By the Way: Thank you for voting!

Why?

(You know this will open up a can of worms, don't you?)

I'm not the OP, but I echo his/her sentiments. So, I'll give my answer to your question Pops: Thank you for voting because I feel very strongly that EVERYONE of us should be registered to vote and actively voting. If only because we can. But also to let your voice be heard. We founded this country on this premise, remember?

There are so many people on this earth who cannot vote, yet WE can. I always thought it complacent and arrogant of us to have that freedom, yet not bother to use it. Especially when one thinks of all the men and women who have given their time, health and lives for us to be able to vote.

It does my heart and soul good to hear of a high voter turnout, no matter the outcome. (I'm a registered Independent voter)

Any worms out yet? : }

I truly believe that is you don't vote, you can't complain.

BGnR

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"Good heavens, Miss Sakamoto! You're beautiful!"
"If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster."
"Near the day of Purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky."
"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans."

This year's election is the first time I have voted. Why haven't I done so before? I don't know. Maybe I wasn't convinced my vote would make a difference. Maybe it's because we have moved several times and I haven't felt like I was really a part of the community. I don't have any good excuses.

I subscribe to BGnR's thinking. If you don't vote you can't complain and I found myself complaining a lot in the last 6 years so I thought I would do something about it.

I took my daughter in with me to the polling place. Thought it was a good opportunity for her to learn more about how important the right to vote is.

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I sit on a man’s back, choking him and making
him carry me, and yet assure myself and others
that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his
lot by all possible means — except by getting off
his back. - Leo Tolstoy, novelist and Philosopher
(1828-1910)

I have a slightly different take. If you are going to vote for someone based only on listening to political advertisements, then please...DON'T VOTE. Similarly, if you are going to go to the polling station and vote for people based on superficial properties (the candidates smile, his stance on gay marriage, the feeling of resolve to "git those terrists" you got from his speech), then please, DON'T VOTE. However, if you have actually spent some time educating yourself on the issues, tried to look at both sides of the issue and understand why the people on each side feel the way they do, then by all means...VOTE! Otherwise, stay home.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

>>superficial properties (the candidates smile, his stance on gay marriage, the feeling of resolve to "git those terrists" you got from his speech), then please, DON'T VOTE.

You mean if a cadidate supports the right of gays to marry, that is a "superficial property"? kj.

Quote
kj
>>superficial properties (the candidates smile, his stance on gay marriage, the feeling of resolve to "git those terrists" you got from his speech), then please, DON'T VOTE.

You mean if a cadidate supports the right of gays to marry, that is a "superficial property"? kj.

Whether you support or oppose that position, the position of the candidate regarding it is in essentially all cases irrelevant to the candidate's powers if he/she gets elected. Those kinds of divisive issues are inserted into campaigns as smoke screens designed to sway voters who aren't paying attention while the candidates screw over the voters on the issues that they actually have control over.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Aren't cans of worms interesting?

1. People will complain whether they voted or not. It's too easy a thing to lie about, actually.
2. I lean with davester that voting just because someone tells you it's a civic responsibility is pretty meaningless if you've done no homework. I do NOT think randomly pulling a lever is of any benefit to the nation.
3. Gay rights is superficial?? Somebody better tell the right wing Republicans still left after this election.

Quote
grad
By the Way: Thank you for voting!

You're welcome. Now where's my check?


outcast

I was born in the USA, by right as a citizen, I get to say what I want about the government.

I pay taxes .
By right, I get to say what I want about the government, but it has nothing to do with paying taxes.

I also vote.
By right, I get to say what I want about the government, but it has nothing to do with voting.

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Strength without compassion is brutality. Compassion without strength is weakness.

We must train our minds to desire what the situation demands.

True (although you have NO right to free healthcare).

I don't think anyone really means "no voting = no bitching", but voting certainly strengthens your position when bitching.

As a liberal, you probably don't pay too much in taxes (you've done your best to shuffle off the tax burden to the successful people), but you bitch so much that I assumed you were a serial voter.

Are you saying you DIDN'T vote?

(If you did, I canceled it out with my vote. Niener niener.)

Since you brought it up - I paid just over $15k in taxes for 2005.

Having had a few close family members have to deal with catastrophic loss I also pay for my healthcare as the plan from my work doesn't cover enough IMHO.

