Should voting be mandatory?

[Barnes]

You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

[Barnes]

You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.

[Barnes]

You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.

Um, you've never voted, or you'd know exactly what I'm talking about.

If it weren't for absentee balloting, I wouldn't have even voted in 2008.

Actually, I've been to a voting precinct on election day several times. I've also voted three times via absentee ballot. Granted, those were all assisting other members of my family.

[Barnes]

I'm not going to respond any further in this thread seeing as I'll get the same recycled "answers". 

[Barnes]

You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

[Barnes]

You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Uh, how is it hypocritical if you don't like any of the choices being offerred?

"Dissolve the government" is not an option found on the ballot.

It's not hypocritical. That's why there should be some sort of "invalid" option. Then, people can at least see the number of people disgusted with the system. As it presently stands, you either vote or you stay at home. There is no real expression of dissatisfaction like you have, Libertas.