Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Interesting Choice
So, ya, I am going to open this can of worms. The presidential election is less than two weeks away and I am still an undecided voter. I'll admit it, for a time I was sold on Barack Obama, but I am no longer certain. I am pretty much sold against McCain. But this is your opportunity, convince me one way or the other. Come on, you know you want to. Just take a minute and try me. I miss you guys.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I'm gonna open a can of worms.
Why should I even bother to vote?
I mean, mathematically speaking, my vote has not even the slightest of a significant impact on the outcome of the election. In other words: the outcome of the election will not change whether I vote or not; or the outcome of the election is not dependent on what vote I cast. I know the argument that takes this to the logical conclusion that says if enough think the same way and don't vote, the outcome could be changed; but in reality those who will vote will vote regardless of what I think.
This mindset is bad for a large group of people...I admit that. But the significance of one individual vote is basically non-existent.
I'll prove it to you after the election by either subtracting 1 vote from the person I voted for, or adding 1 vote to the count of the each candidate. I can guarantee that the outcome remains the same.
Sorry to steal your topic Matty.
Matt and I had a long discussion about this yesterday on the phone and it basically came down to this...Do everything in your power to make the most informed decision possible. Wrestle with it in your mind and in prayer. Cast your vote on November 4, and then pray for the people who get elected like we are commanded to in the word trusting that, like Kevin said in his comments about "the shack", God is in control of even what 270 million people say.
Kevin in response to your posts here, and I say this with great humility, but I think it's actually pretty irresponsible for any of us not to vote. I understand your argument, however, this country was founded on the right to vote and it's because we couldn't vote in our former country that we started our own. Not for the sake of emotion but for that of rhetoric, countless men have given their lives so that you and I can have a say in the direction of our country even if we don't like either of the main choices on the ticket voting day.
I believe that if you pass on your chance to vote, especially for president, you really give up your right to an opinion on the decisions that are made by whom ever does end up getting elected.
If you don't like Mcain or Obama, you can always vote for an independent or one of the other small party candidates, but please for the sake of democracy cast your vote on Nov. 4!
Any other opinions on this? ( and that's really all it is, just my opinion)
Nick,
The only thing I have to say in response, and as you said, I write this with humility: I honestly don't consider voting as having a say in the direction of the country. It seems more like going through the motions: just being able to say I did my part, even though my one vote makes no difference/impact.
I might go back on that in the future, since most older and wiser encourage people to vote, but for right now I'm unconvinced. And, the idea that I could have no right to an opinion about our president's leadership if I don't vote just seems like mere sentimentality. I know that if we have a complainer who doesn't vote, they seem very irresponsible. However, if this complainer did cast their vote, the same outcome would be there anyway. Would it be ok to complain then? It just seems like it would be wrong to complain whether I vote or not, and wrong to be inactive to injustice whether I vote or not. I think more problems will be solved outside of the government than inside.
In my opinion, if I think something needs to be changed, it is far better to petition those in charge (i.e. attending town meetings, school board meetings, write to senators, etc...obviously I couldn't really petition the president, but you catch my drift), or do something apart from politics than to cast an insignificant vote for the other candidate (or candidateS if you want to think that third parties really have a chance).
But, politics is a dirty game, and I don't know if the intent of democracy could ever overcome that.
I hope nothing in there was offensive. Again, it's an opinion based on comparing what is when I don't vote to what could be if I did vote.
I'd be interested to see if Jeremy has any thoughts, if he has any spare time in law school. I hear he is thinking of politics...
Oh, and prayer for our leaders is much more significant than voting. Paul urged them to pray for people they didn't elect so that they may be saved and that believers may live in peace.
And we always have to be careful about making politics/social reform/national reform our gospel. I've seen people think that the answers to the ills in the world lie in the person with the right stance on controversial issues; but it is our Lord who reigns on the Throne regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, or our national identity.
I guess it all boils down to fatalism. I admit, perhaps I am flirting too much with its boundary. However, I'd rather go to the Lord than the polling place, and let the votes fall where they may. I could do both, yes; but as a 23-year-old mathematician my heart just doesn't see the need to do the latter. And, it's because of the mathematics of it all that I don't consider myself as being fatalistic or irresponsibly inactive.
Post a Comment