Check out this fascinating piece in Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, in which the columnist puts the ultimate blame for Israel’s failures in the 2006 Lebanon War not on the army or the government, but on the people who voted the government into power: in general, the public has ceased taking responsibility, and not only since the war. It places it on the government and the army. But the government and the army are a reflection of the public that is shirking its responsibility. Many who voted for the reckless and irresponsible Olmert would now like to see him go. After the long years he has been involved in politics and through endless investigations of which he has been the focus, they could have recognized his rashness. What did they think? That because he became prime minister he would suddenly undergo a personality transplant?”
Full text at: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/949738.html

Why vote? Because you don’t have a right to criticize or complain about any government policy - domestic or foreign - if you don’t democratically participate in trying to change it.

I agree with the sentiment that if you choose not to vote, you can’t complain when things go wrong. I think this also brings up another interesting question, Are people a product of their circumstances? Or, are circumstances a product of the people? That is to say, if we elect the right people, will that solve our problems? I want to believe that Barack Obama is the type of person who would not allow circumstances to define him but would cut out his own course. This is one of the reasons I would vote for him. But, overall, I think the pessimism about the value of our vote stems from the fact that as an individual we feel incapable of affecting the larger problems in the world–war, racism, poverty. These problems still exist today and, it seems they will continue to exist no matter how we vote in our democratic election.

Voting matters because it symbolizes engagement, participation, and inclusion. It matters to you. It signifies that you are an active agent in the world, not a passive observer. It matters because it is an act of faith. Faith that our actions aren’t judged solely on measuring impact, but intention. Faith that from many come one.

A person’s vote matters for it is not so much the vote that is important, but rather the time taken to research and engage in the options. If people don’t vote they are most likely tuning out the rest of the campaign process, the rest of the political system– and over time this can lead to a loss of perspective and understanding when it comes to what one’s rights are. Our vote matters because it forces us to check in and not just tune out.

Even if you go to the poll and turn in an empty ballot it is better. It is a way to say I support this process because it is better than the alternative, and even if my choices suck, (like when Daley reruns for Mayor) I’m still taking part. Like anything else, if you don’t step up and take responsibility, someone else will.

I disagree with the sentiment that if you do not vote you can not complain. There are many ways to ‘participate’ in the government. Whether a person chooses to vote or not is his ‘right’ just like the right to bear arms. To use a boring analogy, if someone chooses not to own a gun and someone enters their home and hurts/robs/etc.. them is it there fault. No? The government has the same responsibility to those people as to the ones who own guns. Likewise, the government answers to each and every citizen whether he votes or not. But to get to the actual issue. No. Your vote does not count.