Reply to: Do you vote the same way as your parents?

[Board Game Geek]

Far from it, I genuinely believe that what we call democracy in this country is utterly meaningless.

We get to "vote" once every 5 years or so and outside of election times the politicians completely ignore the voters. No representation
Constituencies up and down the country are safe seats where sitting MP's are guaranteed to be re-elected no matter what they do. No representation.
Unassailable majority governments are "elected" by a minority of the electorate. No representation.
Many MP's are permanently paired with a member of the opposing party so they never turn up, if they do appear their pair will too and vote the other way so a significant proportion of the constituencies have No representation.
Party whip system prevents MP's from voting against or for measures that will effect their constituents. Go against the whip and the MP is doomed to be deselected or at least permanently sidelined. No representation.
Politicians aren't subject to the same rules and conditions as their constituents and so lose touch completely at best or become totally corrupt. No representation.
Mismanagement or ineptitude has no penalty as the party system will protect them indefinitely with no kind of comeback. No representation.

The entire system is filled with graft, cronyism, dogma and corruption, as a result I have no respect for our parliamentary democracy and chose not to take an active part.

I was going to say, "in which case, surely your vote will help to clear away all the above and herald a new era of politics".

However, I've since realised that all that will happen is another government will get in and the above problems will continue....

Which does, in that sense, make voting pointless.

Voting is, in essence, an illusion to pacify the proles...

[TykeMerc]

what a pathetic cop out

Far from it, I genuinely believe that what we call democracy in this country is utterly meaningless.

We get to "vote" once every 5 years or so and outside of election times the politicians completely ignore the voters. No representation
Constituencies up and down the country are safe seats where sitting MP's are guaranteed to be re-elected no matter what they do. No representation.
Unassailable majority governments are "elected" by a minority of the electorate. No representation.
Many MP's are permanently paired with a member of the opposing party so they never turn up, if they do appear their pair will too and vote the other way so a significant proportion of the constituencies have No representation.
Party whip system prevents MP's from voting against or for measures that will effect their constituents. Go against the whip and the MP is doomed to be deselected or at least permanently sidelined. No representation.
Politicians aren't subject to the same rules and conditions as their constituents and so lose touch completely at best or become totally corrupt. No representation.
Mismanagement or ineptitude has no penalty as the party system will protect them indefinitely with no kind of comeback. No representation.

The entire system is filled with graft, cronyism, dogma and corruption, as a result I have no respect for our parliamentary democracy and chose not to take an active part.

[Cyberman]

I don't vote as there's no point. Tories will always be outnumbered by northerners, scrounging scum, public sector cronies, and amnestied immigrants who are all grateful to have their heads in the trough.

[Diver]

what a pathetic cop out

Agreed.

Where do I sign up for the PCO party

[DodgyAgent]

I used to live in one of those and now live in a similar safe seat of the Labour variety. I agree that even if I did have any faith in British politicians ability to resist shoving their snouts into the trough as deeply as possible in our situation voting is utterly futile.

Mind you our political system is so deeply corrupt even if there was a risk that my vote could count I wouldn't bother.

what a pathetic cop out

[TykeMerc]

My parents vote. I don't bother.

Before anyone has a go, I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country and Labour / Liberal candidates are usually 'work experience' candidates. There's just no point.

My parents, the lucky sods, live in a marginal seat so have the satisfaction of being able to give the incumbent local MP a fright or a bloody nose each time around.

I used to live in one of those and now live in a similar safe seat of the Labour variety. I agree that even if I did have any faith in British politicians ability to resist shoving their snouts into the trough as deeply as possible in our situation voting is utterly futile.

Mind you our political system is so deeply corrupt even if there was a risk that my vote could count I wouldn't bother.

[Alf W]

My parents vote. I don't bother.

Before anyone has a go, I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country and Labour / Liberal candidates are usually 'work experience' candidates. There's just no point.

My parents, the lucky sods, live in a marginal seat so have the satisfaction of being able to give the incumbent local MP a fright or a bloody nose each time around.

[Old Greg]

My mum is AndyW and is banned from all polling stations for stapling his ballot paper to his cheek and then insisting on accompanying his vote to the count and then personally counting it. So I follow in his footsteps.

[mailric]

No. My parents walk to the local polling station, i tend to vote by post.

[DodgyAgent]

My parents voted monster raving looney.

gave birth to

[BrilloPad]

My parents voted monster raving looney.

[SallyAnne]

no idea, they never said how they voted

They'll be lib dems then

[SallyAnne]

Yes - my folks vote for whoever is appropriate at the time, and so do I.

[realityhack]

I suppose I follow my dad. He thinks you should never put socialists in charge of anything important.

[BoredBloke]

My dad was a contractor in the oil industry so I had the anti Labour thing from an early age.