Do you vote?

[Furunculus]

I think it rocks for different reasons, namely that you elect a person to represent you, opposed to electing a party. As such, we should remove the focus away from parties and back to the individuals.

If I remember correctly, the Prime Minister has to be an elected MP, right? Why has no one tried to challenge him on his home-turf and uproot him that way?

Also this. There are no such things as Wasted votes, and I am glad we agree on this, Furunculus.

we should indeed reduce the power of the whips.

i guess its because local constituents are impressed by the prestige of having a prime minister represent them, so challenging their majority is very difficult, and i believe we have had prime-ministers that did not sit in the commons.

absolutely, i love-bomb the Lib-Dems precisely because they are the point-five party in our politics, without a serious replacement the incumbents can be unrepresentaive as they please without fear of the voter, but i find little i like about lib-dems policies.

[woad&fangs]

I've voted in 2 out of 3 possible elections. I did not vote in the last fall election because I did not know any of the candidates or issues in my new town. I believe that an uneducated vote is worse than no vote at all. The spring election was silly. It was a rainy day on a college campus so the county board position only had 150 total votes cast out of a possible 2,000 or so eligible voters. I'm convinced that politics at the local level is more about name recognition and actually GETTING PEOPLE TO VOTE than actual issues.

[jabarto]

Only in presidential elections, though I'm under no illusions that voting is anything more than a feel-good thing.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

You vote on the smaller issues.
In 2001 we (my wife and I) voted for the Christian people's party not because we are Christians, but because they promised a few benefits for smaller families with low income. I was a student at the time and so was my wife. We had just been blessed with a baby girl and the benefits would mean I could continue with my studies while my wife was at home with the baby.
The Christian people's party got the prime-minister and we got our benefits. I am voting Right on the local elections, because they promise that there will not be property tax in my area as long as they rule. Luckily many votes with me and Right governs my county and keeps that property tax out of my budget.

If I had voted for the sofa party back in 2001 and the benefits didn't go through, would I be entitled to complain? Well I could, but then someone would ask: "Well, did you vote for them?" I say no - and they say: "Then shut your gobber!!"

We call that voting your pocketbook here -- and it is a time honored tradition.

[rory_20_uk]

We call that voting your pocketbook here -- and it is a time honored tradition.

OLne of the best arguments against democracy: selfishly voting for whichever party offers the biggest bribe.

Next 5 years "Better Schools!"
After that "Free uni Places!"
Then "Reduced tax on second homes!"
And finally "Better healthcare; no handouts for parents or Uni placements!"

We pretend to wonder why we're in a mess, then we see most peple vote for money for themselves now.

[Beskar]

Though there are many reasons for having good health care and education, even free university which are nothing to do with "bribes". It is to do with having a healthy and educated workforce, which would also improve the economy itself.

[Sigurd]

We call that voting your pocketbook here -- and it is a time honored tradition.

...

I bet there are very few who vote based on pure ideology.
You vote based on interests. If you want better conditions for your family, you vote for those parties that promises most in that regard.

You vote for 4 year periods anyways, why shouldn't you vote based on what would serve you best in the next 4 years?

[Beskar]

...
I bet there are very few who vote based on pure ideology.

Stop picking on me.

[Furunculus]

and me.

[LittleGrizzly]

The only practical decision on my voting is whether to use it tactically or not, outside of that ideaology all the way!!*

*obviously even with the best policy's in the world some minor competence is also required...

[CountArach]

We have a British election thread for discussion like this.

I agree CA, so I moved them over there.

[rory_20_uk]

Though there are many reasons for having good health care and education, even free university which are nothing to do with "bribes". It is to do with having a healthy and educated workforce, which would also improve the economy itself.

That's a good reason, and one I agree with. Stunts like handing out a £100 winter fuel allowance for the elderly for one year - the election year - are bribesat the most flagrant.