Small debate

[xxChanManxx]

I recently watched a little video where a man gave away his vote. He was making a statement about how it ILLEGAL to sell your vote to anybody, but NOT illegal to just give it away.

So for the purpose of my government class,
1. Should selling your vote be illegal? After all, people have died to give you the right to vote, but if you can't sell it, is it really yours?

2.Given the opportunity, would you buy/sell a vote?

Thanks

[OddlyPoetic]

What do you mean "gave it away?" As in he just didn't vote? Thats not giving it away, thats just not voting; he could still vote if he wanted to.

So what, if someone gives me their vote, do i get to vote twice? Does that not violate basics of Democracy?

[Al6200]

In effect you can pay people to vote by promising people tax cuts or whatever. Which is obviously a huge problem with democracy in principle.

[ReiperX]

At 2/7/09 08:04 PM, xxChanManxx wrote: I recently watched a little video where a man gave away his vote. He was making a statement about how it ILLEGAL to sell your vote to anybody, but NOT illegal to just give it away.

So for the purpose of my government class,
1. Should selling your vote be illegal? After all, people have died to give you the right to vote, but if you can't sell it, is it really yours?

2.Given the opportunity, would you buy/sell a vote?

Thanks

Two things. Yes you can give away your vote, basically ask someone who you want them to vote for, and make the vote, but that is your personal choice. But by selling your vote, you are opening up chances that someone who is undeserving, but with a lot of money can enter office just because he paid everyone a few hundred bucks to vote for him. This would be fraud. But if he asked those same people to vote for him because he wanted their votes, then the voters have to make a decision on if they really want to vote for this guy or not.

[fli]

I've done that, for NG...
When there's been two elections where I made my post, let everyone put a name, or a "yes or no" vote-- and immediately before I vote, I just used whatever was the tally.

Did that for the Special Election in California, and for another one immediately after that.

Not illegal if you give them...
Illegal to sell.

[blackattackbitch]

At 2/7/09 08:04 PM, xxChanManxx wrote: 1. Should selling your vote be illegal? After all, people have died to give you the right to vote, but if you can't sell it, is it really yours?

2.Given the opportunity, would you buy/sell a vote?

Thanks

I'm honestly surprised that you didn't immediately see the disastrous implications of selling votes.

I'll put it like this: If you want to completely leave the country in the hands of rich, powerful tyrants, allow them to buy votes.

As if it wasn't already controlled by rich, powerful tyrants....

[Christopherr]

There's a reason that it's illegal... In the Gilded Age, people with money bought votes left and right, which led to all sorts of scandalous affairs and the non-rich people ultimately getting shafted.

[morefngdbs]

In Nova Scotia until very recently (less than 10 years) Political Parties would come 7 pick you up, give you a bottle of rum for your vote & drive you to & from the polling station. I have relatives who would call up the opposition candidates line & use them to get a drive to & fromn the polling station , so as not to tie up the vehicles of the Party they supported.
So even though they bought your vote there was no real way for the to check & see how you actually voted.
but yeah, it is definately a practice that seems illegal.

[Conspiracy3]

If you could sell your vote elections would be entirely about fundraising.

Wait, they already are.

[Patton3]

I suppose it's technically legal to give away your vote, but I'll never understand why you would want to.

[jonnyrules935]

voting is a privilege, not a right.

If you're too dumb to understand the implications of voting, don't vote.

Giving your vote away is simply irresponsible.