TO THE EDITOR:
Tell someone you don’t vote, and you may as well tell them you punt kittens. They’ll say, “It’s your civic duty” or “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”
I disagree.
When you vote, you make explicit the notion of winner take all. If your candidate wins, you expect him to take office. If your candidate loses, your vote acknowledges that the opposing candidate will take office. Regardless of the outcome, you’ve consented to a candidate taking office and exercising his role as an elected official.
By refusing to vote, I do not consent to any candidate taking office. I refuse to legitimize the government by voting, because I disapprove of its actions.
You should know that voting measures only preference, not intensity. If you vote for Obama, you’ve shown only that you prefer him to other candidates.
Your vote provides no feedback as to what policies you like or dislike.
There is no “I voted for Obama, but I disagree with his increased use of drone strikes,” just as there is no “I voted for Romney, but I disagree with his denial of rights to gay couples.” A vote for Obama or Romney validates all of their practices.
Don’t vote for the lesser of two evils, it’s still evil. If you must vote this year, ask yourself what that vote is actually saying, and if that’s the message you want to send.