WTF did you pay?

Or did you even make $15k in 2005?

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Strength without compassion is brutality. Compassion without strength is weakness.

We must train our minds to desire what the situation demands.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2006 07:00PM by Effin Haole.

I'm self-employed...I paid more than $15k in self-employment penalties...I mean, taxes.

Plus my family's health insurance and HSA costs.

Plus property taxes...WITH the extra school levies...and an ultra-high sales tax.

Plus I pay for my Starbucks drinks.

Is it any wonder I'm a fiscal conservative?

Sounds like you're fiscal dumbf**k.

Don't like self-employment taxes? Get a job with a company.

Don't like the high property taxes? move.

Don't like coffee? Stop drinking it.

Act like an adult and take charge of your situation instead of blaming some phantom group.



And your vote cancelled out Effin's, therefore mine counted.

Welcome to the club of responsibilty

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Strength without compassion is brutality. Compassion without strength is weakness.

We must train our minds to desire what the situation demands.

boys... boys...

You can always make the IRS harass you for the taxes, then pay pennies on the dollar when they wrest it from your cold dead hands. Stop before you get to Ronnie Isley's level though.

My only gripe with the IRS was when they made life absolutely miserable for me over $150 past due when I only made $12k that year.

That same year they let Willie Nelson slide on $7million.

But then I never was a close friend of a President or got to smoke dope on the roof of the White House.

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Strength without compassion is brutality. Compassion without strength is weakness.

We must train our minds to desire what the situation demands.

Quote
Lux Interior
Sounds like you're fiscal dumbf**k.

Don't like self-employment taxes? Get a job with a company.

Don't like the high property taxes? move.

Don't like coffee? Stop drinking it.

Act like an adult and take charge of your situation instead of blaming some phantom group.

Wow! Just how stupid ARE you? You must be even dumber than you look! I'll cut you some slack on your latest ignorant rantings, since you're still living with mommie. But when you have to move out on your own and get a job, you'll be singing a different tune. Dumbf**k, indeed. Let's analyze, for the "slower" children among us:

1) Nobody likes self-employment taxes, except for maybe the welfare idiots who GET that money. But for me to be paying such high self-employment tax, do you have any idea how much I must be MAKING? Enough to buy you AND your family many times over. (In fact, I just bought your mother a few nights ago...and I want my money back.)

2) I don't like property taxes that are unduly high, but I love Seattle...and again, my property taxes are high because my house is worth a friggen' fortune. It's worth even more now, since I renovated one bathroom and added a Lux Interior Toilet. (Now I can LITERALLY piss on everything you say.)

3) I love Starbucks coffee! And my SBUX stock holdings have appreciated so much that I can essentially drink coffee for free for the rest of my life! Same with my XOM holdings. While other people complain about high gas prices, my gas is essentially free because of my oil company stock holdings. Put that in your ghetto latte and drink it!

4) I've acted like an adult my whole life, which is why I'm a fiscal conservative. You, on the other hand, live in a trailer park and wait each month for your government handout...which you then blow on cigarettes, booze and a new TV box for your "shows". Just because I make more money than you doesn't mean I should be on the hook PAYING for your pathetic loser family. You made your 'lifestyle choice", now YOU deal with it.

YOU are the Democrat: the party of blame, the party of whining and the "Gimme Party".

Put that in your crack pipe and smoke it. My taxes will pay for your health care...or your incarceration. Don't worry.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2006 01:15PM by herbiesyufy.

Hee hee... "Lux Interior Toilet".

Pretty damn funny.

Awww, c'mon, you ALL thought his name sounded like a brand of toilet. You were just too polite to say anything.

PS: AAPL is up so much that my next five Macs are free. Who wants one!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2006 01:17PM by herbiesyufy.

You pretty much have me pegged.


Except for the Democrat part.

Lux, you still have some red dirt there behind your ear.

And what's that? An Oakley Summer Series bottle on your desk?

Geez, what a loser?

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Strength without compassion is brutality. Compassion without strength is weakness.

We must train our minds to desire what the situation demands.

It's what happens when 'pete gets bored, which is often attributed to a ADD effect but is in fact just a overpowering need to go trolling.

HEY FOLKS....LOOK AT ME!!!!!!

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi