Being Politically Active

Is a politically active person considered more responsible for himself and his future than some american who does not vote or participate in any government activity regardless of their reasoning behind not being active?

Can you still be a good person without recycling or volunteering in your community or contributing to charities or working in a political campaign or becoming an informed voter?

If i dont vote, I dont feel responsible for the jack ass voted in.
If i voted the non wining person i dont feel responsible
If i voted for the winner and he turns into a jack ass later, yet was a good canidate before being elected I dont feel responsible

A good person is judged moraly, not politicaly or physically. Thus If i dont do something against my and the general public’s morals then i am a good person. A good person is the middle or the mediary, inbetween the best people and the worst people. Thus if i do nothing i am nothing politicaly, if i do something good for others im a better person, if i kill people im a bad/worse person.

these may or may not answer your ? but they should help start the discussion of your ?

In many ways, I’d suggest that one who abstains from voting is more moral/responsible than the majority of people who do.

So many people cast votes without properly understanding the mechanics of the system, the issues governing the election, and where either of the parties stand on these issue. To cast a vote in the situation means that, essentially, the leader of the country has been selected merely on superficial grounds (a better public speaker than his counter part for instance) or simply by virtue of his party (given how many people blindly follow party lines every single election).

So far as I’m concerned, admitting that you are unsure of who you wish to lead your country, or admitting that you would like none of the candidates to lead your country, and then refusing to vote as a result, indicates a greater grasp on the morality that underpins a democratic society, and a greater consciousness of the grave responsibility that a democratic vote entails.

Here in Australia, voting is mandatory. Conceivably half the voters, then (looking at the voting rates from other democratic countries) are cast merely because refusal to do so warrants a $50 fine. How much thought has been put into these votes? What impact do these apathetic votes have on the future of the country?

For instance, the local member for my area, Kevin Phillips (the immoral, ultra-conservative, ultra-Christian bastard who banned euthanasia in a state over 1,000 kilometers from his own constituency… but was allowed to do so because my area voted him into parliament) always wins by a landslide. Dunno why, there’s just never a contest. I have no interest in voting in an election where my vote has no say, so I would have been happy to sacrifice my vote in “protest” you could say. However, the fact that voting is compulsory - and the fact that I don’t have enough money to take my protest that far - meant that I had to turn up and vote for people that I (and most of my fellow voters I suspect) had no idea about. So I put Phillips last, and the rest in a random order. And that’s it. The democratic society in which I live moves on without even noticing.

Nonetheless, an ill-considered vote undermines the entire democratic process. If you don’t care who wins, stay away from the polling booths.

jp wake up everythings superficial now. politicians dont care at all about the people the want to rule, they only want more money. democracy died a long time ago (at least in america.) the theory of democracy is based on greed. its all about going all through the school system and getting a good education so you can get a good job and be rich and therefore happy (or so says the american mentality.)

as for australia, if you are required to vote, i dont think that should be called democracy. democracy is supposedly based on the principle that everyone has a say in government. however, forcing you to pick a candidate that you see unfit to lead your government is stupid. (dont take that the wrong way, i still think america is much worse.)

“democracy died a long time ago (at least in america.) the theory of democracy is based on greed. . .”

america is not, and has never been, a “democracy”. we are a free republic, and the greediness of our leaders has made us one of the most prosperous nations in the world. i’m not a patriot, and i don’t claim to be, but i am thankful i live in a nation where my vote does count, and i have the opportunity to many things (i.e. healthcare, education, personal civil liberties, etc. . .).

to say that a person is good because they give to charity is silly… you can give to charity and yet throw litter on the floor, which i consider lack of respect. You can do voluntary work and still smokes when there are non-smokers around… lack of respect again.

People should be involved in politics for the simple fact that once you live in a society in which you are able to choose a person that will administrate this society… you must do your part. It’s a community after all. that’s what a country is… a big community.

Politics is important because is through politics that the price of the milk is decided, the minimun wage, the trafic lights… from the most trivial thing to major decisions… like diplomacy. So it’s part of our everyday life whether we want it or not.

I believe we are all responsable for what happens in our society, and in these days of globalization, what happens to the world. There will only be a better place when people stop thinking as single individuals and accept that we have a duty, we have to care about each other and the environment. That’s what a living in a society is, right? Everybody working together for a better quality of life

I’m not sure about that. Democracy, as previously stated, isn’t about obligation, it’s about opportunity. Any mandatory voting system is only good if there is a None Of The Above box to tick, otherwise you are being forced to vote for a candidate who you don’t want to see elected. And a mandatory voting system which has a none of the above box is effectively the same as a voluntary voting system, since one could assume that voter apathy is equivalent to their desires and opinions not being represented by the candidates. “Decisions are made by those who show up”.

Incidentally, post 1000 :wink:

is everyone on glue, or is it just me? do you not remember learning in political systems that america IS NOT a democratic nation? do you know what the term means? have you read “the communist manifesto”? do you even VOTE?

it’s easy to attack a form of government that DOESN’T exist.

Kajun

My point is, there must be someone there that you want to see elected. There will be someone who will administrate the country anyway, so you might as well, give your opinion. Neglecting it, is not the wisest choice. We need the ‘None Of The Above’ because you don’t have a ‘decent’ option, doesn’t mean it’s democratic.

Kajun

Exactly, which makes this sort of system non-democratic, as you don’t have a person who would represent you. If you don’t go an vote could also mean ‘I want no government’, how ever, as we know, you can’t vote for no one hoping that there won’t be an administrator after the elections… so, again, not democratic.

cusaksbeans

Thank you Mr Cusaksbeans!

no problem. just doing my part to stamp out ignorance.