spongers. Not just talking about it but actually doing it!!

What is the choice we have with regards to NI contributions?

Is one of them completely getting rid of it and making the health service completely private and abolishing state pensions?

Or will one of them be about 50p a week cheaper?

I said radical not meaningless....

We don't have a choice. We can decide how we want to pay our taxes and whether it's disguised as NI contributions or VAT or income tax but whatever happens everybody will be paying tax. Nobody has a genuine choice to not pay tax and where's the democracy in that?

[ripple11]

Love the next four weeks!!.

Election night is unmissable, especially at 10pm with the exit polls

[Claw75]

So. Who was still up for Portillo?  Will remember that moment forever - a real feeling that things, indeed, were going to get better.

[The Camel]

So. Who was still up for Portillo?  Will remember that moment forever - a real feeling that things, indeed, were going to get better.

David Mellor getting kicked out was the bestest ever.

[Claw75]

So. Who was still up for Portillo?  Will remember that moment forever - a real feeling that things, indeed, were going to get better.

David Mellor getting kicked out was the bestest ever.

Ah yes - he of the Chelsea strip

[Jon MW]

...

Isn't voting compulsory in Australia?  I remember someone posting about it previously..

Australia and others http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting

IMO voting should be compulsory, if you don't want to vote or there is no suitable candidate you should go and spoil your paper.

this

Or more to the point - there should be an option to vote for "No Suitable Candidate"

The only election I've known of with that option was the Student Union elections at university, they organised it really well and the option was very sensibly and pithily named; but it's too long ago for me to rememember the details

[Jon MW]

I think apathy towards voting is a real shame. Our soldiers are losing their lives in Afghanistan every day fighting to give those people the right to vote, ergo freedom, yet many in this country are so complacent about their own liberty they don't even bother. I think all people should vote irrespective of the area they live in because exercising that right is +1 for democracy.

why do people always assume everyone wants to live in a democracy?

Because it's difficult to oppose the concept that having a choice is better than having no choice

Hmmmm...... Not quite a democracy though is it.

Do we really have a choice on the major things that affect our lives?

There's plenty of things that we don't have a choice in, the main one being that we are forced to pay taxes.

We don't have an opt out policy on tax and then be left to fend for ourselves.

I'm not allowed to buy 20kg of heroin and snort myself to death on it.

Tell me what choices you get to make? Are they really through choice are is it just that you've become part of the system that claims to be a democracy and people just accept?

I'm not knocking this btw. I'll happily go on paying my taxes and living my happy life as part of the rat race but I think if we look deeply there isn't a whole lot of free will going on in this or any other democratic country.

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

On the subject of tax you have a very clear choice this election regarding NI contributions.

Immigration is the main policy that if one of the majors did something radical I would look at voting. That and clamping down on spongers. Not just talking about it but actually doing it!!

What is the choice we have with regards to NI contributions?

Is one of them completely getting rid of it and making the health service completely private and abolishing state pensions?

Or will one of them be about 50p a week cheaper?

I said radical not meaningless....

We don't have a choice. We can decide how we want to pay our taxes and whether it's disguised as NI contributions or VAT or income tax but whatever happens everybody will be paying tax. Nobody has a genuine choice to not pay tax and where's the democracy in that?

It's not Democracy it's Representative Democracy - you're only voting for the people to represent your views. If none of the candidates represent your views then it reinforces the need for a "no suitable candidate" option.

But in the absence of that then it's not entirely unreasonable to choose not to vote.

[technolog]

As the son of a Labour Party member I was indoctrinated at an early age - I remember helping at the 1970 election (running Electoral Register numbers of the people who'd been to vote up to the Committee rooms) and even had a Woodrow Wyatt (who went on to be a tory - I should've known then) poster on my wall - aged 6!!! I've been a member myself since the age of 15, but only active until my early 20s. A saying my Dad used to use which I've often quoted myself is 'I'd vote for a donkey so long as they painted it red'. This time it's going to be tested.

In common with most people I'm sure, the expenses scandal has sickened me and that, together with a growing, age-related cynicism (experience?) has led to me resigning my membership. At last year's local elections, I went to vote but spoiled my paper with 'none of the above'. I might well do the same this time. But I will definitely exercise my democratic right.

