Why do you think Americans dont vote?
814609
Americans have multiple choices in everything from cars to cucumbers. The only place where we have no real choice is in the voting booth. That's because the Republican and Democrat parties have had a corrupt stranglehold on our political system for over 150 years. The 'Republicrats' decide who the candidates will be, and shake things up just enough to make people believe they actually had something to do with it.\nIt's time for new, fresh independent political parties dedicated to the people to destroy the 'Republicrats'. It's time for a second American Revolution.\nAmericans don't vote because they prefer not to vote for the lesser of two evils. 'Republicrats' deliberately make the process difficult, cumbersome and inconvenient because the fewer people that vote gives them a better chance at getting re-elected. The whole system is rigged.         -RKO-
852159
bush is to blame.....American voters didn't have a say nor vote in the war issue....they just had to let Bush do as he pleased w/ his powers.\n\nbut our power as the people is to take that power from him....and we just did that in the last election by removing his party from congress and putting in the other party.  this now stops the free money train and war campaign and he must now get a vote on each and every item that is to be done.\n\ndemocracy works.....but like anything...its never instant...gotta have faith in the system.  its slow and rusty at times but it still works.
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.
86638
Sure they could. It's called voting. People need to direct more thought into voting. The American people vote their representatives into office, who in turn get to make the laws and vote for the President. Too many people sit idly by and don't make sure their voices are heard. Whenever there is an issue that I strongly have an opinion about, I make sure to call my Representative's office-be it a local, state, or Federal issue. This is the only way to make sure your opinion gets recorded! They are your elected reps. and are there for you, to vote according to the people of their districts. Signatures on a petition are just an amplification of this. Also, if more people who disagree with the system and would take action to run for office can you imagine the changes that would ocurr? I'm not saying any nutjob can get elected, but if you make sense and others agree with you then why not give it a try? People need to realize they are vested in the actions of this country whether they agree with them or not. We need to eliminate the people from office who do not represent our views as a whole. Our society needs to take action! Stop saying "It doesn't matter when I vote, so I'm not going to vote". That kind of attitude is what's gotten our system into the sorry mess it's in now. If you don't vote or take action, others who do vote will get control of things & quite possibly do things you don't agree with.
777736
This is very funny, thinking about it makes me laugh, because all the technology that is out there, you can vote for American Idol on-line or through the phone. Why not vote for president? We still have these old machines for Voting that are rusted and very noisy.  If they would have voting through the phones or the Internet, I believe a bigger % of the population will vote, because a lot of people don't vote because they don't feel like going out there everyday routing to wait in line to vote.
684087
I DONT KNOW WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO VOTE SO BAD I ALWAYS WANTED TO VOTE AND WHEN I GOT OLD ENOUGH I REALIZED THAT THE ONLY VOTES THA COUNT IS THE ONES THE GOVERNMENT WANT TO COUNT..LOOK AT ALL THE VOTES THAT DIDNT COUNT WHEN BUSH WAS BEING ELECTED. DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU OF ALL PEOPLE CAN CHANE THE WORLD AND MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
1155110
Americans don't really seem to care and believe that their one vote won't matter but if you think about it that is what about half the population thinks. A thing you might want to think of too is if we get accurate results when we vote???
1180191
No. This is not true. In order to vote in the USA, you must be a registered voter and show proof at the polls.
954558
The problem is more dont vote than do its because of the dumbing down of a nation that wants to be a democracy but just doesnt have the interest of the people to really do it anymore .\n\nI think its social apathy and government encouraged dumbing down of America,dumb people are easier to manipulate.\n\nSome thirty million adults in the U.S. do not have the skills to perform even the most basic tasks such as adding numbers on a bank slip, identifying a place on a map, or reading directions for taking a medication. Eleven million Americans are totally illiterate in English.\nOnly twenty-nine percent of Americans have basic reading and computing skills. One out of every twenty Americans lacks the ability to understand what is going on in the world or to develop an informed opinion for voting.\n\nhttp://www.hermes-press.com/education_in...\n\nAmericans are far from alone in the world, but from the perspective of many young Americans, we might as well be. Most young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 demonstrate a limited understanding of the world, and they place insufficient importance on the basic geographic skills that might enhance their knowledge.\n\nYoung Americans answer about half (54 percent) of all the survey questions correctly. But by and large, majorities of young adults fail at a range of questions testing their basic geographic literacy.\n\nOnly 37% of young Americans can find Iraq on a map—though U.S. troops have been there since 2003.\n6 in 10 young Americans don't speak a foreign language fluently.\n20% of young Americans think Sudan is in Asia. (It's the largest country in Africa.)\n48% of young Americans believe the majority population in India is Muslim. (It's Hindu—by a landslide.)\nHalf of young Americans can't find New York on a map.\nThese results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.\n\nAbout the Survey\n\nThe findings presented are the results of a face-to-face survey conducted from December 17, 2005, to January 20, 2006, by Roper Public Affairs and Media, a part of GfK NOP. This study is the latest in a series of surveys commissioned by the National Geographic Society. \n\nMany in power believe that deception of the American public is a legitimate way for them to achieve their plan. Bush's so-called "war on terror" is the cloak for a personal agenda ,but this form of manipulation has always been popular with governments because it works so well
1014063
Well, we didn't really vote for him the first time, and I think it has something to do with Americans being blind to our political process.  ...and denial.
