I Didn’t Vote For Them

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I Didn’t Vote For Them

by SeasideMan ^Pro @ 21/12/08 – 10:29:41

A few years ago I was discussing the 2003 invasion of Iraq with a work colleague, and he stated that it was none of his business: the government did it. So I made the rather obvious point that the government represented everyone in the country, including him. His response:

“Yeah, but I didn’t vote for them...I didn‘t vote at all actually”

I’m prepared to bet quite a lot of money that his view on the matter would have changed dramatically if the government had decided to institute a draft and he had suddenly found himself in the army and on his way to fight and perhaps be killed or damaged in Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s very easy to be uncaring about the lives of others but when it’s your life, it’s a completely different story.

It’s very important to realise that whether you voted or not, and no matter who you voted for if you did, the government represent us all and have power over us all, including making decisions that could cost us our lives. The system we all live in grants power to elected representatives to make decisions on our behalf, including decisions on matters of life and death.

In the last general election, more people didn’t vote than voted for Labour. That’s so important, I’ll say it again in bold:

In the last general election, more people didn’t vote than voted for Labour

Cheers, Tom.
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- politics
- iraq
- democracy
- war
- draft
- politicians

13 Comments to I Didn’t Vote For Them

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- Middleagedbloke ^Pro
- 21/12/08 @ 10:42:12
And those who did'nt vote are so often those who complain about bad governance most loudly.
I did'nt vote but was living abroad at the time and did participate in my local elections.
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 10:49:15
  True. I didn't vote last time either actually, and I have no excuse.
  
  Tom.
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- bunnybunbunbun
- 21/12/08 @ 13:16:47
I did not vote but I am not allowed and anyway I do not believe in votes and think it is much better when people just do what I tell them :¬D
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 13:30:14
  You are true to your nature. That is good.
  
  Tom.
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- deleted user (Visitor)
- 21/12/08 @ 13:34:14
What I find sad is that both Blair and Bush had been democratically re-elected after starting the Middle Eastern wars merely because people didn't bother voting or because they voted to maintain the economic boom caring not the least about the human cost of that boom somewhere in the distant arab lands.
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 13:41:13
  I agree. All those who didn't vote are just as responsible for them getting into power as those who did vote. That economic boom turned out to be fairly short-lived in the end.
  
  Tom.
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- MarikaSunSeeker
- 21/12/08 @ 13:42:49
It is regrettable I think, that more and more people are becoming dissasociated from the voting system that is the basis for our democracy. I usually use my vote and encourage others to do so. It may be a flawed system, but it is the only one that we have and alternative systems that have been suggested would probably be worse. As a parent I did not feel adequately equipped to explain the political system in an unbiassed way, but I tried to offer my own views and encouraged my kids to seek out further information for themselves. Even with that input, I have to say that they are fairly apathetic and we all know where that gets us - The graffiti on the wall:
"The world will end tomorrow" -
response -"Who cares?"
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 13:55:26
  I agree with you, and I understand why people feel disassociated: the system is fundamentally rotten. Career politicians only care about re-election and the "right" things in the long-term don't happen because they aren't short-term vote-winners.
  
  If you have any ideas for overcoming voter apathy and disaffection, I'd love to hear them.
  
  Tom.
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- jenray ^Pro
- http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
- 21/12/08 @ 15:42:36
I've always voted from the time that I could, mostly because women in particular died to enable me to do so, so do feel able to have a rant about things governments do...makes me annoyed when I hear people say they didn't bother to vote so guess I'm annoyed with you, Tom, as well...LOL...hmmm
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 15:52:49
  Like I said, I have no excuse.....but my excuse is that it was a VERY safe Labour seat :-)
  - - jenray ^Pro
    - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
    - 21/12/08 @ 16:34:42
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- TheRavingLoon ^Pro
- 21/12/08 @ 22:04:24
Yes , if you live in a VERY safe labour , cons or libdem constituency it's very easy to not bother to vote , whoever you'd prefer to win .
Although safe seats do from time to time get overturned , so I guess that , if we have any significant preference it's best to vote .
Not that I always have .

How's your Robert de Niro essay going , and will you be posting it here ?

- Martin .
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 21/12/08 @ 22:47:03
  I'll definitely be voting next time. Here, my MP is the LibDem Mark Williams, who had a majority of only 219 at the last General Election. My big problem will be who to vote for as with such a tiny majority, it's all up in the air. I might vote for the incumbent, Plaid Cymru are possible, and if there is a Green they'll be possible too.
  
  My De Niro thing is, it turns out, a presentation rather than an essay. So, I probably won't post my Powerpoint slides!
  
  Cheers, Tom.
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