How many of you vote?

I appreciate your sincere desire to improve the world. Having gone through public school, I shared your enthusiasm until recently. Though I sympathize with those who are frustrated by the last two elections, I have changed my attitude to voting on more philosophical grounds.

I now realize that I vote every day. Economically, I vote with my dollars. Socially, I vote by my choices of with whom to interact and on the manner of interaction. The magic of these votes is that each participant is incentivized to act in a way that benefits both sides. The merchant who wants my dollars knows that he must provide me with a desirable product in order to continue receiving my money. True, he may use fraud for a while to obtain my money, but upon discovering that I have been defrauded I simply can stop giving my money to the dishonest merchant. Further, a merchant who defrauds knows that there are means at my disposal to recover the money that he obtained by his fraud plus extra damages.

Such is the mechanism of peaceful exchange.

Democracy and (indeed) all government activity are based upon a modicrum of violence. I am to be impelled to go along with the majority - if that majority is evil or stupid, I must still go along or risk fine, imprisonment or even death.

The merchant who wishes to take money by fraud finds a way to enshrine his fraud into law. If he had money previously, he may simply buy a politician. We all know that this happens.

People who despise the system of peaceful cooperation that I love are given power over me. Other people who wish to manipulate the election process for their own ends obtain power over us all. (See http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/102503C.shtml)

Still, I do vote - at least on the issues - I always vote for what I believe is less government. I rarely vote for candidates. I agree with David Broder that "anybody who wants the presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to be trusted with the office."

This next election, I plan to vote for Ron Paul because for once I believe a politician actually means to reduce government intrusion into our lives. Will my vote be counted? I don't know. I simply view my vote as a statement whether it is heard or not. Those people who abstain from voting as a protest to the whole process are also making a statement that I respect. When it comes down to it, I would like to see votes become less consequential.

We can and do cooperate peacefully every day. Why is it that we accept that so much has to be decided by majority rule?

I vote in every local, state and national election.

On the Idol voting, that is not an accurate picture of numbers. More people actually vote in elections. Roughly 115 million people voted in the last Presidential election and that was one vote per person. Idol voters are able to vote multiple times and you do not need to be 18 to vote on Idol, so you really can't compare the two.

Here is my opinion. I do vote and I do listen to what the candidate says. With the Internet, you can now see on what issues people vote for and how they voted.

Most people think their vote won't really matter. Look at the past 2 Presidential elections. I think a few votes would have counted in Ohio and Florida.

Also, if you don't vote in the Presidential election...don't complain PERIOD.

First time i did no longer see the "Annyone from Tokio hotel" and that i became like "WTH the place are they??" and then I voted for the somebody else one. Lol then went back and located them and have been given at a loss for words on why Taylor Lautner. Wow i'm stupid. Oh properly, a minimum of Tokio hotel is triumphing!! poll: i could might desire to assert bill, he's the 1st guy it somewhat is ever made me breathe weird and wonderful, and that i'm no longer in basic terms asserting that the two lol.

True more should vote but the Idol voting is a bit suspect and shouldn't be used for a comparison. Well maybe used as voter fraud, heck knew one girl that voted 100 times in one night.

Luckily, the local schools in my area hold "elections" and show the youngsters what a civic duty it is to vote.

The pathetic thruth in this great democratic experiment is that more people voted for contestants in that American Idol(itry) show than voted in the last presidential election.

That is sad!

Count yourself lucky that you live in a country where you have the choice to vote.

Here, in Australia, it is illegal not to vote.

One other point. In American Idol, viewers can vote multiple times.

Actually, there were 122,293,332 votes cast in the 2004 presidential elections there were a total of around 74 million cast in the American Idol Season 6 Finale, with considerably less voters.

I vote.

I'm a registered Republican and vote in every election.

I've never watched American Idol.

I'm only 17 but as soon as i turn 18 im going to register to vote...and i plan on voting in every election