Stay home and please don't vote.
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Every election, as the case of our upcoming election, there is talk of voter turn out. We look in disgust at the low percentage of people that take the time to enjoy one of our greatest freedoms, democracy, and the right to vote for representation. Some even suggest that this is not only a right, but a requirement.. even to the extreme of making voting mandatory.
I firmly believe that so many wars have been fought, so many lives have been lost in the worlds history for people to be provided the right to vote and chose their representation - that indeed we are obligated to respect this right and get out and vote.
But, I would like to adjust the phrase of "we have the right to vote", to "we have the obligation to make INFORMED choices and vote"
I suggest that higher percentages of voter turn out, or god forbid, mandatory voting would bastardize the democratic process, and ad genuine risk to the outcomes of such elections. You need only consider the fact you may have paid close attention to all of parties platforms, you have watched debates, you have looks at the costs/benefits of the political promises, you have considered long and short term affects of these promises, and with this information you make a decision to support a party. Behind you is someone that has no idea of any of the information that is readily available, but votes for a party, because his/her family always supports a particular party.. And that persons vote negates yours. I think, if it was public knowledge, within the existing low turnout of what percentage of votes are not based on any fact, or even worse -the "eeny meeny miny moe" voters, we would be disgusted as informed voters,
We can only hope, as the statistics of non-informed voter percentage will never be available, is that those that do go out of their way, leave their homes and stand in line, have enough respect for their time and the election process that they at some level have informed justification for their vote.
So with this understanding, maybe we should be thankful for low voter turnout. As public opinion is that we should have a much higher turnout, I would support that whole heartedly if every voter needed to qualify, or prove their understanding of exactly what and who they are supporting.. although tongue in cheek, maybe a little quiz on each ballot - you get all the answers correct, your vote counts.. if not - it is shredded and not counted.
What could a little quiz look like?
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Question #1 - Name all of the party leaders in your district
Question #2 - Name one party platform item for each party
Question #3 - Are you aware of the costs (economic, financial, environmental, social) that must be paid to meet your parties promises
If you are able to answer all of these questions, thank you for voting.
If you are unable to answer all of these questions, get the hell out of here and go home.
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So yes, we all have the right to vote. We have the obligation to be informed before doing so.
You do not have the right to negate my vote by ignorance - Stay home and please don't vote.
