why bother to vote at all if the candidate with the most money is going to win anyway?...and then there's the
822693
I have no confidence that our vote counts after my 4 year study on voter fraud, years work as a voting rights activist, ease with which the machines can be hacked without seeing the sourcecode (which we don't) and this kills me since I from a kid of 10 in the 50's loved politics And always voted.  I was taught about our wonderful democracy which I no longer believe exists.\n\nStill I vote..because the more people that vote dem the harder it is to get away with  vote fraud (and explaining away wrong exit polls which are historically extremely accurate...that is the more people that vote, the higher the chance the vote will be democrat) though it will still be rigged, the soil is more fertile for discovering vote fraud and lawsuits.\n\nAlso because people died for the right for me to vote and I feel it is my sacred duty even though it is stolen from me electronically.\nWe must be true to our character and country.\n\nBut I highly recommend being involved in other ways as an activist, informing people of voter fraud and glitches, participating in citizen run parallel elections at the polls and recording proceedings and helping as a poll-worker.\n\nAlso call your congressman and ask then to cosign and support house bill (HB 6200) to make all future presidential elections be paper ballots hand counted at the precinct to restore the true will of the people and transparency..doing this will do more than voting will.
847429
I share in your emotion but who determines what counts as "informed?"  Biggots used this same  reasoning as an excuse to keep blacks out of the voting booth.  That has left a sour taste in our mouths for any program like you are refering to.\n\nJesse Jackson couldn't know for sure how these people would vote, but he probably knew what odds were. \n\nIt seems like paying a person to vote should be illegal.  One state is considering voting in a tax lottery where one voter after an election will win the jackpot.  I want more voters out there, too, but it seems like this approach would only increase the number of uninformed voters and that doesn't sound good to me!
115184
It takes an incredible amount of money and influence to run for public office, whick is why the poor and middle-class often get the short end of the stick. The only other way to do it is to have full public funding of elections. \nEvery candidate starts with the same amount of money. This evens out the playing field and keeps candidates from feeling the need to repay favors after the election. Completely clean up the system. Include serious televised debates with ALL cadidates welcome to attend. We the people will pick up the tab. I'd gladly send in $10 or $20 to support this system. I don't think it'll ever happen, though. Here's why:\n1) The politician that gets elected is the one with the most money for advertising.\n2) The polititian that gets the most money is the one in bed with the largest, richest interest groups.\n3) Said politicians are going to represent said large, rich interest groups, or risk losing funding and not being re-elected.\n4) Said interest groups are concerned primarily with increasing their own wealth and/or power.\n5) Thus the politicians, representing the groups that created and maintain their rich powerfull lifestyle, will never vote against the intrests of such groups, including but not limited too lessening said groups power over elections.\n\nThanks for letting me rant...
327836
This site does make for some interesting reading, he has some good stands even on the things that I would disagree with him on.  The most important thing that a campaign of this type could do for this country is actually educate the voters on Special Interest and the money it spends to gain for their interest which is not always ours.  Every few years you need someone to come along and shake things up a bit.  He could do it, he is a well known face and name and that is half the battle in politics.
694495
There as many reasons as there are incumbents who lose. Your reason is 1 of them. Sometimes, voters feel like he has done a poor job, ex Ford & Carter. Sometimes people like the other candidate, other times people want t change of direction.
259069
In the end you only have one vote regardless of your political affiliation.  People who don't vote are the weak ones.
932609
Absolutly. They are attempting to give people free things in trade for their vote. The use of "free things" is the trick here. Someone has to pay for this so their not even bribing people to vote for them they are instead stealing from the group not voting for them and giving it to the group that voted for them.
50943
Because no one wants to be the one to put themselves on the line; by showing what they believe, they risk losing votes in their next elections---->to them, that's what it's all about, the next election.
1025505
The best reason is because your just like us here in Canada when it comes to elections. We know the people running are just a bunch of liars who will say anything to get elected and don't really care about us or the country. \n  The result is we don't bother looking into what the the parties stand for or what they want to do with thier term in office. That leads to low voter turn out and some scum bag gets elected to the highest office in the land with less than 50% of the qualified voters actually voting for him/her. Same **** every time.\n  But keep this in mind as long as you vote you have the right to complain, if you didn't vote SHUT THE HELL UP!!!
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.
695163
Have you noticed how almost every ad slams the other guy as opposed to the candidate telling us what he plans to accomplish once he gets in office? I have a notion not to vote at all. What's the use?
764505
Hypocricy runs rampant in both parties. You know what would be a better way to select our canidate by having actual facts as to how the voted on any and all issues when they were in government. This way you know if this person is voting the way you want them to on the issues that are important to you. What was their absent record. \nAfter all aren't we all their bosses to some extent we put them in office. \nYou know what irks me the most it's the wonderful raises they give themselves. If there is something that should be put in the ballot it's rather or not they should have a pay raise. After all where else can you go to work and decide gee I am giving myself a payraise.\nHowever it's all a bunch of propaganda with mudslinging.
1160247
haha  no he's not going to win  is just over used rethoric only  uneducated people would vote for him the poores of them all   he uses the  " tamale for vote  campaing "
842011
I feel that any vote I cast is wasted regardless of whether or not my candidate wins. Because the Supreme Court Justices are the most evil people in the federal government and I can't vote for or against them. So I've decided to not even bother and vote any more.
536338
the only thing they care about is your vote, and they know most people are to dumb to look into if they did what they said.  then if any one checks into it, they always have a scape goat, it was not there fault it was the other party's fault.
1078167
of course everyones vote matters. Unfortunately, about 50% or more of the registered voters won't bother to get off their lazy bums to cast their ballot.
494968
If our leaders are elected by the people, and corporations form to fill needs of consumers, which is sort of the same as the people, then we live in the world of our choosing. Sleeping in the bed we've made is tougher than making it, though...can you handle the truth about how selfish and belligerent and stupid people can be...there is no perfect world, and this one is a challenge sometimes. But, if you do right, save a little money, and avoid being an ignorant jackass, maybe try and help others here and there, you'll get further in life, I think...one thing to keep in mind when you read the news is that people do some stupid stuff out there for money. Most countries use money, and most countries have people that do stupid stuff in exchange for money. Be smart about what YOU do, and support/vote for candidates that show the same character. If that doesn't work, there's always recall elections...or move to tanzania...