[Claw75]

spoiling paper >>>>>>> crossing 'no suitable candidate' box imo

[The_duke]

But I will definitely exercise my democratic right.

yep and damn right too

[Jon MW]

spoiling paper >>>>>>> crossing 'no suitable candidate' box imo

Why?

The reason I'd say the other way round is because there are plenty of people who really are so stupid that they accidentally spoil their vote, so this way it's clear how many people are actually protesting. It also gives a clearer focus to those people who might otherwise vote for a minority party as a protest - hence further clarifying exactly how many people are actively protesting.

[Claw75]

spoiling paper >>>>>>> crossing 'no suitable candidate' box imo

Why?

The reason I'd say the other way round is because there are plenty of people who really are so stupid that they accidentally spoil their vote, so this way it's clear how many people are actually protesting. It also gives a clearer focus to those people who might otherwise vote for a minority party as a protest - hence further clarifying exactly how many people are actively protesting.

well, I suppose there would be nothing to stop me spoiling the paper anyway even of there was that option.  I just think if i ever got the point where I really wanted to express my frustration with the choice of candidates I'd want to use some flowery language  rather than check a box

[Jon MW]

spoiling paper >>>>>>> crossing 'no suitable candidate' box imo

Why?

The reason I'd say the other way round is because there are plenty of people who really are so stupid that they accidentally spoil their vote, so this way it's clear how many people are actually protesting. It also gives a clearer focus to those people who might otherwise vote for a minority party as a protest - hence further clarifying exactly how many people are actively protesting.

well, I suppose there would be nothing to stop me spoiling the paper anyway even of there was that option.  I just think if i ever got the point where I really wanted to express my frustration with the choice of candidates I'd want to use some flowery language  rather than check a box

Probably best for you to leave any matches or lighter fluid at home then

[byronkincaid]

remember someone telling me years ago you get good tax free money working for the day in a polling station, can't see anything about it on my council's website, anyone done it or know where to get info?

 

[MANTIS01]

I think apathy towards voting is a real shame. Our soldiers are losing their lives in Afghanistan every day fighting to give those people the right to vote, ergo freedom, yet many in this country are so complacent about their own liberty they don't even bother. I think all people should vote irrespective of the area they live in because exercising that right is +1 for democracy.

why do people always assume everyone wants to live in a democracy?

Because it's difficult to oppose the concept that having a choice is better than having no choice

Hmmmm...... Not quite a democracy though is it.

Do we really have a choice on the major things that affect our lives?

There's plenty of things that we don't have a choice in, the main one being that we are forced to pay taxes.

We don't have an opt out policy on tax and then be left to fend for ourselves.

I'm not allowed to buy 20kg of heroin and snort myself to death on it.

Tell me what choices you get to make? Are they really through choice are is it just that you've become part of the system that claims to be a democracy and people just accept?

I'm not knocking this btw. I'll happily go on paying my taxes and living my happy life as part of the rat race but I think if we look deeply there isn't a whole lot of free will going on in this or any other democratic country.

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

On the subject of tax you have a very clear choice this election regarding NI contributions.

Immigration is the main policy that if one of the majors did something radical I would look at voting. That and clamping down on spongers. Not just talking about it but actually doing it!!

What is the choice we have with regards to NI contributions?

Is one of them completely getting rid of it and making the health service completely private and abolishing state pensions?

Or will one of them be about 50p a week cheaper?

I said radical not meaningless....

We don't have a choice. We can decide how we want to pay our taxes and whether it's disguised as NI contributions or VAT or income tax but whatever happens everybody will be paying tax. Nobody has a genuine choice to not pay tax and where's the democracy in that?

Radical policies are generally unpopular so the major parties will never offer what you want. Yet you still have choice at the ballot. If immigration is your main concern you can vote BNP, if it's the environment you can vote Green, if it's Europe you can vote UKIP. But if you want radical policy you will need to look at the minor parties. Like I said the BNP vote has pressured the government to introduce a points system for immigration now and to pledge quotas for next term. So the way you use your vote contributes to forming policy even if the candidate doesn't win.

Is the tax choice meaningless? OK it'll probably only mean a couple of hundred a year to each individual but multiply that by the working population and you get an extra 20 billion or so to invest in public services or not. If the Conservatives landslide due to their tax cutting policy it will force other major parties to raise re-raise those issues just like immigration. So your vote will help form future political direction. In reality what's meaningless is having an opinion and not actually voting.