Do you think it's right for people to complain about politics when they don't vote?
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.
759144
no , todays  politicians are  only working for vote , not for people . remember  when medical  students were   opposing    reservation system peacefully  &  they  got  heavy lathi charge  ,concerned  minister  was  not ready  to even meet for few minitues ,
156640
Yes, I do. Local and national elections. So that means I get to whine and pule and complain as much as I want about those in office I didn't vote for, right?
976103
Not in my state, we had a few elections like that. Ones where there were a few hot issues, a lot of people came in and voted on those issues leaving the others blank. The problem was there were other issues that needed 60% or more of total votes to pass, with all the blanks they didn't pass. They had enough if you only counted the yes/no votes on that issue, but the law stated you needed 60% or more of total votes. The ended up bring the issues back the next elections. Anyway here in ND we count them.\n\nRemember if you don't vote, you can't complain. And if you don't vote you just voted against EVERYTHING you stand for.
119249
I don't. It is my right and my privilege not to. There should be a blank vote. When ever the blank vote wins, all politicians would have to step down and give room for new faces, new ideas and new elections. There should be more than two political parties. Politicians these days are a joke, they are there just for the money and the power, they dont really care about their country. Freedom is a luxury for those who can afford it.
207134
I guess if you don't care, you just don't vote. Like a lot of people on Election Day.
700491
I don't vote for the party and I don't vote for "the person".  I vote for the issues.  If I don't know how a candidate stands, I have a phone, I can call and ask.  People who don't care enough to do a little research should lose their vote.
1044569
I vote. However, I can understand why people wouldn't vote. Our elected officials are sold to us, plain and simple. Those who have enough money for advertising put themselves on tv between our favorite programs and we pick one. And its usually a which candidate do you dislike the most scenario. But I don't think its a good idea to encourage people to vote for the sake of voting. People should be encouraged to make an informed decision when voting. They should actually get to know the candidates platforms before they vote. If they are gonna vote for a guy because he's the kind of guy they'd like to have a beer with or if they are gonna not vote for a guy because they don't like how exited he sounded at his rally, then I would rather them not show up. It's like we all have to vote on what car we would drive and some of us are making a decision based on fuel economy and safety and some of us who had equal say based their decision on the song playing in the commercial.
574457
Of course government is politics!  They sort of go hand in hand.  And the answer to the original question is hypocrisy, and it has to do with money and power.  Unfortunately for the US citizens, the current administration is more focused on a personal agenda than what's good for the country or the world for that matter.  My hope is that all this will inspire people to get off their lazy butts and do something, like VOTE!  All the complaining in the world won't do a good if everybody is too lazy to take an active role in their civic duties.
807159
I agree. People who dont vote should keep their mouths shut.
759195
No. \n\nAnd just a comment...I can't wait until these elections are over. I'm tired of the meaningless political questions where people think that their opinion is the only correct one.
128174
When you vote you are speaking up and saying how you believe government should be run.\n\nWhen you don't vote you are letting others speak for you.
1046460
no one who does not vote should have the same rights as those who do not vote!never if the people who are doing the most complaining do not get off the couch and vote!
881290
I don't think that voting should be compulsory.  There are a lot of people that know nothing about the issues, and they shouldn't be voting.
19883
There is a problem here that goes a little deeper than you might expect.\n\nIn my humble opinion, people in our society have gotten very used to having someone else (i.e. "the government") do things for them.\n\nThey have moved away from (or forgotten) the concept of collaborating with their neighbors, friends, co-workers, acquaintences, etc., to accomplish needed missions and goals.  For instance, the United States has a relatively low voter turnout compared to other countries.  As a matter of fact, sources rank the U.S. in the lowest 25% worldwide in terms of voter turnout among different countries.  It should be noted that some countries such as Belgium, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, Uruguay, to name a few, have compulsory voting.  If you don't vote, you are either fined or disenfranchised.  Compulsory voting is an admirable, if not misguided, attempt at keeping people from becoming complacent.  I believe it is better though to make our decisions freely.  Free will is what was given to us by our Creator, to make right and wrong decisions.  It is what makes us Human. \n\nNow, if we don't tell the government what it is that we want, how can we expect the government to "do anything".  To take it a step further, do we really want the government to "do anything"?  After the tragedy of 9/11, the government "did something" by removing various and sundry civil protections that were afforded to us by federal statute and the Constitution.  Now that's "doing something!"\n\nI, personally, work for the government (a state, but government none-the-less).  Now, I am here to tell you that you really don't want the government "doing anything" without very clear, concise, and incontrovertible, instructions.  It is very important that you go visit at least one government office a week (preferably with a group of your associates) and let them know in very clear terms, what it is that you want them to do. You also could possibly write a letter to the manager or director of the government offices, while sending a copy to your congressman, alderman, commisioner, or what have you, clearly indicating exactly what it is that you think should be done.  Otherwise, the people that work there will go on their merry way, doing what they think they should be doing, when that's not really what they should be doing at all.  But you can't blame them... you didn't tell them!  So how are they to know?  They are people just like you and me.  But sometimes they get isolated and lost, and they forget. At first, it may appear that they are unresponsive.  But that is only because they have gone so long without being reminded what it is that they are supposed to be doing.  It may even be necessary, at first, for you and your associates to stand out in the street in front of the government office, and make a spectacle of yourselves.  But like I said, it's only because the people that work there have forgotten, because we all have gone on our way and left them to their own devices without the guidance, experience, and knowledge, of the body politic. \n\nI noticed in your question that you mentioned your paycheck.  Have you discussed this with your co-workers?  Are they having issues with their paychecks?  Maybe you should consider organising yourselves as a group, and discussing this with your employer?  Perhaps as a group, in negotiations with your employer, you could come up with ways to increase production and efficiency.  This would increase your employer's profit margin and thereby  make it easier for him to give you a raise.  Of course if after you increased his profit margins, he found himself still unable to consider your plight, you would already have formed a group of people with a common bond and concern that would find it within their ability to deal with that too!\n\nSo to answer your question... No, I don't feel particularly betrayed by my government.  I f
704315
Yes, because part of the "choice" in a democracy is not to vote for anyone at all. (Although a "none of the above" option on a ballot would suffice for that.)  The problem is that Americans don't believe that they have a duty to vote.
273681
We may have a lot to complain about but at least we have civil rights. Many people, like my husband, flee a country with a  political regime that makes daily life for its citizenry downright miserable. What we complain about in the USA is frivolous and petty in comparison with the real troubles facing citizens of many of the countries in the world today.