[MD] Voting

[ian glendinning]

Micah, Keith, "not voting" is a valid strategy, but it must be
actively not voting.

ie turning up and voting "none of the above" or spoiling your ballot, whatever.
If not, there is no way to differentiating "not voting" from apathy or
sheer ignorance. It's very important that the more automated voting
technologies allow voters to signify that they turned up to vote, but
didn't choose to cast their vote.

Apathy is evil, but "not voting" is not necessarily so.
Ian

On 8/7/07, Keith A. Gillette <Keith.Gillette at detling.org> wrote:
> -----Micah, Tuesday, August 07, 2007 21:46-----
> Not voting is the revolution. Can't you imagine what would happen if less
> than 10% voted? Don't you already see the government desperation at the lack
> of involvement? Saying "no I will not be a part of this sham" is the first
> step. The true "intellectual" leaders will then come forward.
> -----
>
> I can see what would happen if less than 10% voted: Elections would be
> decided on the narrowest of platforms catering to those who did bother to
> vote.
>
> Reform the elections system by: adopting Instant Run-off Voting or
> Condorcet's method to allow people to vote their conscience while not
> feeling they're "throwing away" they're vote on an "unelectable" (but
> forthright & worthy) candidate, and by supporting Clean Elections by
> providing full public funding to candidates who agree to live by spending
> caps and forego private donations to keep politicians out of the pockets of
> moneyed interests & allow those "intellectual" leaders more interested in
> policymaking than fundraising to actually be competitive, but don't abdicate
> responsibility by not participating.
>
> As Plato said, "The price of apathy toward public affairs is to be ruled by
> evil men."
>
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