No Vote = No Right to Complain?

[Abrom]

So a couple years back, my half brother posted something on facebook that every child should have to pledge allegiance to the flag in school. I disagreed, and it was asked of me if I ever voted. When I said no, people said that I didn't have a right to complain about anything then. I explained that I don't vote because the system's broken, we had a long debate, and the discussion eventually died out. Recently, I had a real-life acquaintance post that he was supporting Donald Trump. I thought it was a bad idea, we had a debate which involved some of the same people, and again, it was said that I didn't have a right to complain because I don't vote. I made a long post saying that they have no rights over me, whether I vote or not. It's received mild responses, and although they haven't blatantly said that they apologize or were in the wrong, it seems to be accepted.
And, thus brings me here. Do you think people who don't vote still have a right to complain about their government? Now, as we all know, debates over whether you should have special privileges over others becomes a VERY touchy subject. So, if you post, I guess we should try to keep it mild. If you can't put anything into words without being offensive, then there's a poll up there you can use as well.

[atommo]

Without saying too much, I feel you have a right to complain even if you don't vote.

Here's an analogy: You want to eat toast with jam and butter. You can choose between 3 options:

A- Toast with jam
B- Bread with jam and butter
C- Toast with butter

All of these options offer part of what you want but none of them offer all that you want. Some people may choose not to choose any of these because they don't provide what they want fullstop. Other may choose the next best option, although that is debatable due to opinion.

If none of the options offer what you want, you can complain. Some people may argue you should create your own option. That's easier said than done. While that may be simple enough in the analogy, in real life with politics there's extra factors such as money/corruption.

[Abrom]

If none of the options offer what you want, you can complain. Some people may argue you should create your own option. That's easier said than done. While that may be simple enough in the analogy, in real life with politics there's extra factors such as money/corruption.

Exactly. One of the replies I got was that if I didn't like the system, instead of complaining, I should try to change it by voting, running for office, etc. My reply was that if I somehow am ever able to come up with a solid plan to change the system for the better, then I'll definitely try it; but, in the meantime, I don't think voting or running for office will change anything.

[Kyden]

I agree, the system is broken, AND no one agrees completely with whoever they're voting for. While I personally think you should be voting, I don't think that not voting doesn't take your right to complain. However, at the same time, complaining accomplishes little, and I think we should spend as little time complaining about things whether we're voting or not.

[Sun]

Of course you can complain. It's the country of free speech. Why would you not have the right to complain!

Still: You can complain all you want, but that doesn't necessarily change anything either. Voting on the other hand is one of the easiest ways to participate in what shapes your nation. It's not perfect? Well, what is?
[Here, I cut out an example from my country and change that came to be from voting. Can type it out again if wanted. No need to bore you though.]
Of course there are still many other means of changing things. Like being in one of those groups that try to change the world for the better by demonstrating, calling for boycotts, collecting signatures etc.
Or by writing critical articles - I find a lot of those on the web or in the papers, and their kind of thinking seems to have found its way into everyday life.
Or by starting your own company and building sustainable devices, for example. Etc. pp.

[Legacyblade]

I vote specifically so I have a "right to complain" But honestly, a single vote is NOT going to change anything. If you voted for the alternative that wouldn't do anything, so you can complain as much as you want even if you don't vote.

Though, out of curiosity, why DON'T you vote? It only takes like 15 mins.

[EgotisticalRaven]

In Australia, you HAVE to vote when you become an adult. That's how we ended up with stupid Tony Abbott. This is what forcing everyone to vote ends up as. 

Also, it really depends what you were complaining about, if you were complaining that the guy is not someone you would want, and you'd rather another guy, then you can't complain, as you should've voted. If you are complaining about the government in general, and about how they all suck, you can complain all you want.

[Abrom]

I vote specifically so I have a "right to complain" But honestly, a single vote is NOT going to change anything. If you voted for the alternative that wouldn't do anything, so you can complain as much as you want even if you don't vote.

Though, out of curiosity, why DON'T you vote? It only takes like 15 mins.

