Politics.

[rowan]

Replace him with more of the same under a different banner?
Or waste a vote by voting for the greens?
.

Why is it a waste? It's far more productive than not voting at all and we can only get a change in parliament if we vote for a change rather than just letting the same old parties get back in - we can't survive another tory government!
And haven't you seen the news, the Greens are making real headway at last, people are sick of the same old same old and with the other alternative being UKIP (spit!) voting Green really does make sense. And if there's a chance they could be included in a coalition, which many people are expecting, then it can only be for the good.

 

[tim2000s]

I don't believe you can either complain or take the moral high ground if you choose not to vote. If, instead of that, you stood for election, for what you believe in, then I might have some respect.

Instead by choosing to do neither, you lose the right to complain about what we have, as you have done nothing to change it.

It's a very 70s punk view of the world.

 

[JTL]

If my political decision is there is n one I would vote for how can voting for someone I don't want to vote for be a more productive thing to do?
Deciding there is no one I can vote for is my vote at the moment.
I think people think that moving your legs in the direction of the polling booth is important and I have already said I will go and probably write none of the above.
A lot of people seem to be saying this country has to get rid of the Eton boys.
Everywhere I go and on other forums so the polls are not reflecting the real mood of the country by any means.

 

[Janiept]

I have to agree with @JACKTHELAD , where is the virtue in voting for a party whose policies you disagree with just so you can say later that you did vote and therefore have a right to complain.

 

[JTL]

I don't believe you can either complain or take the moral high ground if you choose not to vote. If, instead of that, you stood for election, for what you believe in, then I might have some respect.

Instead by choosing to do neither, you lose the right to complain about what we have, as you have done nothing to change it.

It's a very 70s punk view of the world.

It's a principled stance.
Everyone wants me to go against my principals.
I live in a country that has given me an incredible amount of freedom compared with many places in the world and I cherish that ... am very grateful that I was fortunate enough to be born in such a country.
Some of you it seems want to take freedom of choice from me.
My choice is probably more political than many who will turn out to vote just because.
And yes I can complain.
I can complain that what I'm being offered is a sham and won't change anything.
As I said before if voting changed anything then voting would be illegal.

 

[rowan]

You can vote against as well as voting for, vote against the same old 3 party system, which is more like the old 2 party system now, I think the libdems are finished. Which leaves a gap. Interesting times!

 

[JTL]

Anyone remember Harold Wilsons government?
There was talk of a military coup to chuck him out because he was going to far to the left.
So your voting is pretty limited.
No matter who you vote for the establishment remains.

 

[rowan]

Yes I remember his government, what's that to do with now though?
Of course you're entitled to vote or not, I just think it's a real shame to waste a vote when we're now in a better position than we have been for many years to make a real change in government, shake them up. Voting CAN change things but people have to vote for that change, and I'd much rather see the Greens in a coalition than ukip, that really would be a disaster because of their anti-green policies at a time when it should be a priority issue.
Anyway, I'm off for my dinner

 

[Scandichic]

If my political decision is there is n one I would vote for how can voting for someone I don't want to vote for be a more productive thing to do?
Deciding there is no one I can vote for is my vote at the moment.
I think people think that moving your legs in the direction of the polling booth is important and I have already said I will go and probably write none of the above.
A lot of people seem to be saying this country has to get rid of the Eton boys.
Everywhere I go and on other forums so the polls are not reflecting the real mood of the country by any means.

Yes but then nobody bloody well votes and they get in again!

 

[Scandichic]

It's a principled stance.
Everyone wants me to go against my principals.
I live in a country that has given me an incredible amount of freedom compared with many places in the world and I cherish that ... am very grateful that I was fortunate enough to be born in such a country.
Some of you it seems want to take freedom of choice from me.
My choice is probably more political than many who will turn out to vote just because.
And yes I can complain.
I can complain that what I'm being offered is a sham and won't change anything.
As I said before if voting changed anything then voting would be illegal.

With rights come responsibilities! You can't have one without the other!

 

[JTL]

It is not my responsibility to support people and organisations I loathe or at best don't agree with.

 

[JTL]

Yes but then nobody bloody well votes and they get in again!

If no one voted then we would have a constitutional crisis or some such thing and something would have to be done.
Something would have to change.

 

[tim2000s]

With rights come responsibilities! You can't have one without the other!

Anyone read /watched "Starship Troopers"?...

 

[tim2000s]

If no one voted then we would have a constitutional crisis or some such thing and something would have to be done.
Something would have to change.

If nobody voted, the incumbents would decide that they should stay in power.... Nothing would change. Except that the entire population would now be governed by a group of people they hadn't voted for. And thus an authoritarian state would be born.

 

[JTL]

If nobody voted, the incumbents would decide that they should stay in power.... Nothing would change. Except that the entire population would now be governed by a group of people they hadn't voted for. And thus an authoritarian state would be born.

The incumbents would have no mandate to govern and we would have a crisis.

 

[tim2000s]

The incumbents would have no mandate to govern and we would have a crisis.

Sadly, your crisis depends on those that sit in the seats not voting for themselves, so is highly unlikely to occur. A parliament voted in with 600 votes is little different to one voted in with fewer than half the population voting.

 

[JTL]

Well best of luck to all of you who will be voting.
Like George said .... I'm sure your country will improve immediately.

 

[JTL]

The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do. It is the freedom to refrain, withdraw and abstain which makes a totalitarian regime impossible. - Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind, p 176, 1955

 

[Scandichic]

The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do. It is the freedom to refrain, withdraw and abstain which makes a totalitarian regime impossible. - Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind, p 176, 1955

I think you are naive. Lovely, principled, rational but sadly theory and reality don't always match - I only wish we had more people with your integrity but we don't. It's an imperfect world and we have to make imperfect choices but I still think it's wrong not to vote.

 

[millysue]

Just before I hit the sack .... anyone want to own up to who they're voting for at the G.E.

I would like to vote for, sceaming lord such and the monster raving looney party.
Think I may just be showing my age with that remark.