Home » Culture & Society » Politics » Voting and Elections

Is Voting a Right or a Privilege?

Ranked #2,298 in Culture & Society, #52,326 overall

Your "Right To Vote" - Do You Really Have A Right To Vote?

Your "Right To Vote" - Is Full Of Myths

With elections in the U.S. just past much is being made about our "right to vote." Actually, this so called "right" is full of myths. The polity of our nation is diametrically opposed to such a ridiculous concept. Now, on the surface it sounds great but in practice such a thing would (and may) destroy our republic. Indeed, our founding fathers took great pains to avoid this philosophy. They did it deliberately and with good intention for - "The common good!" We were set up as a republic with the right to have chosen representatives to govern. With every check there was a balance and the anarchy of open democracy was deliberately balanced by representative delegates to lead. Voting is far more a privilege than a right and therefore should be entered into with care and effort. If we do not, we might loose both the "privilege" and "right." Actually, I see it more as a responsibility rather than a right or privilege. Also, with the responsibility is the requirement to vote responsibility.

Read on!...

How Do You Vote

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Myth One: America Believes That Everyone Has The Right To Vote!

MANFROM THE VERY BEGINNING - THERE HAVE BEEN RESTRICTIONS TO VOTING.
  1. Children do not have the right to vote.
  2. Felons do not have the right to vote.
  3. Illegal aliens do not have the right to vote
  4. Women have not always had the right to vote.
  5. Blacks have not always had the right to vote.
  6. There have been various restrictions over the years to voting based on education, wealth and other factors.
Right To Vote Felony
Should Felons Vote? by Edward Feser, City Journal Spring 2005
If the right to vote is as precious as felon advocates claim to believe it is, we should expect people to uphold at least some minimum moral standards in ...
Women's Suffrage
Women's suffrage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The term women's suffrage refers to the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending suffrage - the right to vote - to women. ...
Right To Vote For African Americans
Voting Rights and African Americans
The author sensitively points out that although the Fifteenth Amendment gave African-American men the right to vote in 1870, almost a hundred years later ...
Right To Vote United States
History: The Right to Vote | Scholastic.com
The right to vote wasnâ??t just handed to Americans. ... 60 years after the American Revolution had supposedly established liberty across the United States. ...
The Plain Truth About Your Right To Vote
A Companion hub to this lens. Much info added.

Myth Two: America Believes That Everyone Should Vote!

VOTEMyth Two: America Believes That Everyone Should Vote!

  1. Sounds good, but has never been true.
  2. We believe that children should not be allowed to vote.
  3. We believe the felons should not be allowed to vote.
  4. We believe that illegal aliens and other non-citizens should not be allowed to vote.
  5. We believe that those who do not register to vote should not be allowed to vote.
  6. We believe that individual states have the right to govern who votes within certain guidelines of fairness.
Right To Vote In America
Securing the Right to Vote
Not until 1920 was universal suffrage-the right of every adult citizen in America to vote-passed in both houses, becoming the Nineteenth Amendment to the ...
Right To Vote History
History of Voting Rights
History of Voting ... However, state officials continue attempts to deny this right. 1870 African Americans were given the right to vote in the 15th ...
African Americans Right To Vote
AskMe: How did African-Americans win the right to vote?
In 1865, following the Civil War, African-Americans were given the right to vote and the "3/5ths clause" was rescinded. (14th and 15th Amendment). ...

Books on the constitution and voting Amazon Search

Myth Three: America believes that every vote should count.

count voteMyth Three: America Believes That Every Vote Should Count.

  1. One of the major arguments of every election is which votes to qualify and which to disqualify.
  2. Our own president is not elected by counting popular votes. Americans have no "right" to vote for president. Our president is chosen by state legislators selecting electors. Your privilege is to vote to show your preference to aide your state in selecting electors.
Right To Vote Law
Voting Rights Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
While the Supreme Court has stated that the right to vote and the right to be ... a b "Bush signs Voting Rights Act extension: Historic 1965 law renewed for ...
Nineteenth Amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment
The Supreme Court upheld the law. Justice Bradley said in his concurring ... Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be ...
Right To Vote Us
The United States Constitution - The U.S. Constitution Online ...
But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, ...