Two reasons
1. Electoral College - For those of you who don't know how it works, presidential elections in the U.S. is not a simple popular vote. When you put in your vote, it gets tallied up in that state. Now, whichever candidate receives the majority vote in that state, he gets ALL the votes from that state. If you're on the losing side, your vote doesn't even go to who you wanted, it instead goes to the victor. So, if that wasn't bad enough, your vote is not equal. Due to some stupid amendments made long ago, the individual vote in certain states are worth more than an individual vote in another. On top of that, Senators and Representatives get a huge deciding vote. This is SUPPOSED to be the time that you represent yourself, but yet, your Representative gets a much bigger say than you do.
2. The Candidates - The only candidate I've ever seen that wasn't a crooked politician, has been Donald Trump, who's a crooked businessman. And I know that every politician, at some point, started out as some young person who had hopes of changing the system for the better. But that doesn't happen. The system changes you. As much as I'd like for a white knight to come along and make everything better, it's not going to happen. Presidents are either Republican or Democrat, and those parties have their own agendas, along with the agenda of whatever corporation is backing them. Laws prohibiting Monsanto from being sued don't get passed on accident. BP's fines don't get reduced on accident. Like Donald Trump flaunted, if you pay off politicians, you get what you want.

[Thunderbird]

1. Electoral College - For those of you who don't know how it works, presidential elections in the U.S. is not a simple popular vote. When you put in your vote, it gets tallied up in that state. Now, whichever candidate receives the majority vote in that state, he gets ALL the votes from that state. If you're on the losing side, your vote doesn't even go to who you wanted, it instead goes to the victor. So, if that wasn't bad enough, your vote is not equal. Due to some stupid amendments made long ago, the individual vote in certain states are worth more than an individual vote in another. On top of that, Senators and Representatives get a huge deciding vote. This is SUPPOSED to be the time that you represent yourself, but yet, your Representative gets a much bigger say than you do.

Voting systems like that are ridiculous and shouldn't even be considered a democracy.
More like aristocracy/oligarchy light or something.

[TheFlyingMarlin]

The only candidate I've ever seen that wasn't a crooked politician, has been Donald Trump, who's a crooked businessman.

He's only not a crooked politician in his views of the corrupting influence that money has in the American political system. His policies are insane.

Also, I wouldn't consider Bernie Sanders to be a crooked politician either.

[Legacyblade]

Voting systems like that are ridiculous and shouldn't even be considered a democracy.
More like aristocracy/oligarchy light or something.

America was designed from the ground up as a "democratic republic", rather than a democracy. Though I've always thought the Electoral College system was pretty freaking stupid though. It over-complicates the process and pretty much eliminates the very tiny influence citizens have.

But I just vote so I can say I do Since my vote literally does nothing, I just vote so I don't have to get crap about not voting.

[GingerCorslette]

I don't see the problem in this.  IF YOU VOTE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.

If these people you voted into office produce results you'd complain about, you partly caused that problem since you voted them in the first place.  In such case, those who abstained on the other hand could only be the ones to complain.

[Abrom]

I don't see the problem in this.  IF YOU VOTE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.

If these people you voted into office produce results you'd complain about, you partly caused that problem since you voted them in the first place.  In such case, those who abstained on the other hand could only be the ones to complain.

You must also be a fan of some of George Carlin's work Here's a link to that exact rant, but be warned, there is foul language. 2 minutes in is what we're really referring to - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIraCchPDhk

In Australia, you HAVE to vote when you become an adult.

Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention! Because in my debate with these people, there's a loud mouth that's going on about how our forefathers fought and died for our right to vote and I need to use it to change anything or else I can't complain. So, I came up with this response - "(Insert Name), if you think voting is all it takes to change the system, then I really thought you should know something - at least 13 countries around the world have mandatory voting laws for adults. Now, how long do you think it will take before these governments become perfect, and when will you be moving there?" I can't wait to see IF he even has a response for that

[Thunderbird]

I don't see the problem in this.  IF YOU VOTE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.

If these people you voted into office produce results you'd complain about, you partly caused that problem since you voted them in the first place.  In such case, those who abstained on the other hand could only be the ones to complain.

That's still bs. e.g. if you vote fore someone and they don't behave like they promised, you should complain.
Actually you should complain so much that they don't see the end of it.
or e.g. if you voted for the "lesser evil" you still can complain about how it's still not good (even if the other party would be even worse)

In short all this "you did vote or did not vote for x...you have no right to complain" is just a stupid try to silence people about their opnions.

[Kyden]

I see a poll at the beginning of this page.
I'm not going to vote, because I like neither option.