Election Season!

[Sam.]

I don't understand not wanting to vote. Why wouldn't you want to impact on the country you live in?

This is the first general election I am eligible to vote in, I know I'm excited to make a choice that will affect the next 5 years, all of my peers at University are also keen to vote.

It isn't hard to inform yourself about the election/parties/policies/candidates, if you feel like you don't know enough to vote, and you really AREN'T being lazy, inform yourself and then vote. Simple as.

If you don't vote, then any bad decisions that get made are YOUR FAULT.

[Dualnames]

I don't understand not wanting to vote. Why wouldn't you want to impact on the country you live in?

This is the first general election I am eligible to vote in, I know I'm excited to make a choice that will affect the next 5 years, all of my peers at University are also keen to vote.

It isn't hard to inform yourself about the election/parties/policies/candidates, if you feel like you don't know enough to vote, and you really AREN'T being lazy, inform yourself and then vote. Simple as.

If you don't vote, then any bad decisions that get made are YOUR FAULT.

I don't how the situation is in England, but here in Greece the past 4 years I could vote, I haven't. People tell me "Your ancestors fought for that right with blood".Well you are all aware of the great politicians we have in Greece. Check for 'Greece in debt'. There's no single party that I'm with even for a 1%. There's no political thought expressing me. I always knew there was something wrong with politics when the most idiot guy in class, though very popular became the president.

If I vote white, the winning party gets it. So why help them?
If I vote wrong, same as above.
If I vote someone who's actually oblivious that I voted for him, he'll think we agree.

So no sirs, I don't vote ,to scream that I exist. To have the illusion that it will change something. When I feel they're worthy for my vote, I'll be more than glad to vote. Till then no go.

[Calin Leafshade]

Dualnames is right.

Let's just all not vote!

But lets not confine that to just the AGS forums.. Everyone in the country should just not vote...

I cant see any problem with that idea...

[Mr Flibble]

Lib Dems will reppeal the Digital Economy Bill.

You know, that bill which sees you disconnected from the internet and fined, a sentence handed down by an unelected official who is not even a judge but a civil servant, and a penalty which you cannot appeal against because they inherently need no actual proof to hand it out to you? You know, that Digital Economy Bill?

That's reason enough to vote Lib Dem, don't you think?

[Stupot]

Everyone should vote yeh?
Even these people?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/elections/dont-panic-post/post/dont_panic/14/should-everyone-be-allowed-to-vote.html

I know it was cleverly edited to make them look a bit more stupid than they actually are, but I think this backs up my argument that ignorant people shouldn't vote.

[Questionable]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/elections/dont-panic-post/post/dont_panic/14/should-everyone-be-allowed-to-vote.html

I peed...  "I know- maps are hard."

[Sam.]

But greece has proportional representation? So even though the current lot made a big mess of the economy, it is quite reasonable to believe that your vote can make a difference, if you just keep putting up with something you are unhappy with, then things will never change.

I don't claim to know anything about Greek politics though, and I'm sure the situation is different to here. In the UK it is possible to make a national change by voting locally (from what I can see that is also possible in Greece, proportional representation means its much easier to get a smaller voice heard)

I don't think disengaging yourself from politics altogether is a meaningful action in any way, it just shows you don't care enough to make a difference, or if it comes to it, protest the system. (I'd like to insert a Zimbabwe proviso to that statement)

[Dualnames]

Look, Zooty, Greece politicians are like pigs. They're all alike. I'm not voting for anyone. It's not that I don't think he's gonna do anything good. I'm dead certain he won't. Your politicians once stole 100 pounds to pay a dinner, and when the fraud was found, the money was returned. Having a scandal in Greece is like expecting sun. They've stolen terrible amounts and no ends up returning money or going to jail!

[LimpingFish]

They've stolen terrible amounts and no ends up returning money or going to jail!

Yeah, from what I've read, Greece does seem to have some pretty severe problems.