News and Society: Politics Articles from EzineArticles.com

EzineArticles.com - Trusted By Millions as The Source For Quality Original Articles

Loading

Books on the Right to Vote Amazon Search

Am I Registered To Vote

Egypt presidential election body weighs complaints
Egyptians vote in presidential election's 2nd day
President Obama, Mitt Romney campaigns target young Hispanics with cellphones
Pessimism amid Egypt presidential election
Powered by Google

Vote or Not Vote

Loading

Who Should Not Vote.

Who Should Not Vote.

  1. Anyone who is not willing to go out of their way a little (rise early, stay late, wait in line, etc.) should not vote. Voting is worth it!
  2. Anyone not willing to form an informed opinion as to whom is the best candidate should not vote.
  3. Anyone who would be voting simply to "get themselves a raise" should not vote. If you don't think you are voting for the best candidate you should not vote.
  4. Anyone who is not willing to follow our laws should not vote.
  5. Anyone not capable of making an informed, individual opinion (such as children. Mentally impaired, etc..) should not vote.


OTHER OPINIONS ...
PULLING THE LEGITIMACY PLUG... CHOOSING NOT TO VOTE
PULLING THE LEGITIMACY PLUG... CHOOSING NOT TO VOTE
Then I read Brian Drake's essay "Why I Will Not Vote for Myself." ... This is why on November 5, I will not vote in any election, including my own." ...
Why Should I Vote?
Voting is an essential part of democracy. It is every American citizen%uFFFDs fundamental right to be able to voice their opinion and take part in electing public officials. By voting, people take a stand and help decide who represents them and how their government works. Also, citizens not only have rig
You Should Not Vote If...
You Should Not Vote If...
DO NOT VOTE IF%u2026 A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM TvNewsLIES.org Download printable flyer version: Click here! You get your facts from corporate TV news
Voter Fraud Acorn - Could An Election be Stolen?
This lens is about acorn (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and some of the voter fraud issues that arise from its political views and activism. Their alleged involvement in close elections may be strong enough to sway an election. They must be scrutinized closely! This lens wil

Who Should Vote? Every Concerned, Informed, Law Abiding Citizen Should Vote. This Is The Only Way Our Republic Will Survive.

Voting is a responsibility. It is more than a privilege and it is NOT a right!

You must be informed!

Thank you for rating this lens and leaving comments. It helps me to keep this lens up to date!

  • sammyscoops Apr 30, 2012 @ 2:56 pm | delete
    Heres my shameless act of self promotion for the day, and keep up the good work

    http://www.squidoo.com/accepting-the-ugly-side-of-20th-century-american-history
  • sammyscoops Apr 30, 2012 @ 2:43 pm | delete
    I really liked this post. I don't think that enough people take the time to stop and think about the political process much at all, let alone by asking themselves a serious question about it. I feel that the act of voting is more a responsibility than anything, it is not something that should be done flippantly nor is it something that should altogether be ignored. It's easy to look at the problems of today and say that we feel powerless, or that we have been taken advantage of, but ultimately the responsibility lies on each of us to determine where we draw the line. We cannot speak of "our" country all the time, implying a sense of ownership and then treat it worse than we did our first car. The nation has been driven down the way it has because too many people have either ignored their responsibility altogether, or have just enough interest in the process to vote every election cycle on issues and people which they neither know nor understand, only to promptly forget about it again until the consequences begin to affect them.
  • GodlessHeathen Apr 29, 2012 @ 12:29 pm | delete
    It's neither a right or a privilege. Is it a right or a privilege to choose your master? Only idiots would see this as either....don't vote.
  • sammyscoops May 8, 2012 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    But then, why even take the time to comment on a lens dedicated to a system that you absolutely DO NOT believe in and think only idiots participate in? Granted we may not always have the best choices available, which is wrong in and of itself, but unless we actively attempt to in some way change that, then we basically just rolled over and played dead. Don't you think that a less involved and informed populace, lower voter turnouts, and all around disinterest or distrust is exactly what the people screwing you over would want? It serves nobody's purpose other than these so called "masters" The funny part is, its not even the government that is really the "masters" its these corporations that have been enabled to dictate the direction that elections may go, especially now with the advent of Super PAC's and the limitless . The quality of the candidates and the quality of the issues that get campaigned on are ultimately up to us. I dont really think that the whole turn off tune out method of politics has really worked out so well for us really though....
  • GodlessHeathen May 8, 2012 @ 4:39 pm | delete
    "But then, why even take the time to comment on a lens dedicated to a system that you absolutely DO NOT believe in and think only idiots participate in?'