785705
I think it is a civic duty for every American citizen to vote. But you are very right that an ignorant vote may defeat your own purpose, because when you randomly vote for anyone on the ballot that somehow seems at the moment to possibly be the better choice, even though you know absolutely nothing about that persons history or views, you may actually help elect someone who does not have your best interest in mind. Even voting blindly straight down for one particular party, but you really don't know if some of them do not represent you political views, you may be making a mistake.\n\nHaving said that, I urge that all Americans start caring to research the candidates before any election and become INFORMED and there fore be an informed voter for a better America. I am Republican because I believe in Republican values in general, and I vote mostly Republican, but I will vote Democrat or Independent or Green, too, if I like that candidate better for his or her voting history or moral outlook over the Republican alternative. I voted for Bush and I stand by him now even when there is so much Bush bashing going on all around me, because I have done my homework and I see that he is an honest man who is doing his best and has the right ideas. I do also resent that there are so many stupid people who want to undermine our leadership in a terribly dangerous time of war which weakens our position and makes all the other countries laugh at us. And, I don't believe in blindly following a trend that hates one candidate or loves another just to be popular not really understanding all there is to it. So, before you vote, please study all of the issues in depth and know what your candidate really stands for, and don't listen to partisan propaganda to form your opinions.
493880
The American people hopefully don't. The White House apparently does. All you Americans - please THINK next time you vote! (from the UK - don't worry Blair's on his way out)
1164149
that is a great question.  I believe the American populace has become disenfranchised.  We seem to put a lot of stock in how these elections are tallied when there are mechanical problems and corrupt election commissioners all over the place!  You can't tell me a majority of the population voted for Dubya!
742239
I did vote. Bit i think the reason why most people don't vote is not because they feel that the government can't do something for them but because they are so lazy to do so. If there is a will, there is a way. If you really want to vote there is always a way to. Some people are just reasoning out that they are tired of voting the same wrong persons. But you know guys... voting is a way for the society to hear out your voice. By choosing the right candidate by means of research and open forums, you can choose the "real" right person. Voting is one in a life time experience. And seeing your chosen candidate winning, and doing good in office is one of the the achievements one might cherish for the betterment of our society.\n\nThat is why your vote is needed.Pls do both the nxt time around... for you and for your childrens's future.
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.
375889
voting is one of the most important rights that we are granted as a society!  Do you realize the millions of people who fought for our rights to vote, only to have those rights squandered by a country full of lazy and uninterested people?  Women, Blacks... fought for hundreds of years for the right to vote!  I vote because it is my constitutional right to express my opinion, and I vote because in some part my vote influences the country.  What if everyone sat around and decided their vote didnt count?  The country would be totally decided by the politicians... thats called Communism!  \n\nAlso ponder this... if you didnt vote for the presidential race... do you really have a right to complain about anything that he does?  You had an opportunity to cast a vote against him, if you would have, then maybe he would not have entered office.  I believe if you dont vote, your forfeit your right to complain about anything!
572501
To be honest, I'm not sure most adults should be allowed to vote considering the complete lack of reason with which they approach the notion... but as long as we're going to allow people over the age of eighteen to vote without having to qualify just what good reason they have for doing things like voting on social policies that are disastrously stupid or candidates who are dangerously unqualified, I don't see any reason why teens shouldn't get to vote.\n\nAfter all, the informal teen votes we take now seem to reflect at least as much maturity and consideration as the adult vote does. I believe with the exception of the Bush Presidency, the Nickelodeon Kid's Vote has accurately called the results of every presidential election since it began (though I must admit, I do find it telling that while they have consistently proven they are up to snuff with the adult population when considering a candidate for the presidency, even kids thought re-electing George W. Bush was a bad idea).