We have similar problems in Ireland. The need for ministers to account for expenses is largely voluntary, and figures are never made public. We've had tribunals about our "brown envelope" culture; very few people have ever been successfully prosecuted. And nobody has ever been labeled "corrupt". Our banking system is a joke, with the taxpayer footing the punchline.

At least in the UK heads rolled over lawn furniture and moats. On the other hand, their police force seems to live in an alternate dimension, and various MPs seem to be finding new and exciting ways to define "freedom".

[Questionable]

[Ryan Timothy B]

I believe that's painted on a wall somewhere in Guelph, ON (probably multiple locations around the world, but hey).  I could be wrong, but I totally remember sleeping in the car after getting drunk at the bar and seeing that in front of me.

[Grim]

In my experience, where I come from, if you're too clever not to vote, then you allow all the idiots to go and make the worst choice of all....

Then, also, in my experience, those "choices" sometimes get onto planes and...............................................................

[Anteater]

Out of curiosity, which British party is closest to the American Libertarian party?

[Nickel]

I want to recommend this text by friends of mine:
“You mean they actually vote for the lizards?”

[Questionable]

Out of curiosity, which British party is closest to the American Libertarian party?

Difficult answer; the American Libertarian party is pretty much smack in the middle of the political spectrum between the conservative party and the liberal democrat party. They're more economically/fiscally right than the liberal democrats and also hold views of a larger government role, however they're less authoritative and not quite as hard right as the conservative party. Essentially there is nothing "close." It depends on the issues closest to your heart. Ultimately the LibDems are more liberal (still more right-wing than "centrist" or TRUE liberal, just MORE liberal than the Consv. Party) and libertarian where the conservatives are more authoritative and... well, conservative. The Labour party is almost as liberal as the LibDems on the social spectrum but far more authoritative than any American party... while the "BNP" is slightly more centrist economically and even MORE authoritative (read" "Big Gov't"  i.e. Universal CCTV, etc.) than the Labour party...

So the American Libertarian party is a nice median between the Conservatives and the liberal democrats. If you're more interested in a smaller government and greater personal freedoms and more humanitarian principles then you'd lean LibDem. If you like your government with strong central control and more conservative fiscal/economic ideas and typically more "conservative" social/technological/scientific/etc views than you would lean conservative... but there's really no British analog of the American Libertarian party... Similarly, there is no analog for the LibDem party in America. Essentially the conservative party is SLIGHTLY less authoritative than the American Republican party and slightly more conservative. That would probably lead you to believe that LibDem party is a closer analog of the Libertarian party but they're drastically more libertarian (believe it or not) and also harder left (although they're mostly centrist or right-leaning centrist.)


Go 3 lines down and 3 lines left from the conservative party and that's roughly the coordinates for the American Libertarian party.

[SSH]

Interesting map! According to my survey on that website, and on another website, they think I should vote Green.

And Questionable, you mean "authoritarian", not "authoritative" 

[Questionable]

Interesting map! According to my survey on that website, and on another website, they think I should vote Green.

And Questionable, you mean "authoritarian", not "authoritative" 

Yes... Sorry about that.

I should "technically" vote green (If I were British) but I think that voting for a party with no realistic chance of winning this election and risking allowing the greater evils to prevail would force my hand in voting LibDem. After and outside the general election I would have to support and help develop the green movement, but not until that have a chance of contention for a minority stake (as opposed to several seats) in parliament would I cast the penultimate ballot for them. Then again- I'm American and young, so WTF do I know?! =P

PARTY!!!!!

[Ali]

Just before the votes come in, check out this candidate:

http://www.madcapntom.co.uk/

It's the guy who runs the UK contingent of Talk Like A Pirate Day, and his experience includes: "Once got five gold runs on Blockbusters" and "Third place in th' 2002 Barry Island Dance Dance Revolution championship".

Maybe reading this will help offset the impending misery!

[Stupot]

Five Gold Runs?  Legend!

[bicilotti]

What happened to the Lid-Dem hype? I was quite surprised when I  learned they lost seats compared to previous election.