    Because I can do what I like and don't need permission from others to participate. I can voice my reasons why I think voting is for morons, just like you have the right to voice yours to the contrary....or do you only voice your opinions about things you agree with?
  • Kylyssa Apr 26, 2012 @ 10:42 am | delete
    Whenever someone calls voting a privilege rather than a right it suggests to me that someone is trying to get a toe in the door to remove that "privilege" from certain groups of people they dislike or disagree with. It doesn't sound as immoral to take away a privilege as it sounds to take away a right.
  • TrinaSonnenberg Apr 3, 2012 @ 7:55 am | delete
    Awesome Lens!
  • JimDickens Mar 24, 2012 @ 9:15 pm | delete
    I personally would like every ballot to have a "None of the Above" option. If that vote wins, the we start over with the losers ineligible
  • Edutopia Feb 14, 2012 @ 4:19 am | delete
    The wealthy land owners in the colonies rebelled against the Crown because they were subjected to political force without the means to affect that force. Riding high on the rhetoric of the Enlightenment thinkers they successfully pulled away from the Crown and created a new government that consolidated the use of political force into their own hands instead.

    Rather simply the notion of No Taxation Without Representation has done our nation good and we would be remiss to forget that.
  • blindsman Jan 10, 2012 @ 11:18 am | delete
    http://www.squidoo.com/friends-dont-let-friends-vote
  • blindsman Jan 10, 2012 @ 10:24 am | delete
    Democracy is nine wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

    We have all heard the mantra before: "If you don't vote, you can't complain." Well I disagree, I think it's just the opposite: "If you vote, you can't complain." By voting, you are legitimizing the system. You are giving your stamp of approval that you will accept the outcome because you agreed to it. If it does not turn out like you had hoped, you have no right to complain, because that would make you a sore loser.

    Whenever I am in hot debate with the neurologically challenged, I have found this to be a good example: If I were having lunch with you, and in the middle of lunch I were to stand up and announce to everyone in the restaurant that you were buying everyone's lunch, I am sure you would take issue with that. What about if I agreed to put it up for a vote, would that make it fair? If you agree to accept the result, then you are therefore legitimizing it, and agreeing to the outcome.

    On the other hand, if you were to say it is not up for a vote, I am not buying; I don't care what everyone else thinks, well then you would have every right to complain if I tried to coerce you into paying. By not agreeing to participate in the vote, you have not legitimized it, and therefore have every right to complain, and should. The sheep cannot seem to grasp this concept.

