if people hate polictains then why keep voting?
402431
Because as flawed as our representative democracy is, it sure beats a dictatorship :)
271150
The vote is not for you, but for the politicians, who are in power. The potential effect of regular voting is continuously in the mind of the politicians. They have to worry about their image all the time. Everything they do or fail to do could get their ratings down and that would soon be the end of their political career. So please vote, and in doing so, keep the politicians alert.
870072
You know.. My 6 year old asked me why I vote this morning.  My answere is very simple... I like to complain, and the only way that i feel like i have a valid excuse to complain is if i atleast vote.  So for me Voting allows me to complain about things be it politics or anything else.
441300
Party line voting is wrong.  It is also wrong to be a wind sock for public opinion. That places the power in the hands of a small oligarchy in the first instance, and in the hands of the uninformed in the second.  A politician should vote for what is best for his constituants and not worry about his next election or even his popularity within his constituancy.  The people should only vote a person in office they trust.  \n\nIn truth, people are selfish and narrow-minded and vote for people like themselves.  An honest man running for political office doesn't stand a chance of getting elected and if he lucks out and does get elected will not be re-elected.  The people that put him in office (voters and donors)expect special treatment and will viciously turn on him if he tries to do his job fairly.\n\nTo Sandy_Sweet_Pie, Most of your military are conservative, they are the last people that want to go to war but when called to do so, they proudly fight for the right of leftist liberals like you to have freedom of speech.  To bad you have nothing constructive to say.
714200
Of course no one should tell you how to vote, but they should be telling you why to vote for a particular individual. I tend to be all over the place when I vote, and it's because I look at the issues and the individual and make a decission accordingly.
218009
its your duty as a citizen of the United States. The government we have is made under a social contract, and under that, the people make the government, therefore they have the right to change/and or abolish it. You need to vote, and if you don't, don't complain when something you dont agree with happens beacause you did nothing to change it.\n**Voting goes to more than just the president!
812824
If people don't vote, they need to accept everyone else's decisions becuase that is why you have the right to vote.  You each have to exercise that right or you don't have anyone to blame but yourself.
48791
Because they are lazy, and don't think it matters.\n\nFor all those out there who think so, here's a quote(I haven't a clue who by)\n\n"Bad men are elected by good people who don't vote".\n\nIf you didn't vote, don't grouse if you don't like who your neighbor picked.
1050982
There are several reasons.  First, most people are simply not smart enough to know who the canidates are, or what they stand for, so they stay home.  Many no longer feel a connection to the canidates as they feel special interests now control everything.  Many also feel that their vote does not count.  But the real reason is just plain laziness of the American voter, who will stand in line for hours for concert tickets, show tickets or sporting events, but if there are 3 people waiting to vote, the line is simply too long.
844787
Actually, there have been cases in which people have been threatened for voting a certain way. It wasn't at an exit poll, but the FBI's currently investigating cases in Virginia in which people got phone calls threatening them if they voted a certain way. Many people feel that who they voted for is a personal matter. Perhaps they feel this way out of a fear for being judged by other people who do not agree with their beliefs. I also personally know some people who don't take exit polls because they are not all that accurate anyway. Like in 2004, when they were predicting that John Kerry would win the Presidential election.
345438
Because either people are apathetic, or, they are hypnotized by these  crooked politicians.  Very few of us are immune  to it. I am one. I do not vote for those who want to rule for  a 2nd or 3rd term or beyond. They have gotten rich enough, and don't need any more of my money.
165851
The point is political pandering for votes. They bring this issue up every election year. It has NOTHING to do with dignity, or morals, or sanctity or any other word they choose to attach to it. OR even Gay marriage for that matter.\n\nIf the majority of voters are "horrified" by gays, they will remember this person "fighting against" this  at election time.\n\nIts horribly wrong to do this at the cost of basic human rights and fuels hate crimes among 1000 other negative reasons.\n\n There are many things inherently wrong with our countries political $y$tem. \n\nI'll stop there before I really get started. :)\n\nI found this today thought you might find it interesting...\nhttp://www.armchairsubversive.com/
958206
One thing your forgot:  educated and or not educated who feel they have nothing worth it, to vote for.   In other words all you have to vote for is garbage!  People strike on voting because of this!  In a sense they have voted by not voting! Those of us vote based on the platform not  because they are Dem or Rep or because they are good looking or Gender or color!
259069
In the end you only have one vote regardless of your political affiliation.  People who don't vote are the weak ones.
919303
you cant justify hate.  I dont understand why so many hate because of what political group they belong to.  Who cares what you are?  If your a nice person and kind and gentle... who cares?
798242
Why vote?  Even if your candidate doesn't win, you have shown the parties that you are one who doesn't agree with them.\n\nWhy do Rep/Dems get voted in? They are the 2 biggest parties in the country with the most money.
970307
At last a voice of reason!  Voting only enslaves you to this bastardized political system we have today.  If you feel you must vote, do as I did and vote for Popeye or NOTA.  You must be blind not to see how both sides are playing you against each other.  No substance at all, only emotional knee jerk reactions.  Wake up people.  We are not free and the illusion of freedom is dwindling.  Most sit back and allow more and more rights/freedoms to be removed every day.  To those  of you who are saying "you can't complain if you don't vote" I say this - don't cry to me when the fascist state removes the veil it's been hiding behind.\n\n\nPay no attention to the man behind the curtain.\n\nLong live economic anarchism