Voting in US - What's the point?

[Deleted]

Seeing as how the popular vote doesn't count for anything and electoral votes is what wins someone the presidency, what's the point of anyone voting? What's the point of trying to recount votes when it doesn't matter how many votes someone got?

Why do you even need to go vote at all when it's already decided by others you have no control over? Am I missing something?

[Deleted]

It is truly a joke. How is it a democracy when the decision made by majority of the people doesn't count?

[vetinari]

Well, if you are a trump fan, you can get him elected.

Its a pretty big point, actually.

[Zeta333]

Seeing as how the popular vote doesn't count for anything and electoral votes is what wins someone the presidency, what's the point of anyone voting? What's the point of trying to recount votes when it doesn't matter how many votes someone got?

Why do you even need to go vote at all when it's already decided by others you have no control over? Am I missing something?

go google the electoral college and why it was implemented instead of popular vote. People dont need to explain it to people to lazy to look up such a simple question. Its been asked many times and its been explained many times. If you dont like it? go to another country then, or become a politician and try to change it. Its not going anywhere anytime soon.

[Morae]

I'm european so I don't have any personal experience, but from outside point of view it seems to me that US voting is just a show they put up to pretend democracy.

[Drekker17]

They're recounting swing states. Your vote matters for the state, if they recount Pennsylvania and its found that Hilary got the popular vote of the state then she gets the electoral votes.

[Zeta333]

I'm european so I don't have any personal experience, but from outside point of view it seems to me that US voting is just a show they put up to pretend democracy.

Or they are showing you that you need to stop being lazy and research why it is that way rather than go HURDUR DAT RONG.

[Kalis]

US Presidential system is not on a popular vote basis, so we don't know who would have won the popular vote had it been under that system.

Different countries have different voting systems for differing reasons, in the US they are very much into States having more power than regions would have in most nations, so their system represents that.

Unless you are obligated to vote, then you don't have to vote, abstaining is a perfectly legitimate way of voting in most systems.

[Very Tired]

Just the presidential election and only if you're not in a swing state. But there's a bunch more stuff you could vote on that actually uses the popular vote like normal.

[Deleted]

go google the electoral college and why it was implemented instead of popular vote. People dont need to explain it to people to lazy to look up such a simple question. Its been asked many times and its been explained many times. If you dont like it? go to another country then, or become a politician and try to change it. Its not going anywhere anytime soon.

I was thinking that an actual person would be able to explain it better and still be able to answer any questions I might have about it. Posters could also enlighten me to other things that a simple webpage might not bring up. It's also nice to discuss with others. But instead you didn't, for some reason. And instead chose to make a bad impression and flamebait.
If you don't want to be part of a discussion you can avoid it.

[Deleted]

blaming the system is bullshit, people who are mad over the voting system needs to shut the hell up . it is not first time this is implanted. it has been like that for a very freaky long time. both hillary and trump knew this to begin with, so i really do not see the actual issue. yes it might look like a joke, but who cares? as they knew from the beginning this is how it would be. It is like you join a casual guild and then wonder why they dont raid hardcore.

[cubby]

It is truly a joke. How is it a democracy when the decision made by majority of the people doesn't count?

This is pretty much the issue - and there is almost no chance of it changing. Ironically, if the EC does the right thing and puts Hillary or another GOP candidate in, then it would change within the year. But neither will happen - so we're left with electing shitty Presidents every 16 years who don't even get the popular vote, and they fuck everything up. MAGA!

[Nathreim]

It is truly a joke. How is it a democracy when the decision made by majority of the people doesn't count?

The US is a Republic not a Democracy.

[Independent voter]

If you don't agree with my views, don't vote. If you agree with my views, vote.

California just legalized weed and euthanasia through the initiative system, the most democratic process in the world, no legislators involved just voters made it happen.

[Kalis]

This is pretty much the issue - and there is almost no chance of it changing. Ironically, if the EC does the right thing and puts Hillary or another GOP candidate in, then it would change within the year. But neither will happen - so we're left with electing shitty Presidents every 16 years who don't even get the popular vote, and they fuck everything up. MAGA!

How would putting Clinton in be doing the right thing?

[vindicatorx]

It is truly a joke. How is it a democracy when the decision made by majority of the people doesn't count?

It's not, we are a federal republic.

[cubby]

How would putting Clinton in be doing the right thing?

My answer wouldn't really matter, it wouldn't change your mind, and you wouldn't listen to any supporting facts/points I would offer. I'm not sure why you're even asking.

[Deleted]

The US is a Republic not a Democracy.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...r-a-democracy/ From Washington Post.

[Nathreim]

I was thinking that an actual person would be able to explain it better and still be able to answer any questions I might have about it. Posters could also enlighten me to other things that a simple webpage might not bring up. It's also nice to discuss with others. But instead you didn't, for some reason. And instead chose to make a bad impression and flamebait.
If you don't want to be part of a discussion you can avoid it.

Okay Ill bite. When the voting rules were set up the founding fathers wanted to avoid NY and PA picking every president because of their population. They could foresee big states with big populations having too much power ensuring they got all the attention while small states got screwed over.

What we got was the EC which is basically a mix of how we do the Senate (equal Rep for all States) and the House of Representatives (Rep by population). Big states still have a lot of voting power but small states are given a boost so they can effect an election and thus wont be ignored.

[Kalis]

My answer wouldn't really matter, it wouldn't change your mind, and you wouldn't listen to any supporting facts/points I would offer. I'm not sure why you're even asking.

I am genuinely curious as to your reasoning. Unless it is going to be some "She won the popular vote" retarded claim, then no, I wouldn't be interested.