I haven’t voted in years after reading the argument that voting mainly serves to slot you into a cohort, making it easier for governments and corporations to profile you. Recently I heard someone argue the opposite angle: don’t vote because none of the politicians deserve you. A comedian mocked that stance as basically holding your breath when you are angry.

Now I’m conflicted because both arguments feel compelling in different ways. What are your strongest arguments for voting, or against voting?

  • bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net
    12·
    7 小时前

    I’m sorry so many are downvoting this. You are right to question electoralism, especially if you are American, in which case your choice is a rightwing party that respects their voters (the GOP) or a rightwing party that HAAATES the hippie scum that vote for them (the DNC).

    • ComradeSharkfucker@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      12 分钟前

      I disagree with the notion that the GOP respects their voters. They definitely not either. They might fear some of the voters at times but I don’t consider this the same as respect

    • Archangel1313@lemmy.ca
      3·
      7 小时前

      a rightwing party that respects their voters (the GOP)

      Lol! Wut? They “respect their voters” so much that they strip them of healthcare, public education, civil rights, labor rights, privacy rights…etc etc etc?

      I agree with you about the DNC, but seriously…smh.

      • bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net
        12·
        7 小时前

        The GOP has legit primaries where the winner wins via a democratic process and GOP electeds visibly fear their voters. The DNC runs like Scientology, but less effectively, as shown by their recent Cuomo run against their own voters losing vs Lieberman in 2006. But can you IMAGINE the GOP itself killing a candidate at ANY level against the democratic will of their voters?

        • Archangel1313@lemmy.ca
          1·
          6 小时前

          GOP voters have been indoctrinated by decades of propaganda, into voting against their own best interests, and to believe that political violence is a necessary component of a healthy democracy.

          GOP politicians are right to fear them. They’ve been brainwashed into being dangerous both to themselves and anyone who disagrees with them. They’re treated as political weapons, to be used to enforce the will of those in power. That isn’t “respect”…it’s manipulation.

          And I still don’t disagree with you about the DNC. But that has nothing to do with the GOP’s treatment of their own constituents. You know there’s nothing mutually exclusive about this…right? This isn’t a war between “light” and “dark”, or “right” and “wrong”. It’s just two different methods of holding onto power.

            • TimLovesTech@badatbeing.socialEnglish
              1·
              1 小时前

              Trump has had several GOP “rhinos” primaried because they wouldn’t bend the knee.

              • Rusty Bowers: The former Arizona House Speaker was censured by his state party and targeted by Trump after he refused to help overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona.

              • Liz Cheney: As the former chair of the House Republican Conference and a leading critic of Trump, she was a primary target. Trump endorsed Harriet Hageman, who defeated Cheney in the 2022 Wyoming primary election.

              • Doug Ducey: Trump called the former Arizona governor a “RINO” for not engaging with his efforts to challenge the 2020 election outcome in the state.

              • Larry Hogan: Trump has repeatedly labeled the former Maryland governor a “RINO,” though Hogan has remained popular in his state.

              • Brian Kemp: The Governor of Georgia earned Trump’s ire for certifying the 2020 election results in his state. Trump endorsed David Perdue in the Republican primary, but Kemp won re-election.

              • Mitch McConnell: Trump has repeatedly attacked the Senate Minority Leader, though he has not been able to directly replace him.

              • Lisa Murkowski: One of the few remaining senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, Murkowski has faced heat from Trump’s allies and activists, though she was not successfully primaried.

              • Ken Paxton: When the Texas Attorney General faced impeachment charges, Trump defended him and called his Republican opponents “RINOs”.

              • Ben Sasse: The former Nebraska senator was another Republican who voted to convict Trump. Sasse later left the Senate to become president of the University of Florida.

              • Pat Toomey: The former Pennsylvania Senator, who also voted to convict Trump, retired from the Senate at the end of his term.

            • Archangel1313@lemmy.ca
              1·
              5 小时前

              Lisa Murkowski won the 2010 Senate Election for Alaska, and Charlie Crist lost the 2010 Senate Election for Florida

              So, I guess your whole argument just fell apart, then? It seems pretty flimsy if the entire thing is based on just one single factor.