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Your Right Not To Vote

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babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:36 pm

Do you think that one day your democratic right not to vote will be taken away

I'm not going to vote again until i think the world has settled down enough for me to properly see the political landscape again


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funeralxempire
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12 Feb 2025, 3:40 pm

In Australia they don't have the right to not vote.


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Mountain Goat
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12 Feb 2025, 3:42 pm

babybird wrote:
Do you think that one day your democratic right not to vote will be taken away

I'm not going to vote again until i think the world has settled down enough for me to properly see the political landscape again


No one should be forced to vote, in the same way that no one has the right to prevent anyone who is eligible to vote from voting who they want to vote for.

There are indeed times when we just don't know as we could vote for a few. There are times when we may not agree with any party so we then vote but spoil our vote paper which shows the parties there are people whose views are not represented, so they will then spend more time asking people what their views are.


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Mountain Goat
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12 Feb 2025, 3:43 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
In Australia they don't have the right to not vote.


That is a strange one. Kinda close to a Comministic approach.


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Last edited by Mountain Goat on 12 Feb 2025, 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:43 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
In Australia they don't have the right to not vote.


Is there at least a blank square on the voting slip


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babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:44 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
babybird wrote:
Do you think that one day your democratic right not to vote will be taken away

I'm not going to vote again until i think the world has settled down enough for me to properly see the political landscape again


No one should be forced to vote, in the same way that no one has the right to prevent anyone who is eligible to vote from voting who they want to vote for.

There are indeed times when we just don't know as we could vote for a few. There are times when we may not agree with any party so we then vote but spoil our vote paper which shows the parties there are people whose views are not represented, so they will then spend more time asking people what their views are.


Yeah I think I'll spoil my voting card


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Mountain Goat
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12 Feb 2025, 3:45 pm

babybird wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
babybird wrote:
Do you think that one day your democratic right not to vote will be taken away

I'm not going to vote again until i think the world has settled down enough for me to properly see the political landscape again


No one should be forced to vote, in the same way that no one has the right to prevent anyone who is eligible to vote from voting who they want to vote for.

There are indeed times when we just don't know as we could vote for a few. There are times when we may not agree with any party so we then vote but spoil our vote paper which shows the parties there are people whose views are not represented, so they will then spend more time asking people what their views are.


Yeah I think I'll spoil my voting card


It will give politicians something to think about...


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babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:46 pm

I'll wipe my arse with it :lol:


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funeralxempire
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12 Feb 2025, 3:46 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
In Australia they don't have the right to not vote.


That is a strange one. Kinda close to a Comministic approach.


It's the idea that participating in the democratic process isn't merely a right, it's a responsibility.

But maybe making people take responsibility is communism?


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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Just a reminder: under international law, an occupying power has no right of self-defense, and those who are occupied have the right and duty to liberate themselves by any means possible.


funeralxempire
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12 Feb 2025, 3:48 pm

babybird wrote:
I'll wipe my arse with it :lol:


The politicians don't have to handle it, only a local poll worker, no?

Why do something nasty when it won't ever impact the people who deserve it, only someone who doesn't?


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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Just a reminder: under international law, an occupying power has no right of self-defense, and those who are occupied have the right and duty to liberate themselves by any means possible.


babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:49 pm

Well I wouldn't actually do that


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funeralxempire
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12 Feb 2025, 3:51 pm

Afaik you can submit a spoiled ballot in places where voting is mandatory.

It's not like they follow you into the booth to ensure your vote is a valid one.

That said, I do think none of the above should be required on every ballot. If none of the above wins all parties should be obliged to field new candidates.


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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Just a reminder: under international law, an occupying power has no right of self-defense, and those who are occupied have the right and duty to liberate themselves by any means possible.


babybird
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12 Feb 2025, 3:53 pm

Yeah I like None Of The Above. It makes it more inclusive


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Texasmoneyman300
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12 Feb 2025, 4:08 pm

babybird wrote:
Do you think that one day your democratic right not to vote will be taken away

I'm not going to vote again until i think the world has settled down enough for me to properly see the political landscape again

I dont think that would ever fly in America because the Republicans would not have it because some places like Texas stay Republican due to lack of voter turnout.I dont know about other parts of the country but Texas would never require every person to vote because that would likely turn Texas into a blue state.Also the country as whole would most likely be way more democratic if voting was required.Also your proposal would violate the religious freedom and 1st Amendment rights of some religious people such as the Jehovah's Witnesses and Amish and Church of Christ.Also I dont know how it would be enforced.Would non voters be sent to jail?Also would people who dont vote for religious reasons go to jail?



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12 Feb 2025, 4:10 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
In Australia they don't have the right to not vote.


That is a strange one. Kinda close to a Comministic approach.


It's the idea that participating in the democratic process isn't merely a right, it's a responsibility.

But maybe making people take responsibility is communism?


Is one aspect where communism differs from the west.

Exercising ones right is a choice in the west. In communistic countries it is compulsory.


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funeralxempire
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12 Feb 2025, 4:15 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Is one aspect where communism differs from the west.

Exercising ones right is a choice in the west. In communistic countries it is compulsory.


I'm not sure there's any truth to that. Marxist dictatorships tended to deny certain rights, meanwhile we're discussing two philosophies that exist within western liberal democracies.

Last I checked Australia was a western liberal democracy, not a communist state and not a Marxist-Leninist dictatorship. :scratch:


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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
Just a reminder: under international law, an occupying power has no right of self-defense, and those who are occupied have the right and duty to liberate themselves by any means possible.