Well, obviously, I think you should.
I don’t do a lot of politics around these parts, but Colleen has organized a big nonpartisan celebration of voting. Go throw some love her way and check out the tons of posts she’s rounded up on the subject.
I’m not one of those people who believes you’ve got no right to complain if you don’t vote. As far as I’m concerned, that’s one of the most awesome things about this country — you’ve got the right to complain about anything at any time. (With mainly logical exceptions.) And I sympathize, too, with those people who feel the two-party system doesn’t serve them well. All those people who wish there were more options to choose from, options closer to their own personal views. And I’m also sympathetic to those people who have to stand in line for five hours or more, if they happen to live in unlucky, probably swing-state precincts–the great shame of our voting system.
But I don’t know that I buy anything as a particularly good reason not to vote. Participation in life, and the world, and, yes, politics is a good thing.
And that’s about all I can say without getting partisan. So go vote.
I voted on October thirteenth. Luckily, I still haven’t even started regretting my decisions yet. Do I sound jaded?
Thanks for this – the nonpartisan bit is hard, isn’t it? But we figured if we let it open up, well, it might get the far side of crazy. (Emotions are running high these days.)
I can’t wait to just be thinking about books again!!!
On not voting at all: One of my good friends is a libertarian and finds all the candidates (national and local) to be more or less completely at odds with her political views. She also firmly holds that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for an evil. It is only a particularly reprehensible constitutional amendment that has her going to the polls tomorrow, but if it wasn’t on the ballot she wouldn’t be going at all.
So what do you think: If all the candidates are anathema to your beliefs, and writing in is not an option, is that a justification for not voting? Curious to read your reply!
PS — Let Christopher keep the beard!
Um, I’d put your friend under the “two party system doesn’t work for me” camp above — and I don’t think it’s a good reason not to go vote. For one thing, there’s always the write-in option, or the third party candidates who do manage to make the ballots in some states. For another, sometimes the “lesser of two evils” is a big improvement over the worse of two evils. Vote anyway, and work to change what you don’t like in the meantime, is how I feel about it.