Why I Don't Vote
9 February 2008
Mr. Tony Kornheiser
The Tony Kornheiser Show, WWWT Radio
Dear Kornheiser:
You ask your listeners to give you "one good reason why any citizen shouldn't vote." I'll give you two reasons why I don't vote (beyond the obvious - and perfectly valid - one that the outcome of no election will turn on my vote).
First, almost all politicians are opportunistic panderers, saying only what they think voters want to hear. Campaigns convey too little substantive information to justify expressing a choice of one candidate over any other. (Well, not quite: I do learn from campaigns which candidate seems most desperate for office. That's the candidate I hope loses.)
Second, voting strikes me very much like casting a ballot for which gang member will do the honors of roughing me up. It's bad enough that I will be abused; I refuse to dignify the proceedings by "choosing" my abuser.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Mr. Tony Kornheiser
The Tony Kornheiser Show, WWWT Radio
Dear Kornheiser:
You ask your listeners to give you "one good reason why any citizen shouldn't vote." I'll give you two reasons why I don't vote (beyond the obvious - and perfectly valid - one that the outcome of no election will turn on my vote).
First, almost all politicians are opportunistic panderers, saying only what they think voters want to hear. Campaigns convey too little substantive information to justify expressing a choice of one candidate over any other. (Well, not quite: I do learn from campaigns which candidate seems most desperate for office. That's the candidate I hope loses.)
Second, voting strikes me very much like casting a ballot for which gang member will do the honors of roughing me up. It's bad enough that I will be abused; I refuse to dignify the proceedings by "choosing" my abuser.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Tuesday July 1, 2008 at 6:24am