    If you have friends who still participate in the farce, it is your duty as a friend to persuade them to find something better to fritter away their time on. I am starting a campaign to deter voting. Just as the campaign to deter drunk driving used the slogan "Friends don't let friends drive drunk," I am starting a grass roots campaign to teach people "Friends don't let friends vote."
  • sammyscoops Apr 30, 2012 @ 2:35 pm | delete
    Yeah but if you don't buy into the system and you don't try to shape your world and surroundings into something more agreeable to you then what are you doing? What purpose does just saying its a sham and then leaving it at that do? I agree with you on a lot of points, for the most part it is some sad tragic mock theater, but the media are only held as accountable as we make them to report meaningful news to us, which directly translates into how accountable politicians are held as well. If we don't call Bull$7^% then we only have ourselves to blame for our interests not being served. It's a lot easier to do disagreeable things when the population in general either doesn't know or doesn't care. This sense of political apathy and its roots in our recent history are what I hope to address on my page.
  • amieljaven Dec 11, 2011 @ 11:18 pm | delete
    For me, voting is a right! Great topic. Kudos!
  • PTurner56 Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:01 pm | delete
    If you don't vote, you cannot complain. If you choose not to participate, you don't get a turn. If you don't join the game, you can't play. If you don't go to class, you won't get a grade. If you don't pick something, you may get nothing.

    I feel that voting is a priveledge and I'm grateful for it. I am also grateful that I have a choice to vote or not to vote. Choice IS Freedom.
  • charlino Oct 18, 2010 @ 6:23 pm | delete
    Voting is a responsibility - but honor, integrity, and accountability must be part of the equation and the election system must reflect all of this. As it is now, the system is rife with voter fraud, unaccountability by candidates, biased polls, a biased media, and a deliberately uninformed populace. The votes of felons, illegal aliens, the dead, and mentally deficient people should not count.
  • shyguy76767 Jul 6, 2009 @ 6:08 pm | delete
    As an anarchist (volunteerist), I feel it is my duty to not vote, and to raise awareness as to why I do not vote. See confederalsocialist on YouTube for more info.
  • stargazer00 May 21, 2009 @ 2:01 am | delete
    This was meant to be a republic, not a democracy. Democracy is a transitory and unstable form of government that will deteriorate into anarchy and eventually a dictatorship. In a democracy when people realize they can vote themselves goodies from the national treasury, it is all over. Very good topic!
  • paperfacets Feb 8, 2009 @ 3:43 pm | delete
    John Adams wrote that public education was important so the populous would be informed voters. He also despised the party system and thought voters should not be influenced by party interests and ideologies.
  • TheSmokinFrog Nov 22, 2008 @ 10:51 am | delete
    It is the duty of the citizen to be informed. Good job.
  • Wysiwigs Nov 17, 2008 @ 9:22 am | delete
    5* and a big fat THANK YOU for taking the time to clarify these important issues; it's amazing to me how many people are clueless about these things (it also scares me, 'cause they VOTE clueless to boot! :oP
  • LaceyUnderall Oct 27, 2008 @ 1:39 pm | delete
    Voting is not a right or a privilege. Voting is an obligation.
  • Jewelsofawe Sep 17, 2008 @ 1:51 pm | delete
    Palin for president

    Great lens! I talk about the 19th amendment briefly on my lens also. Come check it out!

    5* on yours!
  • krisManuel May 6, 2008 @ 3:24 pm | delete
    Great lens! 5*
  • aprilbrook Apr 28, 2008 @ 3:47 pm | delete
    Thanks for the post, it was very informative and helpful. http://www.encyclopaedicnet.com
  • political demond Feb 14, 2008 @ 11:09 am | delete
    I feel we all should have the right to vote!
  • Load More
Show All

Index on the Right to Vote web site

  1. How Do You Vote
  2. Myth One: America Believes That Everyone Has The Right To Vote!
  3. Myth Two: America Believes That Everyone Should Vote!
  4. Books on the constitution and voting Amazon Search
  5. Myth Three: America believes that every vote should count.
  6. News and Society: Politics Articles from EzineArticles.com
  7. Books on the Right to Vote Amazon Search
  8. Am I Registered To Vote
  9. Vote or Not Vote
  10. Who Should Not Vote.
  11. Who Should Vote? Every Concerned, Informed, Law Abiding Citizen Should Vote. This Is The Only Way Our Republic Will Survive.
  12. Thank you for rating this lens and leaving comments. It helps me to keep this lens up to date!

by

Wbisbill

Please visit often! You are invited:
Your "Right To Vote"... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags